Some kids clearly avoided him, others just stared openly curious.
And I let him down by not defending him.
“When I grow up, I’m gonna be like Earl,” Noah mumbles, half asleep, jolting me right back to the present.
I swallow a lump.
If he can look at Earl like a hero, maybe one day he’ll look at me the same.
If I can ever find the courage to open my mouth when it matters.
XADEN
I’ve always liked running early in the morning. It’s not just exercise, it’s escape.
Also it’s nice to hear someone being happy, even if it is just a chirpy Northern cardinal waking up to a new day.
I get up at six, choke down coffee older than some of my socks, eat a banana, and hit the pavement.
As I pass Baywood High, a memory drags me to a halt.
The Pumpkin Dance and its aftermath.
***
All night I’d replayed that dance. Cole’s hand warm in mine, his breath close, the music blurring until it felt like the world had finally given me something good. Pressing my palm to his back was the hottest thing I’d ever done.
The next morning reality hit like a fist.
Justin Clancy slammed me into a locker, sneering that I’d been eyeing him.
The hallway went silent, kids staring like I’d grown horns overnight.
Cole found me after, flustered and pale. “Want some fresh air?”
We sat on a damp bench. October air clung to our sleeves.
“You okay?” he asked quietly, glancing at me before averting his gaze again.
“It’s fine,” I lied, breaking a twig in my hands.
“Was it because we danced?” It was almost a whisper.
“No. It was because of my big mouth.” I hesitated. “I told Lisa I wasn’t into her. That I liked someone else. Told her it was… a boy.”
Cole blushed to the tips of his ears.
But the shy smile he gave me after that left me dizzy with hope.
That smile was a promise that he’d get to me eventually.And he did.
***
I stay in my thoughts for a while until a truck rattles past and snaps me back.
I scan the street out of habit, making sure JJ and Ronnie aren’t lurking. Nothing but a dog walker and the smell of bacon drifting from the diner.
I make a decision.
