by Shaw Hart
My Girl
Chapter One
Theo
Prologue
I’ve married Winnie Vaughn 126 times.
We’ve been best friends since we were kids and she used to make me dress up as a groom so that she could pretend to get married. I’m pretty sure I was in love with her even back then. I would watch her walk down the hall towards me and my stomach would flip over and I’d get a weird feeling in my chest.
I hated dressing up though. I thought pretending to be the groom and just standing there was so boring. The dress shirt was the worst. The collar was too tight and itchy and the dumb dress shoes that she would make me wear always pinched my toes. I wanted to tell her that I wasn’t playing dress up or pretend wedding with her again but then she would ask me to.
She would stare up at me with those bright eyes and she always looked so hopeful when she asked, that I could never turn her down. I would get a warm feeling in my chest when I saw that look on her face.
She had me wrapped around her finger even back then. She was always the most beautiful person that I had ever seen and I knew that I was going to marry her, for real, one day.
Winnie has always been shy and prefers to keep to herself. She’s short, only 5’3” with large green eyes that seemed to take up most of her face when we were kids. Now that we’re older they still seem too large in her face. Her eyes are framed with long lashes and I love seeing them twinkle as she stares up at me. She has a dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose and I have a habit of counting them when I stare at her for too long.
Her blonde hair is curly and cascades down her back. Over the years it’s gotten lighter and lighter until it finally settled at a white blonde. She keeps it long and likes to use it as a shield whenever she gets nervous or is in a large crowd. I like to run my fingers through it when we’re laying on her bed, doing homework or watching tv. It’s always soft as silk and she smiles and leans into my hand each time I do it.
She always smells like clementine’s. They’re her favorite fruit and I swear that she could eat a whole bag in one sitting. She buys her shampoo and body wash in that scent too and it’s quickly become my favorite smell in the whole world.
Our families lived next door to each other when we were kids and we would spend everyday playing and chasing after each other. We’ve been best friends since the day that we met. In school, we were always paired up together since our last names were so close, Vaughn and Vault. I never minded because there was no one else that I would rather be paired with. I wanted to spend all of my time with Winnie and keep her all to myself.
She’s always made me feel like I’m about to hit the drop on a roller coaster but over the years it seems to have gotten stronger. I feel protective of her and I want to make sure that she’s safe. Winnie would never hurt a fly and I get upset when people take advantage of her kindness. When we were younger some of the other girls used to pick on her because she was so quiet and shy. I stood up to them and ever since everyone has known not to mess with Winnie.
We’ve spent every day together since we were five and we have a weekly movie date every Friday night. We would go over to Winnie’s house since my mom worked late on Friday’s at the hospital and stay up half the night watching old movies and pigging out on snacks. We’d fall asleep at some point on the living room floor and wake up to her mom making us pancakes. I woke up one morning to her eyes already on me. She had smiled at me and suddenly, I could see it. That was when I knew that she loved me too. I could see it in her eyes.
I wanted to tell her how I felt about her after that. I had just turned thirteen and I had it all planned out. I was going to use some of my birthday money to buy her flowers and show up at her house and confess that I loved her. She would tell me that she felt the same way and we would date and then get married and have a family of our own. I could picture it all in my head and I just hoped that Winnie wanted it too.
I had it all figured out and I had even gone and bought the flowers but before I could tell Winnie how I felt, something stopped me. I got home from the store to find my dad and Winnie’s mom sitting at the kitchen table with Winnie. I can still remember the devastated look on Winnie’s face when they told us the news.
They had been having an affair with each other and my mom and Winnie’s dad had found out. They were going to get a divorce but they told us not to worry. Mrs. Vaughn was going to marry my dad and we would all be a family together. Winnie would be my step-sister.
Just like that, my dreams for Winnie and I went up in smoke.
Chapter Two
Winnie
Five Years Later…
My mom yells up the stairs for Theo and I to come down for breakfast and I roll out of bed, shaking out my blonde curls as I make my way over to the door. I can hear her yelling something else but I realize that this time it’s at my stepfather. He says something back to her and I roll my eyes. They’ve been fighting more and more lately and I wonder what they could possibly have to fight about at 6 am.
I open my bedroom door and walk out at the same time that Theo does and he smiles at me as he throws his arm over my shoulders and leads me down the stairs. The familiar tingle races down my spine as his skin brushes against mine and I forget about our parents for a second.
He leans into me more and I bite my tongue to hold back my moan as I catch a whiff of his body wash. I love how Theo smells, like spearmint and cedar. I know it’s from his shampoo and body wash but I love it. I had bought it for him one year for Christmas and he’s kept buying it ever since. I smile back at him as we take our seats across the table from each other. I take him in as he starts to dig into his pancakes. His black hair is sticking up in every direction and his blue eyes are bright when he looks up and catches me watching him.
