her mumble.
I choked back a laugh, and so did Aaron. “I think you just broke our chemistry teacher,” I quipped.
We probably spent a solid thirty seconds just laughing as silently as we could.
Finally, Aaron got us tons of paper towels from the boys’ bathroom, and we began mopping up the mess.
I couldn’t help it, though. I started laughing again just replaying the whole thing against in my mind, first a little bit and then so much that I couldn’t breathe.
Aaron laughed too.
I blinked back tears. “I can’t believe you put in a cup of each,” I said, trying to catch my breath between laughs. “Your face…”
Aaron laughed too, and we just sat there for a moment. “What can I say?” he asked with a shrug. “Cade got the brains. I just got the good looks.”
He gave me one of his playful grins, and I smacked his shoulder. “I knew I should’ve picked another chem partner.”
But I didn’t mean that, and we both knew it.
I went to go back to cleaning up the mess we’d made, but then Aaron met my eyes and my heart leaped.
Was it me or was there some kind of crazy chemical reaction happening inside me?
No!
This was science. Two classmates completing a science experiment.
That was it.
So Aaron was cute.
Extremely cute, even.
I mean, he was a Garcia brother.
The boy was born handsome.
But that was it.
We were friends.
Heart, I told myself, get yourself under control.
8
I sipped my latte, savoring the taste of caramel. “You never buy David Starbucks as a thank you,” I teased Aaron.
We had gotten out of practice not that long ago, and he’d insisted on stopping on the way home.
He grinned. “That’s what he gets for playing dirty when I’m beating him one-on-one.” He took a careful drink of his coffee too. “Besides, it’s freezing out today. I needed to warm up, and it’s the least I could do after what happened earlier in chem class.”
I smiled just at the thought of it. “That was epic. Coach Collins looked like she wanted to strangle you.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I don’t blame her. I can be a moron sometimes,” he said, grinning.
I shook my head and put my coffee in the cup holder. “We should get home. And I can’t drink this and drive at the same time.”
Just as I set the cup down, Aaron stopped me, putting his hand on mine.
His fingers were rougher than mine and hot from the coffee. They sent a buzz of electricity through me.
Aaron pulled his hand away. I did the same.
Our eyes met, and I blinked but didn’t look away. “I just mean… it’s gonna get cold by the time we get there,” he said softly.
I finally tore my gaze away. One of us had to or who knew what would happen. So I picked up my drink again, and we sat there sipping on our coffees again.
I focused on taking careful sips and letting the chocolatey goodness warm me from the inside out so I wouldn’t spazz out. The truth was that I missed this. So much.
I missed the rare moments Aaron and I would have sometimes when David wasn’t around. When we could say anything, when he could look at me the way that had my heart stopping.
When his hand touched mine, and we didn’t have to worry.
These moments meant everything to me, and I’d forgotten that.
Like the minute or two after a football game ended and everyone was busy celebrating a win. I’d find Aaron and give him the biggest hug. And he’d hold onto me so tight.
Or the weekend mornings when it was perfectly cool outside. I’d lace up my sneakers and go outside for a walk, earbuds in.
Aaron knew I liked to go outside and walk or run before the rest of the world woke up. Sometimes he just waved while we mowed the grass. But other times, he’d wave me over and show me something cool like a chrysalis or a bird’s nest he’d found while doing yard work.
Or the times last semester when we’d walk to class together, laughing about one thing or another. Then he’d hold my gaze a little too long, and I’d find it hard to catch my breath.
Why couldn’t he be both my brother’s best friend and mine?
I turned to Aaron, wanting to savor this moment while it lasted. The truth was that I missed him already even though he was still sitting just a few inches away. “Tell me about basketball. How is it going?” I asked, determined to