“I think we should riot.”
“Riot about how insane it is that we can’t buy single stamps?”
Serena nods.
“I’m liking you more and more now.” I inch down and place a soft kiss on her lips without thinking.
A faint blush tints her cheeks, but she grins playfully. “Anyway, riot or not, we’re here to enjoy the fair, not start a postal revolution. Let’s go over here.” She grabs my hand, pulling me towards another booth.
Serena’s attention is on an assortment of leather bracelets, similar to the one I gave her. She walks over, browsing through the collection.
“This looks a lot like my bracelet,” I mention, holding it up for Serena to see.
She glances over, her eyes widening slightly. “Oh, it does.” She takes the bracelet from my grasp and quickly purchases it without hesitation.
As we exit the building, she playfully takes my hand and wraps the new bracelet around my wrist. “Hold onto this for me?”
I chuckle at her mocking and lick my lips, “Sure thing. I’ll keep it safe.”
Serena grins mischievously. “Great. Now we’ll match. Twinsies.”
I glance down at our wrists. “Nah, meant to be.”
Chapter 29
Serena
Navy blue banners with SKYLINE HOMECOMING! written in golden lettering decorate the school’s hallways. There’s echoes of chatter about the upcoming game and who would be king and queen filled the hallways, and though I’d tried to be excited, I was mostly uncertain, nervous even. Also, Alli would be on homecoming court, leaving me to co-captain tonight, so, no pressure.
I’ve tried my hardest to ignore the sneaky conversations going around in the locker room and in between water breaks. I have no idea why Coach Miller and Alli chose me out of the others who outrank me. All I know is once news broke that I’m temporarily leading the team today, there were a few senior girls who were mad, annoyed and felt cheated that they were overlooked to fill the position. But I refuse to let their whispers and rumors undermine my confidence.
Then again, I might very well throw up from the nerves.
I find myself glancing at Tyler more often than usual. He’s a constant now, an unexpected yet reassuring presence in my life. I like his laid-back approach, his ease with the current pace of things between us. It’s all summarized in a warmth that spreads within me whenever our eyes meet or I hear his laughter.
In between the chaos of our tutoring sessions, his Boba Republic visits to keep me company at night, driving me home, and walking me to practice, I get lost in the moment. It’s having someone who’s genuinely there for me, not forced to like family. He doesn’t feel obligated to be there, he chooses to be.
There’s a part of me that still wants to be scared. Terrified of letting someone in this close. That’s how it’s always been. Why I’ve turned down the few guys that walk into Boba Republic showing interest in me. But every time Tyler’s around, those fears fade. It’s like he has this magical ability to make vulnerability feel safe.
The doubts in my head make me wonder if this is even real if it’s even happening to a girl like me. A broken girl with a dead father and a deadbeat mother. A perfectionist and anxious teenager who struggles to make friends and is mostly a stranger to fun. A girl who wants a lot from life but is scared to take risks. Then I mentally check myself and remember that meeting him was like listening to a song for the first time and it just clicks–becoming my favorite song that I want to have on repeat forever.
The game charges into the third quarter after the homecoming court announcement. The announcer’s voice echoes through the stands, declaring Alli as homecoming queen. Tyler’s deep blue gaze connects with my brown eyes, each glance feeling like a fleeting touchdown. I revert my eyes back to the field, watching my friend get crowned until Grant catches my attention.
“Alli won! Come on, let’s go see her!” Grant catches my hand and we run over to Alli, who is standing off to the side now with bouquets in hand. We reach her, she beams with joy and she looks so gorgeous in her sparkly black dress, she’s absolutely stunning. The crowd’s cheers seem to crescendo around us, bathing us in a wave of celebration.
“Alli, you look absolutely stunning!” Grant exclaims, his voice full of admiration.
“Yeah, you totally deserved this!” I add, unable to contain my excitement. I crush our bodies together and hug her tight.
Alli blushes, a smile lighting up her face. “Thanks, guys! I couldn’t have done it without you. I owe you both for helping me out tonight.”
“Oh my god, no you don’t owe us anything. I’m so freaking proud of you.”
Priya finds us quickly and joins in on the conversation, “Alli girl! You did it! We need to take a picture of us together!”
We huddle closely together with Alli in the center while we take a selfie group photo. We break away from Alli, who leaves with the rest of the homecoming court for school pictures. The rest of us begin to make our way off the field, the buzz of excitement from the announcement still lingering in the air. My eyes wander across the crowd, taking in the sea of faces until they lock onto a certain pair of blue eyes.
Tyler sees me, and it’s as if we’re both magnets drawn to each other. He lifts his chin to say hi to me and I return the hello with a simple wink before slamming into Grant’s shoulders.
