Page 69 of The Sun
I thumbed towards the concession stand where my mom and dad stood talking to Pastor Fulmer. “Our parents are right there. Give me a break.” That was a completely legitimate excuse.
Daisy gave a flippant glance over her shoulder, then rolled her eyes. “That’s it. I’m convinced you and Brandon are worms.”
“Worms?”
“Have you not been paying attention in Weber’s class?” Groaning, she grabbed onto the fence. “Worms. They’re all asexual and stuff.”
“We are not worms.”
“Really?” She cocked her head. “Have you had sex yet?”
I hesitated, thinking maybe I should lie, because wouldn’t most seventeen-year-old couples have had sex a month into a relationship? But, damn, that was a lie I could never come back from. Not with my best friend. “Not yet,” I said.
“Dear. Lord. Do him already, Sunny!”
Ozzy Osbourne’s wicked laugh rang out from the speakers. People in the stands stomped their feet in time with the percussion, and the crowd screamed when the electric guitar riffs kicked in. Daisy and I fumbled through the stands to our seats, and instead of watching Brandon, I watched Elias, feeling like a complete fraud. . .even though I was doing the only thing I could do to protect my friend along with my heart. As long as everyone else believed I was Brandon’s, people couldn’t think he was gay. I couldn’t want Elias. And I couldn’t really be as broken as I felt on the inside.
A twinge of guilt worked its way to my core. Momma and Daddy liked Brandon. He had dinner with us most Sundays. He had taught Simon how to hit a baseball when it wasn’t on a tee. Whenever we had our inevitable fake break-up, it would gut my family.
The entire game, I cheered for Brandon while watching Elias. I had almost found the games to be some twisted form of a remedy for a broken heart. I could watch the boy I loved without anyone knowing.
Elias tackled some guy from Kingston. He hopped up curling his arms inward in victory, and God help me, my heart went into those crazy-I-love-you beats, and I smiled.
“Brandon really laid that guy out.” Daisy cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted.
I didn’t even see Brandon tackle anyone.
Fifteen minutesafter the game was over, the parking lot was teeming with students trying to flesh out their after-game plans.
Truck exhausts rumbled and the deep bass from “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” boomed into the night while cars took off through the exit.
Daisy hugged me before climbing into Ben’s truck. “You sure you guys don’t wanna come? It’s just a few guys from the team.”
“Yeah, I’m sure. Brandon promised we’d watchThe Craft. I grabbed his hand and laced my fingers through them.
Ben leaned over Daisy’s lap, pointing at Brandon. “You’re turning into a grade-A wuss.”
Brandon flipped him the bird. I laughed because I was supposed to, even though, out of the corner of my eye, I saw some girl follow Elias and his brothers into the parking lot. It sucked to be jealous of someone whose name you didn’t even know.
“All right, love birds. Catch y’all later.” Ben cranked his engine.
Daisy shut her door, and they pulled off, following the rest of the traffic through the open gates.
“We could’ve gone,” Brandon said on the way to his SUV.
“It’s fine.”
“Seriously, Sunny.” He opened the passenger door. “I’ll go anywhere with you.”
I almost wanted to swoon because he was just that nice. Patting his cheek, I smiled. “I know.” Then I sank into the seat, and he shut the door.
Thirty minutes later,the headlights of his Land Rover shined over a little wooden sign with the name of the house: Life’s a Beach. All the houses on the island had those signs at the end of the drive like it was some rule rich people had to name their beach houses—even though these houses would never be rented out to a family trying to escape the harsh winters up north.
He shifted the gear into park and narrowed his eyes on me. I knew what was coming. “Is it Daniel Thigpin?” he said, trying to guess the name of my mystery, non-existent boyfriend.
“God, no, Brandon.” I stepped out of the car. “Give me some credit,” I said when I rounded the trunk.
“I wish you’d tell me.”
