Nicole reached out and touched the side of my face.
“Have you eaten anything?”
“Not really.”
“I'll call my dad to come get me and then fix you something.” She stood up and started heading for the kitchen.
“You don't have to do that.” I jumped off the couch and followed her. “I can fend for myself. I can drive you home, too.”
“I know you can,” she replied. “I want to make you dinner, and I want Dad to pick me up.”
I couldn't really argue with her, especially since the whole conversation was making my stomach growl. She dug around in our pantry, mumbling about the shit within, and ended up finding spaghetti and sauce to make. Once the pasta was drained, she made up a plate for me, and a few minutes later Greg’s cruiser appeared in the driveway.
“I'll see you tomorrow,” she said.
I reached out for her, and she didn't pull back when I wrapped my arms around her.
“Thanks for dinner,” I said. I kissed her softly but didn't try to press for anything else. If she needed space, I would give it to her—even if it did drive me bonkers.
She left me to go back home, but I didn't feel that bad about it. I was going to miss sleeping next to her tonight, but we were going to work everything out together, and that was the thing that really mattered. At least, I thought it did.
Shakespeare said, “…out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety.” Somehow, Nicole had become my safe flower.
Now, how could I ever manage to give that up?
CHAPTER 20
SET PIECE
I lay on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I had seen the day pass through my mind so many times, it was starting to blur my mental vision. Even as Nicole’s rules slid around in my brain, all I could really think about was what to do when Dad got back home.
It wasn’t just a matter of not being able to sleep in her house or in her bed anymore. He said I had to dump her, and if I didn’t, he was going to find out. There was just no way of keeping anything like that from him long-term. Even if I dared try to hide if from him for a while, eventually he’d catch on. Once he did, he wouldn’t stop at just punishing me.
What the fuck am I going to do?
I had no idea.
So, I did what any normal teenage boy would have done.
I refused to think about it.
I was up early the next morning, took my run, had a shower, and snarfed down some cereal before I went to pick up Nicole. I was really early, but she was ready anyway. We headed to school, and I parked near the soccer field.
“Got your soccer bag?”
“Seriously?” I asked her with a raised eyebrow.
She chuckled and shook her head.
“Don’t leave home without it?”
“Not much, no,” I replied.
“Let’s play.” Nicole opened up her door and headed out toward the field. I grabbed the ball out of my bag and jogged through the fog to catch up with her.
“You really want to play?” I asked.
“Why not?”