“What about Hardy? I’m guessing you have kissed?”
“Yes, and he’s amazing,”
I’m not sure what scale she’s using to determine that he’s amazing since eI know for a fact she hasn’t kissed anyone else. Probably the same one I use for Connor. I don’t have anyone to compare him to, but I know I want to kiss him all the time.
I rest my head on Lily’s shoulder. “Man, I’m going to miss this.”
She puts her head against mine. “Me, too.”
“I’m really freaked out about graduation.” Although, it’s not really the ceremony I worried about, but everything that comes with it: Citrus Scholar, Connor, Lily, college. I feel so out of control.
Lily sighs. “Yeah.”
I sit back up and face her. “Will we still be friends?”
“What?”
“When school ends. Do you think we’ll still talk?”
Her brows squish together. “What kind of question is that?”
“Not an unreasonable one.” I shrug. “I feel like we’ve been pulling away from each other this year. If you end up in Gainesville and I end up in another state, I worry that we’ll just drift apart until we don’t talk anymore. Don’t tell me the thought hasn’t crossed your mind.”
“Of course it has,” she says. “But I think we’re just going to have to put more effort into our friendship. It’s worth it, don’t you think?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, then. It’s settled, we’ll still be friends.”
I smile back at her. “Just like that?”
“Why not? Plus, isn’t that what you’re going to do with Connor?”
I pick at the fuzzy pieces of the blanket and pull them off. “I don’t know what we’re going to do. You said Hardy is going to go to Gainesville regardless of whether or not he gets into UF. But Connor and I haven’t even talked about what we’re going to do. I think we’re pretending the calendar doesn’t exist after May.”
“Look, I’m no relationship expert, but I think you might need to face some of these problems head on before it’s too late.”
I look down at the field. Connor just made a goal. Lily and I both jump up and start clapping and cheering. “Let’s go, Orange,” I scream at the top of my lungs.
A bunch of guys crowd around Connor, patting him on the back and congratulating him. I wish I was down there to give him a hug.
He looks up into the stands, and his eyes find mine right away. I can barely see his face through the helmet, but I can tell he’s smiling beneath it. Connor lifts his hand to wave but stops halfway. His smile drops alongside his arm.
What happened? I twist in my seat to look at the crowd. Everyone is still cheering, but a new face is sitting behindme. Mr. Williams. He wasn’t here when the game started. How long has he been sitting behind us? Did he hear me talking about kissing his son?
Not only does his presence make me want to crawl beneath the stands and disappear forever, it reminds me of yet another potential roadblock for Connor and me. My dad still almost destroyed Connor’s. His family hates mine. Could something serious ever develop between the two of us? Would it be better to break up now so it’s less painful? I don’t know.
But Lily is right. It’s time to start having some serious conversations.
20
MOST LIKELY TO MOVE AWAY AND NEVER COME BACK
I’m clappingand smiling like an idiot as David finishes Citrus Prep’s rendition of “Be Our Guest.”
It has been so fun to watch my brother perform. His French accent is over the top, his comedic timing hilarious, and his singing was perfect. My chest swells with pride at the amazing job he is doing up there, but I’m thankful more than anything else. It’s obvious that he belongs on the stage and it makes him happy.
Of course, David being inBeauty and the Beastis only one of the two good things to come from the changes in how they choose Citrus Scholar.
