the tension easing away. “After school.”
Peggy
I walked back to my locker between classes and froze.
A tiny pink letter was peeking out of one of the cracks. I looked around, finding a few students lingering, then tucked my lip between my teeth as I unlocked it.
It fluttered to the floor. After shoving my books inside, I picked it up, taking it with me to my next class. My nail flicked it open as I took a seat at the desk beside Daphne, and my heart bottomed out.
Break up with him, or I’ll take something of yours.
Daphne snatched the note before Mr. Roth came inside, her brows gathering as she read it, then looked at me. “Is she talking about Dash?”
I hadn’t even thought of who she might’ve been referring to, but the thought of Kayla and Dash caused everything inside my head and stomach to spin. “I don’t know.”
She ripped it up, then swept the pieces to the floor. “Ignore her. Are you and Byron even going steady?”
The class started to fill, so I just shook my head. We hadn’t labeled what we were doing. In fact, after almost a week of texting daily, I didn’t even hear from Byron last night.
I supposed I could’ve reached out first, but I was still worried I’d come across as needy. Thanks to Dash interrupting us this morning, we’d had less than a minute to say hello.
Steady. If we weren’t going out or dating for real, then what were we doing? Getting to know one another? I guess that’s what it was, which was fine with me, but I had to wonder if I really wanted to take this thing further with Byron.
Just then, he walked inside the classroom, right by two of his teammates, and took the seat directly in front of me. “Hey, Pegs.”
I smiled, and Mr. Roth dumped his briefcase on his desk. “All right, sit down, sit down.”
My eyes stayed glued to the back of Byron’s head as the note, whatever it was we were doing, and Dash clouded my head like a bad fog.
Maybe I’d done something. Maybe he was sick of trying to vie for my attention. Or maybe, I’d been making myself too available to him. I resolved to talk to Daphne about it at lunch.
Daphne had told me if we weren’t going steady, then I needed to pull back. Let him work for it. Whatever that meant.
So even though I was dying to message Byron and check if everything was okay and ask him what was happening between us, I didn’t. I liked him, sure, but I wasn’t next-level obsessed. I could wait him out.
I snatched the popcorn bowl to put back on my side of the bed. My eyes were on the TV as White Walkers descended on the Wall, but my mind roamed anywhere and everywhere else.
Maybe it’d be like last time, and I’d just show up at the party, and we’d eventually run into each other?
I hoped not. We might not be able to call each other boyfriend and girlfriend, but I thought we were at the stage of getting to know each other where he’d at least make plans with me.
Dash’s face interrupted as he loomed above me. “For fuck’s sake, are you high?”
I blinked up at him. “What? No.” I laughed then. “Wait, were you just singing Manfred Mann?”
“You wouldn’t even need to ask that if you’d quit daydreaming for one damn minute.”
His eyes were hard, jaw set, and I poked him in the cheek. “Don’t be mad.”
His dimple appeared, his eyes dropping to my mouth. “Wanna practice again?”
I pushed him off me. “I’m good, thanks.”
Dash laid on his side, his head in his hand, and his shirt riding over his waist. “You don’t think you need to?”
“I’ve kissed him already.”
His jaw clenched. “When?”
“After our date, in the parking lot.” I shoved another handful of popcorn into my mouth.
Dash watched me, silent for some minutes, then said, “Just once?”
“Yeah.” I leaned up on my elbows to grab my water bottle, popping the top and taking a long sip.
His voice was scratchy as he asked, “Have you kissed him again since?”
I shook my head. “No, but I think he might try again this Friday.”
More silence.
When I couldn’t take it anymore, I slammed my drink down on the nightstand. “Ugh, just speak.”
Dash smirked. “Just saying, how do you know you’re ready for what comes next if you’ve only kissed him once?”
“Are you being serious right now?” I couldn’t tell because his expression wasn’t