by Tay Marley
“It’s pointless now. You’re going with Cooper.” He straightened up and began to leave but I stepped in front of him, the moonlight now shining on the back of him, his face engulfed in shadow.
“I didn’t even know he was coming! You gave me his number,” I snapped. “You’ve confused me so many times with your actions and then you pretty much told me to pursue someone else, so what gives?”
“There was no one else that you were pursuing before, was there Dallas?” His tone was accusatory. “This was all you. You told me to stay away from you and give you space. I thought we were friends until you went and had a meltdown at the airport and told me to get fucked.”
“Fr-friends?!” I stuttered with disbelief. “Friends don’t dare friends to kiss them like that, and they don’t flirt, and they don’t get jealous when another guy comes along. For once, just tell me how you feel!”
“I wanted to win the game.” He shrugged with indifference. “And as for the so-called jealousy, that’s all in your mind. We’re friends Dallas, that’s it.”
“I don’t get it, your actions and words just don’t line up!”
“What about your actions! You tell me you want nothing to do with me and then you show up wearing that—and yes, I’ll admit that you look amazing, and seeing you in that jersey with your perfect legs out and your incredible waist is torture, but it’s a contradiction, Dallas. What gives?”
I was speechless. I had butterflies in my stomach. I wanted to scream and I wanted to shout. But as well as all of that, I was ashamed. His words were like a punch in the gut. He was calling me out and he was absolutely right.
“Look”—his features softened a little—“just forget it, Dallas. Things have been easier with the space. Just keep doing you. I won’t get in the way.”
He stepped around me and this time, I didn’t stop him.
Chapter 15
Gabby and I wandered through the mall the next morning. I was less than enthused to deal with crowds doing what I was doing—searching for a last-minute dress. Of course, I was far less worked up and frantic than some of the other girls who were tearing around with their parent’s credit cards.
“. . . so then after Josh threw up, he tried to swing at this guy he thought was staring at my ass, and Drayton literally had to pick him up, carry him to the car, and drive us both home, and oh my word, Dallas, it was hectic. He was such a mess.”
I focused on the fabric of the teal dress in front of me, trying not to wince at the sound of Drayton’s name or the thought of his protective heroics.
“I’m not finding anything here. Let’s go try Belinda’s Boutique.”
Gabby prattled on about last night. After the tiff with Drayton, I’d asked Cooper if we could cut our evening short. We left Maxon’s and met Nathan at another Halloween party. It was slightly less amped up and the numbers just couldn’t compare, but it was fine. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the best company. Cooper didn’t seem to mind, though. He took everything in stride and never stopped smiling.
Gabby insisted we spend the day searching for a homecoming dress. I didn’t know why she came along; she knew that I was hopeless, and we’d search the entire mall before I settled on something. Cooper had had no problem abandoning the search three stores ago; in my opinion he’d made the right decision. He let us know that he’d be in the food court drowning his male sorrows in burgers and frozen soda until we were done.
“Are you going to tell me what happened with you and Dray?” Gabby asked once she’d exhausted all of her tales of drunken adventure. I sighed as I steered us into the cute boutique. I had known that she’d ask eventually.
“Nothing happened,” I said quietly as I flicked through the racks with a little more hope than I’d had earlier. These dresses were beautiful. “We’re both hopeless. Neither of us will own up to how we feel—not that I actually know how he feels.”
“I think it’s obvious,” Gabby said as she mirrored my movements. “He’s so into you, and we can all see it.”
“It can’t be that obvious when he’s flirting with me one minute and giving me another guy’s number the next.”
“Josh thought it was super weird that this Cooper guy just arrived without warning. Creepy, kind of, but sweet. I don’t know. I just hope it makes Drayton jealous enough to sort his shit out.”
“That’s kind of evil,” I laughed. Of course she’d find a silver lining.
The champagne-colored dress in my hand looked perfect. “I’m going to try this on,” I said.
“Do you wonder if Dray’s trying to protect himself? Maybe he doesn’t want to fall for you for the exact same reason that you don’t want to fall for him?” Gabby asked on the way to the changeroom. “Make sure you show me once you’ve got that on. You guys are being so frustratingly ridiculous. You both like each other.”
I lifted the straps of the dress over my shoulders and assessed it in the mirror. It looked perfect. It stopped above the knee. The fabric was satin, and the dress had a tasteful neckline that left enough cleavage visible to be alluring but not inappropriate. I smiled at the reflection in front of me. It paid to be picky sometimes.
“Gabs,” I said as pulled the curtain open. She gave me an approving smile and sprang up from the seat.
“That looks incredible! Dray is going to love it!”
“You need to stop.”
“You’re crazy. You don’t want to date the rich quarterback who could literally visit you in California whenever he wants because, why?”
“Because long distance doesn’t work. Especially not with a guy like him who has a lot of options.”
“Sometimes I think you don’t realize how gorgeous you are.” Gabby folded her arms and gave me a pointed look. My frustration diminished. I was lucky to have such an optimistic friend who loved to remind me how valuable I was. “And long distance can work. You’re running out of excuses.”
