Her words press heavily in the air, sinking into me, and, fuck, we’re definitely thinking about two different things now. I don’t need any help remembering whatitfeels like. But I sure as hell wanna know what it’d feel like withher.
“Blue, sweetie?” Her mom’s voice sobers me slightly, but not enough to quiet my pulse. “I have to go. Call me in the morning before school?”
“Sure, Mom.” Blue smiles at me like she thinks she knows what I’m thinking, but I can tell from the gentleness in her eyes that she doesn’t. She’s got no damn clue.
“I love you, beautiful. And Hunt?”
I clear my throat, tearing my eyes from Blue and finding the phone. “Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m so happy to meet you. I just ... I have a good feeling about you. I can feel it from here.”
My gaze drops, and guilt rises in my throat. “Good to meet you too, ma’am. And thank you. I, uh, I appreciate that.”
“Stay you, my Blue.”
“Always,” Blue says. “Love you, Mom.”
“Love you forever.”
The line goes dead, and their words replay in my head:Stay you. Love you. Love you forever. An ache builds in my chest, raw and painful. It’s been so long since I’ve heard words like that. So fucking long. But it’s not only pain that floods me. Warmth and comfort seep through the cracks, sensations I’d almost forgotten existed.
Listening to Blue and her mom ... it’s refreshing. And it makes me miss my own so damn hard. I run my fingers through my hair, wishing for the first time in years I could talk about her with someone. I almost open my mouth as a rush of memories flood to the forefront of my mind, but I quickly snap out of it.
I haven’t needed totalkabout shit before, and I certainly won’t be starting now.
Pushing out a breath, I force myself to sit up. After standing, I shove my hands into my pockets and gaze down at Blue with a feeling I can’t place. A feeling that makes me want to do something stupid, like hold her hand. I shake my head, trying to stop the ridiculous thought before it roots itself any deeper. Every time I try to find reasons to dislike her, any excuse to keep me away, I only end up with more things I do like.
She’s still on her bed, angling her head and watching me closely. “You’re leaving.”
It’s a statement, not a question.
I nod, my eyes trailing the soft angles of her face. Lord knows I don’t wanna leave. But that’s exactly why I have to. I need a minute to figure out what the hell she’s doing to me, and if I’m dumb enough to do anything about it.
I turn, but her voice stops me.
“Will you come back?” she asks quietly. “Will you visit me again tomorrow?”
We didn’t even fuck around, and she wants me to come back. For what? A strange knot forms in my throat. I’m about to tell her it’s not a good idea when a little blue piece of paper to the left of the window catches my eye. I take a step closer, plucking it off the wall. It’s the Post-it I left for her when I returned her English notes.
That stupid feeling inside me flares tenfold, and it makes me uneasy.
I look back at her. “Why’d you keep this?”
Her lips lift, and she shrugs. “Because I wanted to.”
I work my jaw. Everything comes so easy to her. Like she’s got the entire universe in the palm of her hand. And it’s fucking addictive.
Finally, I turn around again and stick the note beside the window, right where it was. Then I grip the ledge, swinging my leg over to the other side. When both feet are firm on the ladder, shadowed grass in my line of sight and thoughts of Blue still thrumming through me, my answer comes out on its own.
“Course I’ll be back.”
Blue
Ifrown, stopping before my locker and rereading Mom’s text.
Mom: How about you call me tomorrow instead?
When I first got here, she and I spoke over the phone daily. I know she’s busy, but lately, it seems like time and space are stretching us thinner every day.
