I let out a breath, a warm rush flitting down my spine and pushing me closer to him than I’ve ever felt.
“Really?” I whisper.
“Really.”
My lips quirk, and his twitch in response. “Iwaspretty good, wasn’t I?”
“Don’t let it get to your head,” he grumbles, but his eyes dance with amusement.
“But I mean, on a scale of one to ten—”
“Blue?”
“Yeah?”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
Blue
“Pretty cool, right?”
Mom chuckles, and, god, it’s so good to actuallyseeher laugh, not just hear it. Her lips are lifted in a lazy smile, her blue eyes slightly heavy-lidded, and I can’t stop grinning as I watch her through the computer screen. Her dirty-blonde hair has always been long, swinging past her hips, but today, tiny braids are woven between the loose strands. Every time she bunches it all behind her, I glimpse the brown henna tattoos decorating her arms and hands.
Everything about her fills my chest with warmth. But sometimes, like now, I miss her so much the sensation’s not enough to erase the ache.
“You know,” she says softly, “we’re going to have to ask Tim why he didn’t show us how to work this Zoom thing sooner.”
“I know! Speaking of asking Tim things ... you never told me you write. I mean, poetry? Since when?”
She lifts a brow and looks away. “He mentioned that, did he?”
“Yep.”
“It was a long time ago. Mostly random scraps of paper I threw in a shoebox and never looked at again.”
“Do you still have them? I’d love to see.”
She smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “No, beautiful. I’m sorry. So tell me ... what else is new? How’s Hunt?”
My stomach flips at just the mention of Joshua, and my gaze wanders to the ever-growing row of Post-it notes beside my window.
“He’s good. Just ... busy.”
Today’s Friday. It’s been almost an entire week since he and I were alone—reallyalone. He was distant the day after we took that step together, which was okay since I was visiting Miss Riley anyway, but then Monday came, and he was more focused on school than ever. He’s been going in early and staying after hours every day this week, whether getting tutored by Mr. Lancer, cramming homework, or doing projects for extra credit.
Still, I can’t help but smile as I reread the sticky notes on my wall. I wake up each morning before school to find a new one stuck to the outside of the window.
Most of them make me chuckle, blush, or both.
Never seen a girl wear so many colors on her toes.
Caught you blushing and checking out my butt after I walked you to history. Guess I’ll be wearing these jeans more often.
Jesus, Blue. Next time you kiss me back like that I’m not gonna make it to next period.
Others make me swallow and grip them tighter.
Been thinking about you so damn much.
