Page 11 of Reckless Love
I wasn’t proud of it, but in high school, I let my parents think I was working for the school newspaper instead ofbeing on the cheer team and taking all the dance classes at the rec center for free. The truth came out when they saw my yearbook senior year, and they were still not over it.
They weren’t happy about me doing it in college either, but I hoped they’d let it go. I was far from home and our time together was limited, so I didn’t want to spend it arguing with them.
After our win, I ran off of the field and showered quickly. It had been a good game, so I hoped my dad had been a little distracted by that. I didn’t have much hope that my mom hadn’t been watching my every move.
“Don’t you have something a little more…fun to wear than that, Elle?” Delaney eyed my long, baggy flannel dress. “If I didn’t see you in your cheer outfit all the time, I’d never know the body you have underneath.”
“I’d prefer not to show that side of me all the time,” I told her.
She snorted. “Little Miss Innocent only brings it out on the field,” she sang.
I rolled my eyes but laughed. I wasn’t as innocent as she thought I was, but I wasn’t going to bother correcting that. She lifted her eyebrows and looked me over, her nose crinkling slightly. Geez. I knew I needed to update my wardrobe, but I couldn’t afford to yet. Even with a good scholarship, it was still pricy to be there. I’d chosen to go to Stanford instead of taking the full ride at Denver U, so my parents were only willing to pay for the remainder of my tuition. I had to pay for everything else on my own.
Worth it.
But not something my fashion-forward roommate could relate to, I didn’t think. She only slept in Eberjey pajamas…which was fine by me. If I could afford Eberjey pajamas, maybe I’d splurge on them too because they looked cute and super soft. But that was unlikely for me, and either way, I didn’t want to ever be the kind of person who cared so much about the labels I did or didn’t wear.
“My parents are here, and they’re already not happy about me being on the team,” I said. “I’m going out to eat with them and…maybe meeting Rhodes’ mom too.”
I grabbed my jean jacket and put it on over my dress.
She tilted her head and nodded. “That’s a little better,” she said. “But no. Here—borrow something of mine. You can’t meet your boyfriend’s fashion icon mom wearing that!”
“He’snotmy boyfriend,” I repeated for the jillionth time.
Ever since Rhodes and I had met at the party, we’d been mostly inseparable…at least when I wasn’t hanging out with girls from the team and he wasn’t playing or surrounded by girls who couldn’t get enough of him. He wanted to hang out even more, and so did I, but it scared me because I didn’t want to get too attached to Rhodes Archer.
“Aw, you think I don’t see how the two of you look at each other. That’s so cute,” Delaney teased.
Delaney was a combination of sarcasm and sweetness, and I loved her. I’d been so excited to come to school, ready to spread my wings and be free for a while, but I thought I’d miss having the peace and quiet of having a bedroom to myself. Living with Delaney had been so fun though. Never a dull moment.
“We look at each other like two friends who love hanging out together and don’t want the societal constructs of having to be romantic just because we’re close to get in the way and destroy us.” I glanced in the mirror one more time and paused when I caught Delaney staring at me. “What?”
“I don’t know what that nonsense was you just spouted, but call it whatever you want,” Delaney said, waving me off. “You like each other.”
“Yes, we like each other!” I agreed. “Platonically.”
“I think it’s great that you’re calling it that…but I don’t know how you do it. He is the hottest guy I’ve ever seen.”
He was. I’d give her that. Rhodes Archer just got better every time I looked at him.
All the more reason for me to keep things in the friend zone.
Tristan Johnson had taught me the hard way not to trust the pitter-pattering of my heart. I’d thought he was the guy for me since he came into our youth group that first time three years ago. He claimed we were meant to be, and I believed him. So much so that he managed to take my virginity while I had a pretty purity ring on my finger. I hadn’t fully agreed with my parents’ beliefs about purity culture, which entailed strict rules on dating and dress and abstinence not only from sex but kissing and any other things you might want to fill in the blank with…but I also hadn’t expected to cave so easily with Tristan.
Turned out that hormones and excessive words of love had been hard for me to resist.
But lesson learned.
Tristan had gone through multiple purity rings in the youth group by the time I left for school, and I had a less-than-healthy view of guys and dating and sex.
I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
When I finally reached myparents in thecourtyard outside my building, their relief was evident. My mom visibly relaxed as she looked over my outfit.
“Thank God you're out of that ridiculous costume,” she said.
“Good to see you too, Mom,” I said, laughing as I hugged her.