I heard his footsteps behind me. “Hey!” I yelled when he pulled on my elbow, leading me toward the big yellow slide. “What are you doing?”
He didn’t say anything as he plopped down into the end of the slide, spreading his legs. I looked at him skeptically, and he laughed, rolling his eyes before grabbing my hand and gently pulling me down to rest in between them.
“I’m watching the sunset with you,” he said.
My heart threatened to beat out of my chest, and I cleared my throat so that my voice wouldn’t crack and give me away when I spoke. “You’re one of those cuddlers, aren’t you?”
He leaned forward, grabbing onto my waist and pulling me backward until my back was pressed up against his chest. He kept his arms around my waist, and I looked down, wondering if he could feel every little imperfection that my shirt was hiding—the stretch marks, the rolls, the way it was softer than what I was sure he was used to.
“I never have been much of a cuddler before,” he mused. “I guess a lot of things about me are changing, huh?”
I forced myself to relax against him, placed my hands on his wrists, and leaned my head back against his chest. He felt solid. I’d never been held like this by anyone else before, and I couldn’t say that I hated it. I felt safe and strangely secure.
“Do you consider it a good change or a bad one?”
“Definitely a good one, Anna.” He slid his legs down beside mine, keeping me close and trapped against him. “Most definitely a good one.”
“And you’ll still think all of this tomorrow?”
“I wish you’d trust me,” he said. “I know it’s hard, and I know it’s gonna take time, but I really wish that you would because I mean it.”
“I’m trying to, Evan.”
“I know. I know that. I just . . . ugh.”
I laughed and rubbed his arms, watching as the pink in the sky disappeared and black overtook it.
“We’re getting there.”
“Progress.”
“Yes.” I smiled and closed my eyes, tilting my head and taking a deep breath, the scent of his musky cologne filling my nose. “Progress.”
We stayed there, talking about whatever came to us until the sun completely set and I had to lead him back through the woods, laughing each time he squealed when he was positive something furry had brushed up against him. How he knew it was furry when he was wearing jeans was beyond me, but I was too busy laughing to even think of asking him about it.
He held onto my hand like it was a lifeline, and I swear, if I hadn’t been laughing so hard as he tripped over the board to get back through the fence, he probably would’ve dropped to his knees and kissed the ground.
Who knew the Evan Drake didn’t like nature?
“I’m glad you think this is funny!” he barked, stalking off toward the gate.
That only made me laugh harder, and before I realized it, I was hunched over, clutching my stomach and doing my absolute best to stay on my own two feet. By the time I caught my breath and looked up, he was standing by the gate with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Are you done?”
I just wasn’t used to seeing the king of the school screeching like a little girl and hopping around to avoid a branch buried underneath some leaves.
“Good.” He smirked and held out a hand to me. “I’ll walk you to your door.”
“Now you’re going to be a gentleman, huh?”
He shrugged, and I walked up to him, letting him lace our fingers together before he unlatched the gate and led me around to the front of the house. He stopped at the steps, and I made it to the second one before turning around.
“Thanks for hanging around with me today,” I said, stuffing my hands into my pockets.
“Pleasure was all mine.”
“Since when did you get so proper?”
“I guess you just bring it out in me.”
“Mm-hm.”
He grinned and stepped up on the bottom step, winding his arms around my waist and nearly pulling me off the step altogether. I closed my eyes and smiled when I felt his lips on my cheek, lingering longer than usual.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.
“Yeah.”
“Have a good night, Anna.”
“Drive safe,” I managed as he stepped away from me.
“Always.”
“It’s gonna be rough tomorrow, you know.”
He smiled. “You gonna stick around with me?”
“Of course.”
He fished his keys out of his pocket. “Then it’s all going to be okay.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’ll see you later.”
He smiled and turned, walking back to his car and climbing in. I stayed on the steps until he backed out and beeped the horn twice, disappearing down the road. With a smile on my face, and a little bit of hope in my heart, I turned and walked into the house.
Maybe people could change after all.
Social suicide.
That was really the only way to describe what Evan had done to himself after he was seen with me on Friday night. I was getting my books out of my locker and cringed as Steve, Brittany, Grace, and Adam cornered him at his locker. Their expressions and hand gestures gave away what they were saying.
The pointing in my direction hadn’t been subtle, either.
I clutched my books tightly to my chest before turning on my heel and starting toward the science room. After sitting down on the stool, I leaned forward to cross my arms on the table and rest my chin on my hands. Focusing on the board, I found that the words began to jumble the longer I stared at them.
The door opened again, and I closed my eyes when the doorknob hit the filing cabinet behind it. The metal clang that resounded through the empty room echoed in my head, and I didn’t open my eyes until the stool next to me scraped against the floor.
He sat down hard, all but slamming his books
