Page 81 of A Minute More
Thank fuck for my mom. I can’t imagine going through this entire conversation without knowing who I was speaking to. And it’s not like I could ask.
“How have you been?” she asks as I take in her pink lips and curly blonde hair. I remember being so enamored with her in high school. Not enamored enough to remember her name, but fuck, she’s cute, even more so now that she’s filled out a bit. Her curves are killer.
Not that it does anything for me at the moment.
No. I like the long, muscular planes of Simon.
I like everything about him.
“I’ve been good. Been busy with work and other stuff,” I reply.
“Same. I’d love to catch up sometime, if you want to.”
I glance back at Simon who is fiddling with his phone, texting on it rapidly. He doesn’t even seem to care that Ava’s talking to me. Not that he should be, but part of me wishes he cared. Just a little bit.
“Yeah, that would be nice, but um, I’m not around much. Just in town to see my sister and mom.”
“Yeah? So cool,” she peers over at Simon who meets her stare. “Well, um, do you still have the same number?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll call you sometime then. Or text. Who am I kidding, I hate talking on the phone.” She beams at me and Simon moves up to my side, his arm sliding around my waist. It’s so subtle and he makes no sound, but Ava’s eyes catch on it and she blinks several times in surprise.
“Oh.”
Her pretty lips stay that way for far too long, and Simon just stands there next to me, waiting for me to do…god knows what.
What the fuck do I do?
“I didn’t…I didn’t realize,” Ava says, and I smile softly at her.
“Neither did I, but…well, this is Simon.”
His fingers tighten around me and he inclines his head toward Ava who just stares at him.
“So nice to meet you, Simon.”
“You too, Ava.” His voice is soft but assured, like he’s staking a claim on me, and I really fucking like it. I want to be staked. Claim me, Simon. I’m yours.
And then she’s saying bye and walking away, still looking a bit dumbfounded, and I know that she’s probably going to tell others about this. Not that I care. I don’t really hang out with the people I did in high school. And whatever they think of me…well, I couldn’t care less. I only care what Simon thinks of me.
What the fuck does he think of me?
Suddenly his hand is gone and Simon is moving away from me to go back to eating, but he seems off, his eyes never landing on mine, his body tilting away from me. Even my mom flashes me a concerned look and when she pulls Poppy away to try her hand at a game, I take the opportunity to speak to him.
“Why are you so quiet?” I ask.
“I’m always quiet.”
“Yeah, you are, but not like this,” I reply and then stand up and tug him toward a quieter part of the park, wanting to have this discussion where we aren’t interrupted. We end up between two tents, a bit of garbage sticking to my shoe, but I don’t even notice it. I just notice him and his diverted eyes.
“What happened back there? What changed?”
“I…” he turns his gaze to the ground and then sighs. “I was jealous.”
“I know, this isn’t the first time you’ve done this.” His cheeks darken and he looks ashamed. “And I fucking like it, Simon, but this is the first time you’ve been distant with me afterward. So what’s up?”
He shuffles his feet on the ground. “It’s stupid.”