“What are you doing out here?” he asks.
“I went for a walk with Elan. It was very short-lived. I don’t do well this early in the morning,” I inform him.
“I heard he’s seeing Gianna Rothchild.”
I nod. “Yep, he is.”
He nods. I can sense his uncertainty.
“We’re just best friends.”
“It looked like more, more than once,” he discloses.
“Looks can be deceiving.”
“That, they can.” He looks out at the ocean then back to me. “Look, Jillie. I’m sorry for being a dick. I’m just not used to letting people see past the walls I put up to protect myself, and that night on the beach, you saweverything.”
“So what? I’m not going to tell anyone you actually have a heart. That you love your little sister more than anything. That you have a hamster named Fred, or that your parents push you to be the best you can be. I could’ve told everyone everything, but I didn’t. That’s not who I am, Leo,” I tell him.
“I know. It’s just really hard to trust people, and you were new. You showed up and I didn’t know who you were or if you wanted something from me. You were the unknown.”
“And now I’m not?” I ask.
“Now you’re not.”
“How do you figure?” Oh boy. Butterflies in the tummy. This Leo, he’s Jack.
“I’ve been watching you, learning things about you,” he admits.
“Such as?” Now he’s got me curious.
“You don’t like onions. You eat the same amount of food as me—which I find refreshing. You don’t care to dress up. You love your Chucks. I think you might have fifty pair for as often as you change colors. You don’t like it when someone doesn’t like you. I think it physically hurts you in some way. You hate being put in the spotlight when you’re sober, but when you’re drunk, you turn into Truthful Jillie, who tells it like it is, no matter who’s watching, no matter the cost.”
He stops there.
“Wow. Youhavebeen paying attention.” I’m feeling very girlie right now. Excited. Happy. Hopeful.Please don’t let this be another lying moment.
“And that’s just for starters,” he informs me.
“Well, look at you, Leo. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were interested in me.” My heart is galloping. My hands sweating. Oh crap, the sweating. I didn’t put on extra deodorant.
The breeze blows my hair wildly around me.
“Iaminterested in you, Jillie.”
“Leo, I don’t think you’re interested in me the way I’d like you to be interested in me.”
“Why’s that?”
I tilt my head to the side and look him straight in the eye. “Because every time I see you, I see you with a different girl—or Ella. That doesn’t instill confidence in your interest in me.”
“Again, looks can be deceiving, Jillie. I may be out with people in group situations, but I haven’t been on a date since I met you.”
I roll my eyes. “Give me a break. I saw you at the burger joint with what’s her face and at the movies with the other one.”
“What you saw is what you’ll always see: someone wanting a piece of me whether I’m interested or not.”
“Why do you allow that? I don’t understand why you would let people crawl all over you if you’re not interested.”