He’s filled out a lot since we were kids and I admire the way his white t-shirt stretches across his broad shoulders. He joined the football team in middle school and now as a senior, he’s the starting quarterback. He’s good too and I know our parents are hoping that he gets a college scholarship to play.
I watch Theo finish his breakfast and drop his dishes in the sink before he heads back up the stairs to get dressed. I pick at my pancakes, finishing the last few bites before I head back to my room to get ready. I tug on my usual attire, some skinny jeans and a plain t-shirt.
I’ve known Theo since we were kids and I’ve loved him for just as long. Then five years ago our parents changed everything. They had been having an affair for about a year before anyone found out and they sat us down and told us. They were divorced and married to each other six months after that. Suddenly, Theo wasn’t just my neighbor, best friend, and first crush; He was my stepbrother.
Nothing really changed in our relationship beside that though. I never thought of him as a brother and my feelings about him certainly weren’t familial. We still hung out together every day and had movie night every Friday night. He still hangs out with me at school and we eat lunch together every day. The only thing their marriage changed was that now I wasn’t free to tell Theo how I felt about him.
It felt wrong to have these sorts of feelings about Theo. I mean we weren’t related, but still. I knew how people would look at us, how they would react. We live in a small town and people would gossip and look down on us if we got together.
Theo is so popular and well liked and I’m more the shy book nerd. Theo is the king of school and I’m the wallflower that most people forget about. Theo always sees me though. He’s always treated me with kindness and respect. I even thought that he loved me too once upon a time. I would catch him looking at me with a strange look in his eyes sometimes. His eyes would linger on me for longer than usual and he would pass up times to hang out with his friends to spend time with me instead. He’s
never made a move on me though so I guess it was just wishful thinking.
To be fair, no one has ever made a move on me. I’m 18 years old and I’ve never been on a date, let alone had a boyfriend. Sometimes I wonder what’s wrong with me that no one seems interested in me like that. I’ve watched my friends get asked out and go on dates over and over again but no one has ever even taken a second look at me before.
It never used to bother me. After all, I’ve never been able to picture myself with anyone other than Theo. Theo has always been perfect to me. He’s gorgeous and so sweet and nice to everyone. He’s the boy that I compare every other one too and they always come up lacking.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Theo never made a move on me. The king of the school and the quiet book nerd only end up together in movies.
Chapter Three
Theo
I drive Winnie and I to school and we walk in together. Her first class is in the opposite direction of mine and we say goodbye at the front doors. My eyes follow after Winnie as she weaves in and out of the crowd, making her way down the hallway. I glare at a few guys who turn to check her out and they scurry past me. I’ve already spread the word that Winnie is off-limits and so far, no one has challenged that. I watch Winnie until she turns the corner, disappearing from my view. I frown but I know that I’ll see her again at lunch.
I sigh as I turn and make my way to my class, stopping to say hi to a few people as I go. I walk into my history class and toss my notebook on my desk before I slouch in my seat. My hand rubs absently over my heart and I sigh to myself. Being with Winnie but not really being with her is starting to take its toll on me. I love her and I know there will never be another girl for me for as long as I live.
Every day that goes by that she isn’t mine is another day where someone could take her away from me. Just the thought of her dating some other guy makes my hands clench into fists and my gut tightens. It would kill me to see her with someone else and I’ve been lucky so far that no one has asked her out but next year we’ll be in college, on a huge campus, and I won’t be able to keep guys away from her then. I need to stake my claim before then.
I spend the rest of my morning counting down the minutes until Winnie will be by my side once again. As soon as the bell rings, I’m out of my seat and racing for the door. I make it to Winnie’s locker and catch her right as she’s walking up. I sling my arm over her shoulder, tugging her into my side as we make our way to the lunch room.
“You coming to football practice?” I ask as we walk into the room and take our seats.
“Yeah, wouldn’t miss it.” She says in the least excited tone possible.
I laugh and nudge her with my elbow as she sinks into her chair and I take the one next to hers. I ask her how her day has been as we wait for the others to join us. Our lunch table is mostly made up of my football teammates and some of the cheerleaders. She has math before lunch and she complains about the homework her teacher gave out. I offer to help her with it after practice and she smiles at my gratefully. I get lost in her for a second and blink to try to clear my head. Winnie’s smiles have always had the ability to knock me on my ass and then have me chasing after her like a lovesick puppy.
My teammates join us and I try to focus on what they’re talking about. My eyes keep drifting back to Winnie though and I smile to myself when the bell rings and I realize that I daydreamed about Winnie through most of lunch.
I grab her backpack from her as we make our way out to her next class. I say goodbye at the door before I jog down the hallway to my science class. Only three more periods until school is over and football practice starts. I drive us to school so Winnie sits in the stands while I’m on the field and then I drive us home. I know that she just doesn’t want to be home alone with our parents while they’re fighting but I’ll take any extra alone time with her that I can get.
The last bell rings and I finish scribbling the last of my notes down before I shove everything into my book bag and head out the door. Luckily our final classes our close together and I don’t have to go far before I can see Winnie’s blond curls bouncing down the hallway towards me.