I closed the curtain again before I unzipped the dress. “How about the fact that we end up arguing whenever we talk. Doesn’t really scream stable, now, does it?”
“Lovers argue, Dallas. It’s just a sign of the angsty romantic connection that you both share.”
I ripped the curtain back when I was finished changing and stared at her in faux disgust. She read way too many unrealistic novels and I thought an intervention was in serious order. She didn’t seem concerned by the distaste, and fixed me with an innocent smile as she followed me to the cash register.
“You’re just bothered because I’m right.”
The dance started in a half-hour, and to say I was nervous was an understatement. I was disappointed that my plan to binge watch Netflix had been thrown out the window. Instead, I would get to watch Drayton show up looking like an A-list heartthrob with some cover girl on his arm. And I had to entertain a college dance major I hadn’t expected. The entire event was being overhyped by my imagination and it was starting to make me nauseated.
I stood in front of the mirror and combed my fingers through my hair, which I’d given a natural wave to. My summer tan was wearing off so I had put a bit of tanning moisturizer on to give me warmth.
“Can I come in?” Cooper knocked on the door and opened it a crack, but he didn’t appear until I let him know that it was fine. “Oh wow, Dallas. Great dress.”
I smiled and gestured at his tall, lean frame. “Great suit.”
Cooper looked dapper in a fitted dark-blue suit. He’d opted out of wearing a tie, but he still looked formal and handsome. The only downfall was that I felt the colors didn’t look right together. Dark blue and champagne didn’t fit. But there was nothing to be done about that now.
“I got you something.” He smiled, walking farther into the room with his hand behind his back. “I snuck off while you were dress shopping.”
He proudly revealed the mystery gift—a beautiful corsage with a champagne ribbon and shimme
ring detail; the more interesting part was the lily that it was made of. He couldn’t have known that my dress was going to be champagne and I had to wonder if the lily was a coincidence or not.
“How did you know that I love lilies?” I smiled appreciatively and slipped the corsage onto my wrist. Maybe I should just try and make an effort to feel something for him. It could go somewhere if I let it happen naturally. Maybe . . .
“Oh, I-I didn’t know. I thought it looked good.”
“It looks great. I love it. Thanks.”
I should have felt more excited for the evening ahead, but I was anxious with a side of dread. I was stressed about Cooper. I was worried that where Drayton and I stood was so unclear. The simple fact that he and I were so up in the air left a permanent weight on my chest like I had never felt before. It was a constant ache in the back of my head.
“Shall we?” Cooper offered me his arm and I linked mine with his. We headed into the living room where Nathan was waiting with his keys in hand, watching a football game on the television.
“Aw, Sis.” He smiled and spun the keys around his finger as we approached. “You look great”—his eyes moved to Cooper and his mouth turned down—“although black would have looked better,” he mumbled.
“Well.” I clapped my hands together as a deep heat engulfed my cheeks. He was making things incredibly awkward with his blatant hostility. “Should we go?”
“Yeah. You want a photo?” Nathan waved his phone with boredom.
His enthusiasm was outstanding. I bet if Drayton had been my date, he would have created a themed backdrop and set up his own photo shoot. I didn’t bother mentioning it, and Cooper and I stood together for a few snapshots.
When we arrived at the dance, I couldn’t get out of the car fast enough. The tension had been palpable; no one said a word the entire ride. Thank the good Lord that it was only a five-minute drive.
“Your brother doesn’t like me, does he?” Cooper asked as we waved Nathan off and headed toward the gymnasium.
“He’s just a bit of a snob when it comes to sports,” I explained as lightly as I could, so that Cooper didn’t take it to heart. “I think the fact that you don’t worship at the altar of football bugs him. Just ignore him; it’s not important.”
“You guys take your football pretty seriously?” He held the gymnasium door open and ushered me inside.
“We do.”
The now-transformed gym looked great, and I admired how well the social committee had done the movie classics theme. The walls were lined with famous quotes. People were taking photos with cardboard cutout characters from the films Mean Girls, The Breakfast Club, Clueless, Grease, Sixteen Candles, Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, and a slew of other favorites. Red and blue helium balloons stuck to the ceiling and streamers were cast from one wall to the other. It looked marvelous.
“Want to dance?” Cooper placed his hand on the small of my back as he leaned in with a keen smile. The dance floor was occupied with two or so dozen students, but there were more people arriving by the minute, so I supposed dancing before the floor turned into a sweaty cesspool of horny teenagers was our best option.
“Sure.”
I gripped his hand and led him toward the floor to make up for the weak acceptance of his request. I was grateful that the song was an upbeat Demi Lovato tune and not a slow song that would require intimacy. I was so pathetic.
We danced for about ten minutes, during which time the gym filled up, the chatter becoming louder and the atmosphere more energetic. I did my best not to glance at the door every two seconds, but it was almost impossible. I was offered a momentary distraction from my search when Gabby and Josh arrived, looking like a couple fit for the red carpet.
