question since you didn’t answer me.”
She tugs the blanket around her, taking another breath of it. “So, you want to know why I think it’s crazy that you’d ask me out?”
“Yup.”
She pauses, her eyes going to the ceiling, down to the floor, over at the TV. This girl is killin’ me.
“It’s a long answer. You ready for it?”
“Yeah.” Hell yeah. Maybe then I’ll know how to convince her how crazy she is.
“First, I know who you’d really like to go out with, and it’s not me.”
She’s really wrong about that one.
“Second, we’ve hung out like, what? Three times? I’m actually surprised you haven’t ditched me already with how weird I am.”
That’s one of the best things about her.
“Third—and you’re going to hate this reason, but it’s true—look at me.”
Oh, I have been.
“I’m not exactly Miss Size Zero.”
Huh?
“I’m what they call the FFF.”
“Meaning?”
“The Funny Fat Friend.”
What the hell? I know she’s going to get self-conscious, but I look her over. I mean, I’ve been checkin’ her out for the past couple of days. Never once did it cross my mind that she’s fat. Girls say that all the time, but the way Hayles said it, it’s like she actually believes it and she’s all right with it.
Maybe that’s why she doesn’t care when people moo at her.
I wouldn’t call her fat though. She looks like an hourglass. Big in the right places. And that stuff doesn’t matter to me anyway. This girl is amazing.
“Hayles—”
“You don’t have to say it, Brody.”
“Say what?”
“That I’m not fat. I know you feel you have to, but you don’t. Really, I’m okay with it.” She adjusts on the couch, crossing her arms and the blanket around her stomach. Tryin’ to hide it or somethin’.
“But—”
“Please.” Her voice cracks. Dude, I was going to tell her I think she’s damn sexy, but now I’m not sure if she’ll want to hear it.
I scoot closer again. She doesn’t shift away, so I take a stab at tellin’ her what I think of her.
“You know, I don’t know many of your friends, but I’m pretty sure you’re the hot one.” It’s a round about way of tellin’ her she needs to realize how freakin’ beautiful she is.
Her cheeks flush, and she smiles as she rolls her eyes. “Yeah. O-kay.” She shoves my arm, but her hand lingers there, playin’ with the fabric of my shirt.
Damn, that feels good. Gut is getting all crazy twisted again. I want to grab her hand and hold it there.
Then her breath catches, and she snaps her hand back under the blanket. Her face gets dark red, and she avoids eye contact with me.
“Well, given the fact all my friends have boyfriends and I have yet to go on a date, I’m pretty sure I’m the FFF, but whatever.”
She’s tryin’ to change the subject. Did I make her that flustered? Nice.
“It’s probably ‘cause you were the one to set them up. You said that right?”
“Yes, I did. Freaky Frisbees, you are a good listener.”
When it comes to you, hell yeah. “So, question like six or somethin’, how did you get into that whole deal?”
Her face falls, and her eyes go straight to the floor.
“Crap. I already used my ‘no answer’.” She sighs. What is so bad? Guess the right thing to do would be to let her off the hook and tell her not to answer, but too bad. I’m going to do the wrong thing and make her answer. I gotta know more about her. It’s like a freakin’ drug. And the more I find out, the more I want her. I’m almost sitting on top of her now that I think about it.
“Yup, you did. So whenever you’re ready…” I smirk and her cheeks go pink again.
“It’s another long answer.”
My eyes flick to the window. It’s still pouring like snot out there. “Looks like we’ve got time.”
“Okay, so there was this guy. Jason.”
“Dolley?”
“Yeah.”
I know him. He’s one of those punkers who think they’re real good at the guitar, but really, they blow.
“Anyways, when I started high school, me and my girlfriends went out and met up with a few boys. One of the guys was Jason and he like, was way cute and nice to me and asked for my number at the end of the night.”
“I thought you said you hadn’t been on a date.” I smile and cock an eyebrow. I want to touch her, but I keep my hands to myself.
“I don’t count that as a date ‘cause it wasn’t.