Page 7 of So Long, Honey

“This isn’t a joke,” I warned him.

“That’s the second time someone has said that to me today when I wasn’t making a joke. I’m starting to think I’m not delivering these lines properly.” He clicked his teeth together. “Listen, Mouse.”

“Lorraine,” I corrected him.

“Rae,” he smiled.

“Lorraine,” I groaned.

He nodded and stepped forward. He was so close I could smell the cologne he had sprayed on this morning, tangling with the sweat beneath his hoodie. “I’m taking this seriously. My career is on the line. If I don’t figure out these papers and do it in the next two weeks. I’m benched for good. The game in Perrin is three weeks away. All the scouts will be there. I have to play in that game, Rae. If I don’t, I’m stuck in this godforsaken town forever, and that can’t happen.”

I stared at him for a long moment, considering my options. I weighed my decision based on his words and his current position. He almost looked smaller as he spoke, pleading with me.

“I need your help,” he said. “Please.”

I’m stuck in this godforsaken town forever, and that can’t happen.

I could hear the boy from this morning. The one that would say just about anything to his father to stop the public display of abuse. We both needed out for entirely different but very valid reasons.

“You meet me in the library every day at four,” I said, and he smiled brighter than any star in the sky. “If you’re even a second late, I’m done.”

“Library, four o’clock.” He repeated back to me with a few quick, nervous nods before he found his footing again. “Thank you for doing this.”

“Don’t thank me yet. You need to pass that class,” I warned him.

“You need to have more faith in yourself, Rae.”

I scowled, wanting to correct him again but slightly enjoying the elated feeling that purred in my chest when he called me that.

“Go away now,” I said when he didn’t leave my step.

“Alright.” He put his hands up in mock surrender and stepped off the step. “I’ll see you tomorrow, don’t be late.” His smirk was lopsided and hungry for attention.

“Get off my property, Mr. Cody,” I narrowed my eyes at his joke and shook my head.

“Mr. Cody is my dad. You have to call me Ryan.” He called from the driveway.

“In your dreams.”

“You’re right.” His green eyes flickered with amusement as he nodded. “I’ll see you there.”

His causal nature clashed with my anxious demeanor. I stepped back into the house, closing the door behind me and resting my back against it as I caught my breath. A genuine smile formed as I thought about what he said, dreaming about me: no one had ever made me so flustered while simultaneously making me so frustrated.

I looked through the small window pane that framed the doorway and caught the last view of him before he turned the corner away from the gated community.

I’ll see you there.

FIELD

It was two after four, and the clock in the library was louder than ever. Each second that passed by clicked loudly like someone was standing behind me, snapping their fingers in my ears. I stared down at the notes I had created for him. It had taken me hours after grabbing the missing assignments from his teacher and separating them in order of what would take him the longest to finish.

I hadn’t gone to bed until three am.

Naïve idiot,I thought. His stupid smile and bright green eyes had burrowed deep into the back of my mind, giving me hope that he might not be as flaky and flirty as everyone said he could be.

That hope was shattered as the clock continued to mock me.

He was two hundred and forty seconds late.