Page 25 of Need You To Choose Me

What the hell is she doing here?

All that golden hair is shining under the bright sun. At some point after I left, she pulled it in a knot on top of her head, but a few strands have slipped and are now curling around her pale face. She’s still dressed in that tight dress that hugs her body, accentuating every fucking curve to perfection.

When I went to pick up Levi, I was determined to talk to Savannah and get to the bottom of this, but then another woman brought the kids to the pickup line, and when I asked aboutMiss Parker, they told me she had an emergency and had to leave early.

Emergency, my ass.

She was avoiding me.

I knew it.

And I was right.

Only now she’s here.

“Too fucking small.”

But at least this time, living in a small town went in my favor. Miss Parker could try to avoid me, but our paths would meet at some point.

While I’m trying to figure out my next move, Levi runs across the street, not even bothering to check if a car is coming.

“Fuck.”

This kid is going to be the death of me.

I rush after him as he suddenly stops in front of Savannah, and even from here, I can hear him chatting a mile a minute, something that hasn’t happened in the last year. Ever since his mother left, Levi hasn’t been himself. He’s shyer, almost guarded in a way, with everybody, especially strangers, but apparently not Miss Parker.

“It is you, Miss Parker! I thought so when I saw your hair. Why didn’t you come back to class? I didn’t really like Mrs. Dawson. You’ll be coming back tomorrow, right?”

Wait… what?

Savannah tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear as she warily glances toward me. “Umm… Yes, I’ll be back in class tomorrow.”

“Great!” Levi all but beams at her. “Everybody was worried when you didn’t come to get us after lunch. We asked Mrs. Dawson, and she said that you had an emergency, and then she wanted us to write. It was boring.” He tilts his head to the side. “Do you live here?”

“I—”

I come to a stop behind him, my hands falling on his shoulders. “Levi, you can’t run off like that. And you shouldn’t be bugging people.”

“I’m not bugging. I’m talking to Miss Parker!” He rolls his eyes as if that makes it better before he turns his attention back to her. “So do you live here?”

Live here? Nobody in their sane mind would live here.

I glance over her shoulder.

The place was falling apart. I’d noticed it that day I came to check on our house, and the place had only gotten worse in the last few months. I was pretty sure that the steps leading to the front porch couldn’t take the weight of a regular adult; forget about a grown-ass man.

“Yes, I do, actually.”

My head whips in her direction.

She couldn’t be serious.

I open my mouth, but Levi is faster. “Really? That means you’re our neighbor!”

Like hell.

“Levi.” I give his shoulders a squeeze. “Why don’t you go into the house and grab a snack? I have to talk to Miss Parker about something.”

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