don’t. Touching her is dangerous. I’m a moth to a flame when it comes to this girl.
“Something good.”
She bites her lip and nods. “Okay.” Inhaling a breath, she dribbles the ball and sets her eyes on the net.
She lifts the ball and tosses it, wrist following through the end. Her tongue sticks out as she watches it hit the rim and roll around and around. I’m holding my breath, waiting to see if it goes in or bounces out.
It slides through the net.
“Woohoo!” She cheers, arms in the air. She dances around me, rolling her arms. “You owe me dinner.”
I sigh heavily, like it’s an incredible hardship, but it’s really not. She could’ve asked for something much worse. “Name the meal and when.”
“I’ll let you know when I’ve made up my mind.” She scoops up the basketball, looking at it again with that same curious expression.
“Did you use to play?”
She bites her lip, eyes hesitantly meeting mine. “From the time I could walk through middle school. I … I stopped after my parents divorced. It was sort of my thing with my dad and I didn’t want to do it after he left.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too.” She looks around the court. “I don’t know why we let ourselves give up on things we love because of people that hurt us. We’re only punishing ourselves. I let my dad do it to me and I’ve let my ex do the same.” She shakes her head, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. “Except that’s not true at all. They didn’t do it to me, I did it to myself.” She pushes air out of her lungs in a big breath, her lips forming an O.
“What are you going to do about it?” I tilt my head to the side, curious.
She stares at the orange ball like it holds all the answers to the world. “Forgive and forget.”
She gives me a small half smile and closes her eyes, a contemplative expression on her face like she’s making a wish. She throws the ball up and behind her. It sails through the air. Eyes popping open she gives me a look I feel all over, like maybe she’s really seeing me for the first time.
Walking off the court, she doesn’t turn to see if the ball makes it into the hoop, but I see.
Whatever she wished for, or whatever baggage she let go of, I hope it makes all the difference for her.
I knock on Zoey’s half-open door, and it squeaks as it moves, swinging fully open.
“Hey, are you riding me?” I blanch, stuttering over my mistake. “Riding with me?”
Zoey turns away from the full-length mirror in the corner of her room, her lips quirked in amusement at my blunder. She’s changed into a pair of black skinny jeans with some sort of lacy black top. Her favorite worn white Converse are already on her feet.
“Yeah, I have no idea where this party is.”
I’m grateful she doesn’t comment on what I said by accident, but I’ll be cursing myself for it all night.
“I’m going to swing by the store and grab a few things to take with us.”
“Ah, yes. BYOB.” She grabs her phone, tucking it into her back pocket. “All right, I’m ready.”
Yanking my keys out of my pocket, I jingle them, spinning them around my fingers. It’s already dark outside. By the time we get to the party it should be fully raging. I’ve already gotten a slew of texts from Teddy asking where we are and one from Mascen asking if I’m coming.
I follow Zoey down the stairs to the parking lot. We pile into my truck and I crank the engine. Despite the year and outrageous number of miles, she runs like a dream. Joe’s helped me keep it running smooth.
I stop off at the grocery store and Zoey hops out to go in too.
“What are you in search of?” I ask her, grabbing a cart.
“Oreos.” Her lips pout. “I can’t believe they’re getting rid of red velvet. What a travesty.”
“Truly, a crime,” I go along with her. We hit the liquor aisle first and I get Teddy’s favorite, Zombie Dust. One of his texts was pleading for me to bring more because Murray stole what he brought. “You want anything?” I motion to the endless amount of beer to choose from.
She shakes her head. “Nah. Are you getting any root beer?”
“But of course.”
She grins. “I’ll take some of that then.”
“Staying sober?”
“I’m not a big drinker,” she admits, walking beside me with