Page 37 of The Lucky One
I smiled. Beneath his confident exterior, Aiden too grappled with the yearning for home. And he’d become one of the people I would dearly miss if I went back to Germany.
“Now get back on that bench and press that bitch.”
The hallway bustled with animated conversations and clanging doors as I tucked my little black book safely in my locker. Scared of losing it or having someone read its contents, I kept it locked away during the school day. It was the only time I let it out of sight.
“Surprise,” a husky voice whispered into my neck.
I jumped back. Jon stood there, smirking at me. “You scared me!” I exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were coming back today!” I gave him a quick hug.
“Wanted to surprise you.”
“Well, you did.”
He adjusted the straps of his newly acquired schoolbag. Jon with a backpack: now that was a sight to see. Behind him, the people passing by cast lingering glances at us and the hum of whispers grew a notch louder. “That’s Jon, right? Paul’s best friend?” “I bet she’ll cheat on him too, just watch.” Jon remained unfazed, as if the gossip swirling around him didn’t even register.
I glanced right and left and noticed Kiki and Paul walking around the corner together. She was smiling at him. And was he—? Blushing at something she said. Since when were they so tight?
Jon grabbed my hand to pull me in but I slipped away. He frowned. “Little German?”
I felt the blood rushing to my ears. I wasn’t ready for this, for people to start talking—especially with Paul around.
Saved by the bell. “Sorry, um, I got to get to class.” I kissed Jon on the cheek, barely meeting his skin with my lips before practically leaping out of his immediate vicinity. “Have a great first day back at school! Meet me outside later?”
He made a face. Then he spotted Kiki and Paul looking at us, and he strode in the other direction without another glance. Shoot...
The painting on my therapist’s wall seemed to mock me today. The vibrant speckling of colors looked, for some inexplicable reason, like it was flipping me off.
“You think you rejected him?” Caroline asked. I had told her in way too much detail how I’d reacted to Jon’s presence this morning.
“Yeah, and I feel so bad about it. It’s his first day back at school and I acted like a jerk. No matter what I do, I can’t make it okay for everyone.” I dragged my fingers over my face.
“Emily.” Caroline sighed. “Have you considered what you want? You didn’t want to be affectionate in front of Paul. It’s your right to say no.”
I sucked in my lower lip as I pondered her words. If it was my right, then why couldn’t I shake off this disgusted feeling in my chest?
In the parking lot after school, Jon acted like our weird encounter that morning wasn’t a big deal. “You want to give them time. I understand,” he said, and switched topics.
Sure, giving Paul and Kiki time to adjust was one reason, but I hadn’t told him the truth about my reputation yet.
As he drove me home, he told me about all the talks he’d had with his teachers, how much catching up he had to do if he wanted to graduate this year. I tried to cheer him up by offering to study together, but he didn’t seem eager about the idea.
“You’ll find a way to graduate,” I said finally as we pulled up to the Shields’ house. “If you want something, you can do it.”
He frowned at the house. “If I want it, yeah,” he mumbled. He shook his head and leaned in for a kiss. “I’ll text you later, okay?”
“You don’t want to come in?”
“Can’t. Got a meeting, and then tons of homework.”
I didn’t argue the point, even though I’d hoped we’d hang out. Every meeting he went to was a good thing—it showed how determined he was to stay sober.
After he left, I went straight for the kitchen, craving strong black coffee.
“Oh, hi!” Paul said.
I froze.
He was leaning against the counter with a protein bar, dressed in only a white towel casually wrapped around his waist. Water droplets rolled down his torso. He was in better shape than ever before. My heartbeat quickened—I couldn’t deny the remaining attraction I felt for him. But I shouldn’t. I couldn’t.