“I’ll meet you there. Let’s say, six-thirty?” I ask, tossing a smile backathim.
“Perfect,” he says. “It’s a date.” Sterling eyeballs Liam and offers him a quick wink as he takes off in the opposite direction.Geez, if lookscouldkill.
“Dylan, come on buddy, keep up,” Liam shouts over to him as he watches Sterling run off. Yeah, this ought tobefun.
Looking past the uncomfortable exchange, I see Dylan hunched over to catch his breath while the other kids are still running. “I can’t,” Dylanyells.
I jog over to him and place my hand on his back. “Youokay?”
“My chest hurts,”hesays.
I kneel into the sand, forcing him to look at me. “That means your stretching your muscles. How else are you going to become asuperhero?”
“I’m ten, Julia, not six,” he says, deadpanning like I’m a moron for suggesting something soinsulting.
“Sorry,” I tell him. “I know this isn’t your thing, but running is good for your heart and your muscles. It makes you feel happy, and it does make you super strong, which is never a bad thing,right?”
“How do you know,” he asks. Dylan straightens hisposture.
“I used to be in track while I was in school, so I know a thing or two. You know what I used to do when my chest startedtohurt?”
“What?” he asks,curiously.
“I would think of something else while I was running. Don’t focus on your chest. Count your breaths and try to slow them down so ithurtsless.”
“Okay,” he says. “I’lltry.”
“I’ll timeyou,okay?”
“But I alreadystopped.”
“I’ll figure out the pause you took and subtract it to give you your speed and time. It’s not aproblem.”
The faintest of smiles touches Dylan’s lips, and he takes off, sprinting after the others. I won’t call it a breakthrough yet, but we’re getting there,slowly.
I head back to my issues—Liam and Sterling—and find them in a quiet discussion so I keep a small distance between us and grab my phone from my bag to set the timer forDylan.
Their conversation ends with laughter, which sort of worries me, but I’m sure it had nothing to do with me. I’ll just think, and hope that, atleast.
Liam comes up behind me as I’m keeping an eye on my watch. “That wasn’t bad,” hetellsme.
“Did you just say something positive?” I ask, displaying an expression of shock stretched across my face to enhance mysarcasm.
“Won’t let it happen again,” he says. Liam crosses his arms over his chest and maintains his focus on Dylan’s laps. “I’ll make sure to replace the condoms in your bathroomlater.”
I knew his pleasantness couldn’t last more than fifteen seconds. Plus, it’s so obvious how badly he wants me to argue with him. “Oh, that would be great, but could you replace them with the extra-large condoms. The regular ones probably won’t work too well for Sterling,youknow?”
“Aw, are you trying to piss me off, Julia?” he asks. “Because if you are, let me tell you something. It’s going to take a lot more than going out for pizza with Sterling to get under my skin.” I want to call his bluff since it’s kind of obvious that I’mbugginghim.
“Wow. Has anyone ever told you how conceited and cocky you are?” Ifollow.
“Daily. It’s my best attribute. Thanks fornoticing.”
“That’s true. Those may be your best attributes.” Yeah, take that,bastard.
As the silence grows between us, Sterling takes the kids into the water, and I keep my focus on Dylan after what happenedyesterday.
“Are you vibrating?” Liam asks. I didn’t realize you had two, or that you walked around with it between your legs. That’s pretty hot.” Why does his stupid voice have to be so deep and guttural? The goddamn sound of it pretty much sends a different kind of vibrationthroughme.