We fall into step beside each other as we make our way out to the football field. I carry her backpack for her as we walk across the grass and through the chain link fence to the field. Winnie takes her usual seat on the bleachers under the awning. It’s the only place with some shade and I know that she’ll spend my practice doing homework and reading. It’s hard to see her all the way up here but just knowing that she’s here makes me feel better. The other girls will all sit close to the field. They’ll spend the whole two hours trying to flirt with the players.
I take one last look at Winnie before I wave and make my way back down the bleachers and over to the locker rooms. I change into my gear quickly, ignoring the other guys all talking about who hooked up with who this weekend. My best friend, Austin, thumps me on the back as we both turn to make our way out onto the field and I listen as he tells me about some concert that he went to on Saturday.
Coach calls for practice to start and I spend the next hour and a half running drills with my teammates. Every chance I get, I look up into the stands, trying to catch a glimpse of Winnie and see if maybe she’s looking for me too.
We scrimmage for the last half hour and I’m sweating and panting by the time the final whistle blows. I tug my helmet off, running my hand through my damp hair as I run into the locker room with my teammates. I shower and dress as fast as I can, eager to get back to Winnie. I wave goodbye to a couple of guys and tell Austin I’ll text him later as I jog out of the locker room and head up the bleachers to my girl.
Some of the other girls who were watching try to stop me or grab my attention by waiving at me but I just give them a tight-lipped smile as I climb closer to the only girl who will ever have my heart.
I reach Winnie and help her pack up the last of her books before I grab her backpack from her and swing it over my shoulder. I help her down the stairs and wrap my arm around her shoulders as I lead her over to my car.
I hold the passenger door open for her and make sure she gets in ok before I close the door and open the back door to throw our backpacks in. I slide into the driver’s seat and make sure she’s all set before starting the car and heading towards home.
Chapter Four
Winnie
It’s Friday and in my small town that means football. I’m sandwiched between my mom and step-dad in the stands as we cheer for Theo down on the field. I’m not really that into sports but I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to see Theo running around in his tight football pants. I try to hide that from my parents though.
Another reason that I like Friday nights is because lately it’s been the only time when my mom and Theo’s step-dad aren’t yelling at each other. Their fights have been getting worse and worse and I know that should make me sad but a part of me hopes that they get a divorce. I’ve never really forgiven them for what they did to my dad and Theo’s mom or for how they ruined my chances with Theo.
The game is almost over and I sit on the edge of my seat, getting sucked into the excitement of the crowd as the clock ticks down. This will be the last play but our team is up so many points that I’m not sure it even matters at this point. Still, the thought of another touchdown as the people in the seats clapping their hands and cheering.
I watch as Theo calls the play before the ball is snapped back. Theo catches it easily and I watch as he looks for an opening. When he can’t find any open players, he grips the ball and starts to run. I watch as Theo streaks across the field, the football tucked securely under his arm as he closes in on the end zone. He’s close to the goal post now and the crowd jumps to their feet as he crosses the line into the end zone, scoring another goal.
The crowd goes crazy as his teammates join Theo in the end zone to celebrate. I cheer loudly from the stands along with the rest of the crowd and soon my throat hurts from cheering for Theo. I smile as the pl
ayers leave the field and I know that soon Theo will come out of the locker room with his damp hair and he’ll wrap me up in a big hug before our parents congratulate him and we all head home.
My parents will grab pizza and we’ll eat before they go upstairs to argue some more and Theo and I will do our usual Friday night routine. We’ll make popcorn, grab some drinks and ice cream and then camp out in my room, watching movies until we both fall asleep. All of his other teammates will go out to parties and try to hook up with other girls but Theo has always passed and opted to spend the night with me.
We make our way down the stairs with the crowd and I glance back to the field to see that Theo has been stopped by some of the cheerleaders. Alexa, the head cheerleader is standing in his path with her hip cocked and her fingers trailing over his arm. My gut tightens with jealousy at seeing some other girls’ hands on Theo. I can tell from here that she’s trying to sink her claws into him and I scowl at the idea of some other girl belonging to Theo. As I watch though, Theo shakes her off his arm and turns to head into the locker rooms.
I smile as I make my way down the stairs and join the other families as we wait for the players to come out of the locker room. I lean against the wall in my usual spot as we wait for Theo. We don’t have to wait long and soon Theo and his friend Austin are walking out of the locker room doors. His eyes seek me out immediately and I smile at him as he grins back at me and starts to jog over my way. I stand up straight when he gets close to me and I laugh when he wraps his arms around my waist, hugging me tight and spinning me in a small circle.
We beam down at each other for a minute before Theo’s dad interrupts us and pulls him into a hug, thumping him on the back as he tells him what a good game he played. My mom congratulates him next and then we all turn and make our way to the parking lot. We wave goodbye to our parents when they start to walk towards their car to the right and I head to Theo’s car with him.