It’s the first real smile I’ve seen him make. He has a captivating smile. An unforgettable smile. And like everything else about him, I’m drawn to it.
“How old are you, Joseph?”
“You ask a lot of questions.”
“We have to get to know each other if you’re going to drive me home.”
“Are you flirting with me right now, Juliette?”
I swear his voice just dropped an octave.
“No.”
“Liar.”
“I think we better get going. I’m surprised no one has come in here looking for you yet.”
“David doesn’t have as many friends as he thinks. I don’t think anyone out there is willing to rat me out after what he’s done.”
“I don’t think you understand Penn Washington at all. They’re probably laughing about what he did to me and running their mouths about you as we speak. They may have even called the police by now. Kids here are like that.”
“I understand people, Juliette, and when given the right motivation they seem to do what you want them to do. Trust me, I feel very confident that we’re going to walk out of those doors and into my car with no problem.”
Umm, okay.
“So are you ready to let me take you home now?” he asks.
“Sure.”
“Do we know each other well enough?” he teases.
“Yes,” I smile almost forgetting about everything that’s happened to me today. If just being around this boy enables me to block out some of the bad, I want to be around him just a bit longer.
“Let’s go then.”
Joseph stands up and starts walking towards the exit, and I follow right behind him. My heart racing the entire time. It thumps a few beats because I’m nervous about what could be waiting for him outside of those doors, and a few more beats totally just for how freakin’ hot I think this guy is. I’ve never met anyone like him before, and he literally has my head spinning.
Where did he come from?
When we get outside I’m relived to find that the school’s front steps are clear. No students, no principal, and no police. I pause once Joseph approaches a souped up black Camaro and motions to open the door for me. I’ve never been in a car like this. This looks fast and dangerous. My parents drive super safe Volvos.
“Do we need to talk longer?” he asks sensing my hesitation.
“I guess we could we talk a bit more while we drive,” I say.
“Sounds good.”
We both slide in our seats and he leans over me to reach for my seatbelt.
“Safety first,” he quips.
I hold my breath as the back of his hand inadvertently brushes against my breasts as he slides the belt across and fastens me in.
“And Juliette–let’s make sure to take the long way home.”
Juliette
Six Years Later
