“That’s enough talking.I’d rather show you how I feel.”He scoops me onto his lap.His lips are a featherlight brush against mine.Soft, sweeping kisses along my cheek to my jaw.A warm breath against my neck.His voice is a low rumble in my ear.“I have something for you.”
He reaches into his jacket on the back of the chair and holds up a Ring Pop.It’s red, orange and yellow.It looks like fire.It sparkles in the flickering light.
“I’m sorry I didn’t give it to you after your recital.”
I barely remember my recital even though it was only five days ago.It feels so much longer.
“Figured this could make up for—”
“I’m the one who needs to apologize.”I peer into his eyes to show him just how much I mean it.“I’m so sorry, Jonathan.I’m sorry I ever made you think I was afraid of you.I know you.And you’re not him.Never him.And I swear I won’t walk away from us again.I promise.”
Before he can open his mouth to diminish my apology, I kiss him—and keep kissing him.
Chapter Thirty-One
The holiday break goes by way too fast.Then again, Gavin went back to New York, and that couldn’t happen fast enough.He somehow convinced himself he could hang out with us on New Year’s Eve.He claims it was to get out of the stuffy party our parents were attending.But I knew he was lying.He loves those things.Whatever the reason, he stuck around the house when my friends arrived, acting a little too grown up.Drove me crazy.
“I’m not looking forward to today,” Danika says from the passenger seat.
“No one will remember,” Jaz tells her.
I add, “Teens are like goldfish.We don’t retain interest in anything for very long.”
“What are we talking about?”Darcy asks.“Who got a fish?”
“Pucker those lips, baby,” Jaz demands, giving Darcy a big, loud kiss that has Danika and me heckling them.
“Stop being so damn cute!”Danika exclaims.
I set my hand on hers before we get out of the car.“We leave whenever you want to leave.”
Being almost murdered has a way of staying in circulation longer than most gossip, unfortunately.I knew we were kidding ourselves in the car, but I was hoping for the best, for Danika’s sake.
There are eyes, whispers and fingers pointing.Danika stands tall beside me, looking straight ahead, appearing unfazed.Jaz pulls out a squirt gun and sprays some of the gawkers.
“Where’s ours?”I ask, jealous of the idea.
“I stole it from my brother.He only had one.”
Jonathan, Collin and, oddly enough, Sean meet us at the beginning of the senior hall, escorting us the rest of the way.Not that we need them.But we do look like a fierce tribe, strutting down the halls, like one of those movies Collin always makes me watch.
Everything’s different this new year.Every one of us has changed in some way.I’m definitely not the same.
Even though Jonathan and I gifted each other honesty for Christmas, we’re not overtly together in the way we were.It’s still a little too tender.But at least Collin doesn’t have to choose between us anymore, and we are back to Sundays at Clara’s.
When we arrived on January 2ndfor breakfast, we had to pull two tables together to fit all of us.Over pancakes and milkshakes, we created a plan of support for Danika’s return to school the next day.
“Is this a new thing?”Clara asked when she came to take our orders.
“Onetime thing,” Jonathan told her and everyone at the table.
While we talked, Danika didn’t say anything.She just let us love her in the best way we could—by being there for her.By her side.The entire day.
Laurel turns our way when we near her locker; Bridget eyes us with judgment.Danika slows.Jaz moves to stand in front of Danika, water gun at the ready.I nudge her arm.They don’t know all the details of that day.Not fully.
Danika approaches Laurel.Their eyes connect for a tense second.Then Danika pulls her in for a fierce hug.Laurel looks as shocked as the rest of my friends.I grin.Laurel tears up.
“Thank you,” Danika says before letting her go.
