“I like Shelby a lot more than she likes me. I can tell you it hurts.” His head droops, and Georgia places a hand on his arm. I knew what was happening with Shelby bothered him, but not this much.
“I’ve been telling you,” Georgia starts, “You didn’t set limits on your relationship with Shelby. You should’ve said you wanted a relationship before you slept with her. By hooking up without the commitment, you set your own value short. She gets to be casual without having to be your girlfriend.”
Hunter gives Georgia a hard stare. That was harsh, but friends should be straight with each other, and she’s not wrong. Giving without agreement sets you up for heartbreak.
Right then, David appears beside our group, pushing his glasses up on his nose. “You did great,” he tells Georgia, wrapping an arm around her for a side hug.
Levi gives David one of his guy handshakes and Hunter nods at him, but keeps a close watch on Georgia and David as they talk and smile at each other.
“Why are you acting like a dad all of a sudden?” I ask Hunter.
“If he hurts her,” Hunter mutters to me, “I’m going to rip out his spine.”
“Down, boy,” I tease. I can understand why Hunter’s so protective. When that douchebag linebacker Kevin cheated on Georgia, Hunter spent a lot of time comforting her. Their friendship is a lot like mine and Levi’s. Or at least, the way ours used to be.
After watching the cheerleading squad win the second place trophy, Levi and I go to our second practice of the day, but it’s hard to get Hunter out of my head. He was still acting pretty reserved when we left. Hooking up with Levi is risky, but I had no idea it might upset one of our friends. Plus, seeing Levi smile at the Ravens cheerleader felt crappy. All these thoughts and feelings distract me, making me sluggish in the pool.
Coach chides me from the deck. “Let’s pick it up, Maggie! Pick it up!”
I swim faster, but my heart isn’t all the way there. Between laps when I’m out of breath, clinging to the side of the pool, Levi glides up next to me and nudges my side. “You okay?”
My nod back is a lie.
It’s still raining after practice. As we’re leaving the Sportsplex, Levi opens an umbrella and holds it above our heads as we hurry to his truck. I let out a sigh of relief once we’re inside, dry and warm. Rain pelts the windshield, punctuating the silence between me and my best friend.
On the way home in the pouring rain, Levi peers over at me from the driver’s seat.
“I’m not hurting you, am I?” he asks.
“What?”
“You heard what Hunter said. He’s worried we’re going to get hurt.”
I was pretty jealous when he talked to that other girl earlier, but if I tell him that, it could make things awkward between us, and that’s the last thing I need. I want us to stay normal.
The windshield wipers are on high, going as fast as they go. Still, it’s tough to see through the storm.
“Everything’s good,” I say. “Hunter’s overreacting because of Shelby.”
“Yeah. You’re right.” Levi taps his fingers on the steering wheel. “I shouldn’t have said that about going under the bleachers.”
“How could you know Hunter has superhuman hearing? I mean, I barely heard you.”
We listen to a couple of songs on the radio, and I stare out the window at rainy, gray skies until he speaks again. “Maybe we should cool it from now on.”
I twist to look at him. He’s chewing on his lower lip. I didn’t like him talking to that girl today, but it’s not like I’m in love with him. I enjoy being with my friend, hanging out, talking, and kissing. I really like the kissing. But is that because I like kissing? Or because I like him? Do they go hand in hand? I try to imagine myself kissing Hunter like we did a couple years ago in truth or dare. It does not entice me at all.
I lean my head against the window.
“Magpie?” he says.
The last thing I want is to scare off my best friend. I told him this wouldn’t get weird.
“Yeah, that’s fine,” I say a little louder than I would have liked. “Thanks for the lessons. They were illuminating.”
He grins. “You’re welcome. Now you can hook up with Noah the basketball ignoramus.”
“I think it’s you he wants. Remember earlier? Levi Lucassen rocks my world!” I mimic, and we crack up until he drops me off at my house.
I go inside, hang my jacket in the foyer, and head into the kitchen where I find a note from Mom saying she and Dad won’t be back until after the sixteenth birthday party they’re catering. She left me some lasagna to heat up, but I’m not hungry.
I climb the stairs to my room and sit down on my bed. From my nightstand, I pick up the picture of Levi and me that Dad took at the Speedo Classic in Daytona last year. Our arms are wrapped around each other and we’re smiling like we’ve won the Olympics. I run my fingers over his happy face, then place the photo back in its spot and lie down on my bed.
See? I knew this would be fine. We hooked up and now we’re done. I know what an orgasm feels like now; I bet I could even give myself one. I have more experience.
Nobody got hurt.
So why do I feel like crawling under the covers and not coming out?
Wildflowers
Later that night I’m forced out from under the covers because Georgia texts me, saying she’s coming over.
When I let her in my house, the skin under her eyes is puffy and pink.
I give her a hug. “You okay?”
“My mom was being terrible, as usual. She pointed out everything I did wrong in my routine today.”
“You did great! And the team came in second. That’s all that matters, right?”
“Not to Mom. I didn’t smile enough apparently.”
“I saw your whole performance and you were totally smiling.”
Georgia shuts her eyes. “I don’t know how to make my mom happy so she’ll leave me alone.”
It’s hard to relate because my parents aren’t controlling at all. They want whatever I want, and I want to swim. I can’t imagine doing it because someone else demanded it of me, like how Jason’s father gets pissed when he comes in second, or the way Georgia’s mom critiques her every move when it comes to cheerleading.
“You love cheering, right?” I ask.
“More than anything.”
“Then doing your best and having a good time is all that matters.”
“It sucks having to listen to Mom tell me I’m not good enough.”
“You should tell her that.”
Georgia makes a guffawing noise. “As if she listens to a word I say.”
I don’t know how to respond. “We need ice cream.”
“Oh my god, yes. I’m starving. Mom’s still on the no-sugar diet.”
Georgia helps me raid our fridge and then we climb the stairs to my room. There, I kick the clothes littering the floor out of our way, and move my gym bag, clearing a spot for her on my bed. Once we’re settled and listening to music, she doesn’t beat around the bush.
“What’s going on with you and Leaves?” she asks through a mouthful of chocolate chip cookie dough.
I wrap my arms around my shins and prop my chin on my knee.
“You can talk to me.”
“I know.”
“So go ahead. ‘Levi and I…’” she starts.