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That One Time

Page 98

by Sybil Knight

“For who?”

He laughed. “Try to behave.”

I pressed a hand dramatically to my chest. “Everyone keeps asking impossible things of me.”

Omar’s eyes lingered on mine a few seconds too long. “I think you’re just a rebel.”

Dee headed inside with my father and the other counselors, and I watched his icy stare disappear through the doors.

“Avoiding him?” Omar asked.

I turned to look at him. “My father?”

“I was actually talking about Darius.”

My stomach tightened. I smiled anyway. “I avoid lots of people.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“Very observant.”

Omar grinned. Then he dipped his chin towards the doors. “He doesn’t like me much.”

I laughed. “He doesn’t know you.”

“Exactly.” Omar lifted an eyebrow. That shut me up.

I looked away. “You’ve noticed that too, huh?”

“Hard not to.”

“Well.” I shoved my hands into my pockets. “Dee’s emotionally constipated.”

“Medical term?”

“Terminal diagnosis.”

Omar laughed. I liked his laugh. It was easy. Everything about Omar seemed easy and very… uncomplicated.

He looked at me openly. Talked to me openly. Smiled without checking whether anyone was watching first. Even my father being twenty feet away didn’t seem to bother him. That mattered more than I wanted it to.

Omar shifted his weight. “Can I ask you something?”

“You’re going to regardless.”

“Probably.”

I pulled a hand out from a pocket and gestured in front of me. “Then proceed.”

Omar smiled. “Would you have dinner with me tonight?”

My entire personality disappeared. Just gone. I stared at him.

Omar’s smile softened. “Or not dinner. I thought maybe a picnic near the north trail.”

“A picnic,” I parroted.

“Yes.”