Gabby’s fitted dress fell to her thighs and the vibrant yellow fabric complimented her warm, glowing russet skin. The plunging neckline was decorated with a simple silver chain and pendant, and her hair was arranged into a beautiful bun on the top of her head. Josh’s suit was swish, and he was wearing a tie that matched her dress. Gabby saw me from the entryway and waved, looking the happiest that I’d seen her in a long time. I decided then and there that I would drop the moody attitude so that she wouldn’t worry about me.
“You look so hot,” I squealed as she jostled toward me with her arms open. We embraced in a girlish, giggling hug. Now the night felt right—my best friend here, seeing her in such good spirits, admiring the way Josh grinned at her with an infatuated expression.
“You look hot.” She gripped my shoulders and held me at arm’s length, an adoring look fluttering her eyes before they moved toward the date behind me. “Hey, Cooper, you look nice.”
“Thanks, Gabby, so do you.”
“And we all know that I look amazing.” Josh stepped forward and threw his arm over Gabby’s shoulders. “Let’s go and dance, beautiful.”
A smile that met her gorgeous brown eyes lifted her cheeks and the two of them slipped away into the crowd. At least something good came from my friendship with Drayton. Two people who were absolutely perfect for each other met—they deserved so much happiness.
Cooper and I continued to dance for a while, our bodies moving in sync to the loud music. He had incredible rhythm even when he was dancing in a crowded gym and wearing a fitted suit. We danced well together, but our bodies didn’t fit the way that I wanted them to. Not the way that it felt when I danced with Drayton.
“Hey, I’m just going to go and get a drink,” I told him approximately three seconds into a slow song. His hands had found my hips, and I felt as though I was about to suffocate.
“I’ll come.”
“No, no.” I exhaled and reminded myself to breathe as he waited for an explanation. “I’m going to go to the bathroom first. I won’t be long.”
I grabbed Melissa as she headed for the dance floor. She raised a curious brow at my hand holding her arm with an ironlike grip. Letting go, I admired her black sequin cocktail dress with shimmers of emerald that illuminated when the light hit it.
“You look gorgeous—”
“You’re not my type,” she laughed when I stammered then gave me a light jab in the shoulder. “What’s up, girl?”
“This is Cooper. My date.”
“Your date?”
“I’m going to the bathroom.” I sidestepped out of his hold and patted her on the shoulder. “Chat with him for a second.”
I pecked his cheek, which seemed to make him happy and beelined toward the spring-loaded gym doors, throwing them open and practically running down the concrete steps as I filled my lungs with the chilled night air.
This was too much.
It was too hard and I could feel the threat of tears as I leaned against the wall around the corner, hidden out of sight. My inability to feel something for someone else was so frustrating, so enraging that I wanted to pull my hair out.
Cooper was so sweet and kind, the sort of person that a girl would be blessed to have. But there was nothing there and I felt panicked that this was how it was going to be from now on. He couldn’t make me feel the earth-shattering, euphoric, and captivating emotions that Drayton made me feel. It was so unfair that it hurt.
I was realizing that you couldn’t force feelings and love to exist where they didn’t, in the same way that you couldn’t deny when they did. The sound of gravel crunching beneath feet startled me, and I expected to find that Cooper had followed me. Maybe even Gabby. But instead, I came face to face with a shadowed Drayton.
My heart thumped with impossible strength at the sight of him. His black tailored suit hugged him perfectly. He was wearing a crisp white shirt and a thin belt. The shirt sleeves were rolled to his elbows, stretching at the seams around his large biceps. He wasn’t wearing a tie and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing his toned, olive chest. He looked beyond good. He looked mesmerizing and I couldn’t d
escribe how deep the desire I felt for him went.
“Are you okay?” He was cautious, stopping a few feet in front of me.
“Yeah,” I nodded. “We should probably stop meeting like this, though.”
“I saw you basically run out of the gym.” He stuffed his hands into his pants pockets. “I wanted to make sure that he hadn’t done anything to make you upset.”
“No, Dray, he didn’t,” I said. “I didn’t even know you were here.”
“I’ve been here for a while.” He shrugged, and his eyes moved toward the corsage on my wrist. He stepped closer and lifted my hand to inspect it, the touch sending shock waves throughout my body.
“You told him to get this, didn’t you? I don’t know how you knew, but you had something to do with this?”
He didn’t take his eyes off the corsage. “You love champagne, you always wear it.” His hand slowly moved farther up my arm, his fingers grazing my skin so gently that it raised goose bumps as he moved toward my elbow. “And the lilies are obvious. You draw them all over your econ book.”
At this point, if I had been hooked up to a machine, I’d have been condemned as a medical mystery with the rate that my heart beat and my lungs worked. He had a firm but gentle grasp on my elbow. His eyes locked with mine and a vulnerability that I’d never seen before shone through his every feature, like a bright beacon of hope. If sparks of electricity were visible between two people, we’d be lighting up the entire state at this point.
“Dray—” It came out as a breathless gasp as he tugged on my elbow and cupped my neck, driving our mouths together with a hungry force that knocked the wind right out of me.
My hands wound themselves around his neck, my fingers sliding into his hair as he pushed me backward into the wall. Our tongues met and I couldn’t believe that the taste of peppermint over cigarettes actually tasted good, but it did.