I open the card from my mom first; the birthday card tucked inside has a dog in a tutu on the front. It makes me chuckle in amusement. Inside the card is a ticket for…
“Mom. No way. No.” I’m freaking out, my voice cracking and my pulse thrumming. Because inside is a ticket to a concert I’ve been talking about going to formonths,but it’s been sold out. “How did you?”
“We got them before they sold out, there are three tickets in there. We thought we would go with you, but I gave one to Danielle and one to Adam. I figured you would have more fun with your friends than your parents.” Tears burn the back of my eyes, and I stand out of my seat, the wood scraping against the floor.
“Thankyouthankyouthankyou.” My words are mushed together; I can’t form a full sentence or properly thank them.
“Well dang, how am I supposed to compete with that?” Adam mumbles, but I still hear it, and my face flushes red. I don’t want him to think that whatever he got me isn’t good enough just because my parents got me something amazing.
Sitting down, I clear my throat and take a deep breath, calming myself down.
I slip my finger under the tab on the envelope and rip it open. There’s a homemade card inside. A scenic picture filled with deep blues and bright greens. It kind of looks like the pond… I look at Adam, and he’s staring at me with intensity in his eyes. Ifhe drew this, he’s definitely sending me a message that I need to ignore.
When I unfold the card, another folded-up piece of paper falls out. I gently thumb it open, the thick paper brushing against my fingertips.
My mouth drops open when I see the contents.
“I can’t accept this,” I sputter, staring at Adam because I know this was his doing.
“You can and you will. We can stop there tomorrow before we go back to campus.” Internally, I’m cheering and so freaking excited while simultaneously panicking because it’s too much. Way too much.
“Did you see how many zeros are on this gift certificate?” I wave it around in the air, further trying to prove my point.
“Is there not enough?” Adam asks, and I glare at him.
“There are too many! I can’t buy onethousanddollars’ worth of books.” I totally could, but that would be excessive, even for me.
“I could have put more.”
“That’s not the point,” I emphasize.
“Honey, just accept the gift and say thank you,” my mom admonishes, and I gape at her. Mymotheris on his side? What kind of sorcery did Adam use on her? It would have to be something because she isalwayson my side. Always.
“Thank you, Adam, and Danielle.” I smile at her and she winks. I don’t understand how she can be so calm right now.
Oh right, she doesn’t know that me and her boyfriend kissed earlier in the woods or that he had me pushed against a bathroom stall and we were grinding our cocks together right before we sat down with my parents to eat.
“You’re welcome, Collins.” He blows me a kiss when my mom starts to tell Danielle about a new book she read and how Danielle should read it as soon as possible.
My pulse skyrockets, so I grab a cookie and go to the living room to sit on the couch, hoping some distance will be good to help me calm down and have a clear head before I have to talk to him tonight. We’ll talk, share the bed tonight, and then when we get back to campus tomorrow, we’ll go back to being acquaintances.
Acquaintances who know how the other one’s mouth tastes, but still. That’s all we can ever be. I won’t do that to Danielle; I owe her a smidge of loyalty.
The people in the kitchen migrate to the living room. Adam and Danielle join me on the couch, Adam sitting with his leg pressed right up against mine, and Danielle on the other side of me. My parents share the loveseat catty-corner to the couch and scroll through the streaming services while my dad and Adam talk about the latest crime documentary my dad watched. Adam looks intrigued by what my dad is saying, and I feel a prickle of heat start in the base of my spine watching him interact with my parents.
Stop it.I have a date planned with Thomas on Monday. I have to survive tonight and tomorrow, and then I’m free.
My parents rent an action movie, full of loud noises and bright flashes. Something easy to keep us entertained.
Except it’s not keeping me entertained, because all of my focus is on the guy beside me, who is sitting way too close. I can smell his cologne, and it’s making me dizzy.
Seriously, why does he have to smell so good?
Danielle is yawning beside me, barely keeping her eyes open.
“You can go to bed, you don’t have to stay up to watch this,” I whisper to her while a shootout happens on screen.
“Good grief, Dance Dance Revolution really takes it out of you, huh?” she says. She looks at me gratefully while she stands up, leaning over to crack her back and press her lips to my head.
