“Hey, Sierra, wait up!”
I turned to see Danny walking towards me. As I studied him, I could see what all the other girls did. His olive complexion was to die for, and a girl could get lost in his dark-brown eyes for days. His full lips had been, according to rumors, made for kissing. And they curved up into a warm smile as he placed a hand on my arm.
“I’m glad I caught you.”
I smiled at him. “I haven’t seen you all week. Must be exhausting being king of the school.”
He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Please tell me you don’t buy into that shit.”
“I’m only teasing. What’s up?” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear as I eagerly waited for him to respond.
“Well, since things didn’t work out last time, I was hoping you were free this weekend. I meant what I said at the beginning of the summer. I want to get to know you better.”
A blush crept onto my cheeks. His gaze was intimidating, and as he studied me, I found myself wanting to say yes. So I did.
“That’d be nice.”
His smile widened. Then we made plans for the following evening.
“Who was that?” Mom asked, raising an eyebrow at me when we were all buckled in. Usually, we’d walk to school together, but with the heat index in the low one hundreds, Mom had insisted on picking all of us up. With the way I was sweating, I was thankful for it.
“Danny Moyer! Only the hottest guy in school,” my sister gushed.
Jenna nodded in agreement. Chris scoffed, and Jenna leaned over, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
“He’s not that good-looking,” Jeremy grumbled beside me.
I frowned and elbowed him, trying to get him to look at me, but he wouldn’t. We rode the rest of the way in silence as Lexi went on about Danny this and Danny that. Once we’d pulled into the driveway, Jeremy jumped out of the car and sprinted across the lawn, slamming the screen door to his house shut as he ran into the house.
“What’s his problem?” Lexi asked.
Mom wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “My guess? Danny Moyer,” she said, glancing over at me, a knowing look on her face.
I shook my head, trying not to emit the sadness I was feeling. “No, that’s not it. Jeremy doesn’t care who I date.”
I just wished he did.
SOPHOMORE YEAR WAS TURNING out to be much different than freshman year. Instead of Sierra and me becoming closer, with each passing day, the chasm between us grew wider. I didn’t understand it. I was so close to spilling everything, to telling her that friendship wasn’t enough, but I was too slow. Too late. By the time I was ready to admit it all, she was already going on dates with Danny. I didn’t know how many they’d been on, and I didn’t care. All I knew was they were going to homecoming together, and I wasn’t going to be anywhere near the school that night.
As I walked into my living room, Chris and Jenna were cuddling on the couch. The last thing I wanted was to be around those two happy lovebirds, so I grabbed my keys of the counter and rode the few miles over the bridge to Navarre Beach. Thank God I’d turned sixteen at the beginning of the school year. Not having to rely on my parents or upperclassmen was amazing, especially for nights when I needed to get out. Nights like that one.
The slight chill in the air had goosebumps pebbling on my skin. The coolness of the evening had left the beach deserted, which I was grateful for. I wanted to be alone anyways.
That’s how I felt those days.
But could I really complain? After all, I’d done this to myself.
I spread my blanket out and lay down, staring up at the stars. My eyes instantly connected with my favorite constellation. The one on the cheek of my favorite person. As Sierra’s image started swimming in my mind, an aching hole burned in my chest, the unbearable loneliness spreading through my body like the cruelest of wildfires.
I missed her.
At that moment, I realized how much she meant to me and how miserable my life would be if I had to watch another man making her as happy as I wanted to. Sierra was my morning, noon, and night, and I wanted her to be everything in between. But she wasn’t that anymore. She was barely even my week, and I had no idea how to change that.
I’d had her. So close. And, instead of cherishing her, I’d let her slip through my fingertips when I hadn’t been looking. She was everything I’d ever wanted—everything I’d ever want—and I’d had to lose her to realize that.
I was such an idiot.
I’d never go after her while she was happy with someone else. But, if he fucked up, I’d be right there, ready to comfort her. And, when she was ready, I would be, too. No more cowardice. No more hesitation.
I just hoped that opening eventually came—even if wishing for it made me a bastard. So be it.
As Danny’s hand inched higher up my thigh, I squirmed in my seat. And not in a good way.
It’d been over a month since our first date, and even though we talked nearly every night on the phone and saw each other at school, this was only our third date. Between football and cheerleading, our weekends were often too busy for us to go out. He hadn’t yet asked me to be his girlfriend, and I didn’t even know if I wanted him to. I knew he was getting annoyed by my refusal to do anything. Hell, we hadn’t even kissed.
I wasn’t sure why, every time he closed in, I turned my cheek. I told him I wanted to take things slow. After all this, this was my first experience with any sort of romantic relationship, and I was hesitant to go too far too fast. I wasn’t scared. It’s just… I didn’t quite know how I felt about Danny, and I wanted my first kiss to be memorable. One I’d think of often, with fond memories, when I was older. I wasn’t sure Danny was that guy for me. With homecoming coming up, though, I was getting nervous that he was going to expect something that night.
I moved his hand back to his own thigh. He groaned and leaned his head against the wall.
“Sierra, you’re killing me here. It’s been over a month and you won’t even let me kiss you. I get it. You’re young, but I thought we’d be a little further than this by now.”
My nerves rose as he stared down at me. “I don’t… I’m not…” I stammered, sounding like an idiot. What did he expect? I mean, I knew his reputation, but he’d always been sweet and patient with me.
“What about homecoming, Sierra? There’s an after party, and I was thinking I could get us a hotel room. I can properly introduce you to everything physical. It can be romantic if that’s what you want,” he told me, running his fingers down my arm.
“A hotel room?” I gulped, my eyes widening as I shook my head. We’d never even kissed. What the hell was he expecting with a hotel room? I slid my chair back and grabbed my purse. “Excuse me. I need to use the restroom.”
I spent a couple of minutes trying to calm my nerves in the bathroom. When I finally settled my stomach, I splashed water on my face and then walked back towards our table.
What I saw stopped me in my tracks. Apparently, Danny’s patience had ended. Sitting in his lap was the loosest girl in school, Mallory Buchanan. He was kissing her neck, and his hand was sliding up her skirt. Oh God, what had I been thinking, going out with this guy?
Part of me knew that it was my fault for trying to date someone I wasn’t all that interested in, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Not to mention everyone in school would know about this by Monday. Danny could’ve at least waited until our date was over before moving on.
Mallory gave me a wicked grin when she looked up and saw me. Danny shrugged as if it were no big deal.