Iyank open the door to the garage.“I don’t know what’s actually going on in your head, but you need to let me in before I drive myself insane!”
Jonathan hits his head on the hood of the car, startled by all of my ferocity.“Ow.”He sets a hand where he bumped it.Maybe my entrance had a little too much fire.
“Hi.”I scrunch my face in apology.
“Hi,” he replies with a hint of a smile.“Collin’s out getting smoothies.”
“I know.I told him to disappear for a while because we needed to talk.”
“His weirdness makes sense now,” Jonathan says in reflection.“Weirder than usual anyway.What do we need to talk about?”
“You tell me.”My tone is insistent.“Are you upset that Collin’s taking me to homecoming?I thought he told you before he asked.Besides, you said dancing isn’t your thing.”
“Right,” Jonathan says, redirecting his focus back under the hood of the car.“It’s fine.”I’ve lost him again.
I growl, frustration rushing to the surface.I’m tempted to slam the hood shut.Maybe that’ll get his attention.Not with his head underneath, of course.
“Jonathan!Talk to me!”
His sigh fills the entire garage.Grabbing a towel to wipe his hands, he comes around to the back of the car.“I’m fine.Really.I was surprised at first, but it makes sense that you go with Collin.I wouldn’t be any fun, and I don’t want you not to go.”
I study his impassive face.“You’re sure?”
He nods.“Come here.”He extends his arms.I step into them, and he holds me against his chest.The tension dissipates as we melt together.“I’m worried about the whole Oren thing.Not sure if he’s going to press charges or not.I’m dreading his father calling mine too.”
“That wouldn’t be good, huh?”I tilt my head up without lifting it from his chest.
“No.Not good.”His words are clipped and weighted with unpredictable consequences.
And I’m worried about a dumb dance.
“Does he really have a concussion?”Danika still won’t talk to me, and I refuse to believe the whispers in the halls.
“I don’t know.I hope not.I didn’t mean to hit him that hard.I was just… so pissed.”
I swallow.That scares me.But I’m not about to tell him that.“Has that happened before?”
He shrugs, not willing to fully admit it.
“Have you ever tried to walk away?”
He laughs, like just the idea of it is absurd.
I pull back to tilt my head up at him.“What?That doesn’t make you weak, you know?”
He nods.“I know.”Jonathan kisses my forehead.“I’ll try.I promise.”
There isn’t any conviction in his voice, and he won’t meet my eyes.I decide not to push it—for now.
“So…” I smile mischievously and flutter my lashes.
“Uh-oh.”He chuckles.“I know I’m in trouble when you do that.”
“I was thinking… to make up for the whole homecoming thing… be my date next Friday night?We’d miss the homecoming game, but I figured you wouldn’t care.”
“What’s next Friday?”
I smile wider.“A fundraiser for my father’s campaign.”
