down her cheek. “I’m fat, all right. Don’t argue with me because I’m not stupid. I see the way people look at me, and I hear what they say. You and I… we just won’t make sense. People won’t understand it.” She pauses. “I don’t understand it.”
Okay, so she doesn’t want me to argue, but no way am I agreeing with her on the fat thing. I take her hands in mine, playing with her fingers. She’s shakin’, I’m shakin’, and the weird thing is, I’m not nervous. Not now. Not after she told me exactly what’s stopping her. This, I can deal with, because she’s wrong.
“All right, so even if you were fat, which you’re not, why would it matter? Why can’t we be together if we feel the same things for each other?”
She shakes her head, more tears dropping from her eyelashes as she blinks. “It doesn’t make sense. Why would anyone choose the fat girl over the skinny one?” She grips my hand and stares me down. “You tell me that, and maybe… maybe I can allow myself to feel the things I want to feel for you.”
“You want reasons why you and not Quynn?” I don’t want her to think I’m sayin’ she’s fat, so I add, “Why I want a gorgeous and crazy funny girl I just met instead of the one I’ve been lookin’ at for a while?”
Her cheeks flush, and she scoots closer. “Yes. That’s exactly what I want.”
Great! I have this in the bag. I can list a million things right now.
“Okay, reason one—”
“No. I want you to write them down for me. Give me time to process all this, and you to make sure they’re good.” She smiles. A real Hayley smile.
“Yes, ma’am!” I salute, and she punches me in the arm. Just like that, we’re back in the ‘friend’ arena. Friend arena with potential.
She stands and helps me up. I keep my hand tucked in hers, and wish I could go in for the kiss. Not going to do that again. Not when I’m this close to gettin’ her.
“Happy Birthday, Hayles.”
Smiling, she pulls me into a hug. “Thank you again, Mr. Grant. Best freaking night of my gosh darn life. Even with you bearing your soul and all.”
I chuckle as she lets me go. I watch her walk into the house and stand out there till my feet feel like movin’ again.
Bam! Best date ever, even with all that awkward crap it wasn’t… awkward. Better put that on the list.
She’s got the best smile, knows how to have fun, and makes me feel gooey and stuff. Puttin’ those on there too.
This list will be the easiest thing in the world.
Reason 17: You’re a cute little cheater
This crap is hard.
I can come up with all the reasons I need to, but when I write them down they look so stupid.
That and my hand is so sore my handwriting looks like I just learned how to write ten seconds before I started this list.
I stare at the paper with scribble marks all over it and chuck it in the corner of the ass room. Yes, it’s become the corn chippy room again because all I did after droppin’ Hayles off is text the crap out of her and lay in bed, thinking about that tatt on her shoulder. I bet it’s healed enough now I can touch it. Run my fingers over it and press my lips against it.
You know… if she ever lets me.
I can’t concentrate on this right now. I have to get in that cheesy goobery mood, and I’m just not feelin’ it. I don’t want to write it all down because I want to talk to her. Plopping down on the bed, I whip out my phone and press the only contact I ever call in there.
After four rings I know she’s not pickin’ up. I leave a lame message, the ‘hey it’s me… uh, Brody, yeah… call me back’ one that makes me sound way more awkward than I’d like.
Because I’m bored—and just a bit obsessive—I grab my jacket and head out. Sunday afternoon and I got nothin’ better to do than drive past Hayley’s house. ‘Cause I just have to.
“Where you going?” Dad puts his glasses back on as he sits up on the couch, blinking his eyes as he tries to get the sleep out of them from his old man nap.
“Just out for a bit.” I grab the keys. “You okay if I take