I shrugged, kissing the side of her mouth.
“That’s all you got for me? A shrug?”
“Ilikekissing you. God, Charlie, Ireallylike kissing you. I want to be able to do it any time I want,” I dipped my tongue into her mouth again and pulled back, “Don’t go with Mason to the dance.”
“Why?” she whispered.
“Because he’s a dick,” I said, kissing the other side of her mouth.
She scooted away from me and leaned back. “Maybe to you he is, but not to me. I need a reason, Jase. Give me a reason not to go with him.”
“I said it, Charlie. He’s a dick.”
Staring up into the sky, she shook her head.
“What? You’restillgoing to go with him?” I yelled. “Are you going to lethimkiss you too?”
She looked so mad at me. I hadn’t seen her look that mad since the last time Drake Fischer tripped Joey and she went all ape shit in his face.
“That’s none of your business, Jase Delaney.”
“Yeah, it is. You’re my best friend. You’re as close to me as a…as a sister.”
“I’m likea sister?” she screamed at me.
“No, I mean…Damn,Charlie, he doesn’t deserve you,”
Standing up, she dusted off her pants and looked down at me, “Yeah, well Jase, he was theonly onewho asked me. He didn’t have to bedouble dog daredto do it, so I’m going.”
“Fine then, I’m done with this conversationandwith kissing you,” I snapped, getting up and shoving my hands deep in my pockets. I jumped off the roof, walked through her backyard, back toward Ava’s, and looked for Joey.
Weaving my way through our friends as they laughed and talked, not one of them realized that my insides were dropping from within me, and my heart was shattering against the ground.
Charlie was always good
At shattering my heart.
She was the only one
That ever could.
Even still.
To this day.
Chapter 8
Charlie
Flowers were delivered to my apartment at ten o’clock every morning. On Monday, it was five-dozen, deep-red roses. Tuesday, it was a slew of white lilies. Wednesday, it was pale, pink orchids. Thursday, it was enormous, bright yellow sunflowers, and on Friday, it was wildflowers.
This happened for a month straight. A month straight.
Have I told you about my allergies? The one I have to flowers? An allergy Bren has known about for ages. Ages! Therefore, I had an intimate relationship with three bottles of Benadryl that month. Obviously, Bren didn’t listen to my pleas to cease and desist the flowers, and I almost lost my mind on him.
First of all, he should have known I hated flowers, because I had used thoseexactwords to him numerous times while we were friends and throughout this relationshipthingwe had going on.
Me:Ihateflowers.
