“Why?”
He kisses me sweetly. “Because Riley and my little bro, Braxton, have been talking. About how nice I’ve been lately. Brax told Mom. They wanted to hear about you. Then my mom got off the phone and my dad was like, So, why are you so happy?
“What did you tell him?”
“I just said you are amazing.”
“And?”
“He said I seemed more carefree with you, happy. I was finally like, Dad, is happy supposed to be code word for are we having sex and is that what is making me happy?
And my dad was like, I’m old, I don’t get to date pretty young things, so yes, that’s what I was wondering.”
“Did you tell your dad?” My eyes get huge.
“You told your mom and stepdad.”
“Oh, gosh. I’ll never be able to look at him.”
“I just told him he was right about you making me very happy. So, he knew. Plus, he and I talked before about how, you know, Whitney never seemed like she wanted to with me, and I wondered if it was me, if I was doing something wrong. Actually, I tried to have that talk with my older brother, but dad overheard us and, since then, he’s been kinda anti-Whitney. They want to meet you soon.”
“Oh, if he’s anti-Whitney, then he’s my new favorite person. I’d love to meet your parents.”
I grab his face in my hands and plant a big kiss on him just as the bell rings.
“Damn classes,” he says, “just when things were getting good. You going to the game with me tonight? Or you hanging with your friends?”
“Both?”
“So the guys and I have a little tradition of going to this Mexican restaurant before the Freshman games. Taco Tuesday.”
“Oh, okay. Then I’ll just hang out with my friends and see you later.”
“I have a better idea.”
“What’s that?”
“Come with us.”
“No. I’m not intruding on boy night.”
“They suggested I bring you. So, tonight, if you want, you get to be one of the guys.”
I smile. “I’d like that.”
Love the boots.
1:15am
Riley, Dallas and I are lying on a blanket, having already smoked a bit and are just big chilling.
“So, tell me about your new girls.”
Dallas says, “Well, I got another pair of panties after the game tonight.”
Riley is like, “Whose?”
“That Sarah chick in our math class. What’d you and Ariela do?”
“Just kissed.”
“Kisses are nice,” I say dreamily.
“Especially the places you’ve been getting kissed,” Riley says.
“You don’t know anything.”
“I have a really good imagination. And don’t think my brother doesn’t confide in me, because he does. He and I have gotten closer this year.”
“What’s he been telling you?”
“Just that you turn him on. I guessed about the library thing. When it was just us throwing at practice today, he confirmed it. He told me that tonight he wanted to try and make you feel really good. I’m assuming, based on how dreamy you’re acting, and the fact you left at half, that he succeeded.”
“Wait,” Dallas says. “What happened in the library?”
“Kiki was naughty in a private study room.”
“How naughty?”
“Not all the way naughty, but pretty naughty. My brother is lucky.”
Dallas rolls over toward me, close to my face. This is usually how he starts to kiss me. Then he just looks at me and says, “Yeah, he is.”
It makes me want to kiss him. I even grab his face and hold it in my hands, just looking at him. He’s so adorable.
“So, I’m really nervous about this whole campaign speech thing on Thursday. It just seems so short. How am I supposed to convince people to vote for me when they only give you four days to campaign? What do you think I should say? Part of me wishes I hadn’t done it. With soccer, dance, Social Committee, French club, tutoring Aiden, homework, and Dawson, I’m majorly crunched for time. Plus, I hate not winning. And I’m new. I probably don’t stand a chance.”
“You have a good chance. How’s tutoring the god going?” Dallas asks.
“It’s fine. Sometimes I think we might be able to be friends. So, what should I say?”
Riley says, “I don't think it matters what you say. Just look hot. All the guys will vote for you.”
“And what do guys find hot?”
Dallas says, “The boots. Love the boots.”
I get back in through my window and am trying to quietly get to my closet to get undressed, when I trip over a box lying in the middle of the floor.
“Keatyn, what are you doing?” Katie says groggily.
“Oh, I was just . . .”
“Getting back from sneaking out to see Dawson?”
“Uh, no, with Riley and Dallas.”
“Take me next time. Riley is hot. I don’t think I would mind if that boy used me. And Dallas is adorable. I think he’d be fun to kiss. Oh, and that box you tripped over was delivered for you today. I forgot to tell you earlier.”