Getting over someone when you saw them every single day was a special kind of pain.
I smiled with my students, chatted about Larissa’s dating life at lunch, and spent my evenings with Grace or Fritz. Everything would be okay, eventually. One day at a time, one sip of tea at a time, and one smile at a time.
Friday, the day of the parade, I woke with butterflies. Despite the funk of a broken heart, it was hard not to be excited for the celebrations. Our Fall Parade had two floats for each grade level, the middle school band came down and marched, and it was the perfect kickoff for the high school homecoming game that night.
Our town wentallout when it came to homecoming, and if I cared more about football, I would’ve been able to talk about the game. But sports were Grace’s thing, not mine, so I nodded when people talked about our big rival. So not my thing. I liked the apple cider, the sweater weather, the smell of bonfires that lingered all month, and the way the leaves started changing into vibrant colors all down the roads. I smiled as I got out of my car and walked into the building. The Fall Parade meant Halloween was right around the corner, and I could binge-watch horror movies and start prepping for my costume because broken heart or not, I would go all out for that. Being a witch or a princess could be fun. A witchy princess had a nice ring to it.
I hummed as I brainstormed different costumes as I neared the entrance. Footsteps thudded behind me, and I stilled, preparing to face him. He had kept his distance all week, so this sudden appearance had my nerves frayed.
“Gilly, hi,” Christopher said, almost running from the parking lot to catch up to me.
He wore faded jeans and a school T-shirt that fit him really well, and my mouth dried up fast taking in his appearance. It was not fair to still be so attracted to him despite the hurt. My skin practically tingled around him.
“Hi,” I said,hatingthe rush of emotions that overtook my body every time I saw him.
His expression was tight, nervous even, with a tense jaw and wide eyes. I adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder and shifted my weight from foot to foot, not attempting to make this situation easy on him. He shoved his hands in his pockets, and his brows came together the longer I kept quiet. He did this, to us, so he could figure out how to make it not as painful. This was not my job.
“Um, so, we got the float ready,” he said, rocking back and forth.
“Great.”
“I think you’ll like it,” he said, his voice hesitant and lacking all the confidence I was used to hearing. No smug tones, no flirty teases. Christopher was unsure of himself, and it brought me a little bit of joy.
“I guess we’ll find out.” I shrugged again, my heart hammering against my rib cage, the thuds getting louder the longer we were near each other. He smelled good, like he always did, and I wanted to wrap myself around him in a hug. Itsuckedhow I trusted him with my heart. “I should—”
“Your outfit. I have it,” he interrupted me and awkwardly dropped his bag onto the ground and shuffled through it. “Don’t go. Hold on. You’ll need it to get ready.”
He got on a knee as he chewed his bottom lip, frowning hard as he removed everything from his bag. Bright colored shirts, a straw hat, seashells…they all were on the ground, and his breathing picked up. “I put it in here. I know I did.”
“Well, if you think I stole it, I didn’t,” I said, hating the wave of regret flowing through me at my comment. It just happened.
He stilled. His entire body morphed into a statue, and when he glanced up, he looked a little broken. “Gilly,” he said, his voice breaking on my name.
I blinked. What could I say? What could I possibly do to make everything between us better? My eyes stung a bit, and I sniffed, taking a deep breath and shaking my head. “I need to get my lesson prepared for today.”
He wiped a hand over his face and stood, his mouth parted and his eyes filled with regret and sorrow. “I’ll find your costume. The kids should have all theirs in your room too. Can I ask you a favor? I know I don’t deserve it, but if you could…don’t look at their costumes yet.”
I took a few steps toward the first-grade hallway and stopped. I faced him. “Why?”
“It’ll be better if you see everything at once.”
“Again, why?”
He stood to his full height and took a long breath before he held my gaze. This time, there was determination and the usualChristopherconfidence brewing behind his blue eyes. His lips curved up and a hint of his flirty smile returned, almost knocking the wind out of me. “Because it’s part two of my plan.”
“Part two?” I narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out why he was being so vague.
“There are three, possibly four parts.”
“To what?” I asked, not bothering to hide my impatience. He was speaking in riddles, and I was already around him too much for the day. I’d have a break for the weekend, which would be great, but hisgameswere annoying me.
“To get you back.”
I sucked in a breath as he said the words, a slight glint to his eyes, and he gave me a half smile. One side of his lips quirked up, and he blushed, the reddening of his upper cheeks softening my attitude toward him.
Get me back.
He wanted to get me back.
