Page 18 of Paper Hearts

Anger pulses through me. He’s so frustrating—but at the same time—I want his mouth in places I don’t understand. “Give me back my slushy.” I don’t appreciate the out-of-control feeling he has on me, like I’d do anything to gain his attention and keep it. It infuriates me I’m acting like my sisters, craving the attention of boys.

“No.” He lowers his arm. His breath hits my face, and for a brief moment I think he might kiss me and my stomach drops at the thought. “Fuck, you’re pretty when you’re mad.”

He called me pretty.I let it sink in and I want to smoosh our faces together. Before I can, I’m startled from behind.

“Ender,” a man barks, his presence intimidating even before I see him. “Knock that shit off and give the girl back her drink.”

My eyes slide to the man behind us, very obviously Ender’s father, Theo. They’re identical—in appearances, demeanor, and the sad blue eyes.

Ender rolls his eyes, takes a drink of the slushy and hands it back to me. “Happy now?”

I force a smile. “Yep.”

Arya bounces over to us, slipping her hand in mine. “Dad, this is Hadi. She’smyfriend.” And then she sneers at Ender who’s still watching me, as if he wants to position himself between me and Theo but doesn’t.

I look down at the cup in my hand and the straw Ender had in his mouth.

Twisting it, I wrap my lips around the straw, realizing I’m probably drinking his spit. I don’t care. I want my mouth on his in more ways than I can possibly imagine.

Ender’s brow draws together as he stares at me. I notice a slight flush to his cheeks but no words as he watches me with the straw in my mouth.

“Nice to meet you, sweetie.” Theo turns as if he’s going to walk away but pauses. “Don’t stay out here all night. Some people are trying to sleep and don’t like kids screaming at all hours.”

Ender rolls his eyes and flips off his dad’s retreating figure. Arya giggles.

Theo stares at his son with a pointed glare. “Have some fucking respect, Ender.”

“Yeah, whatever…Dad.” Ender winks at me, but his body tells a different story. He’s tense and on edge.

Ender, he’s a typical teenage boy. He’s pushing Theo’s buttons because that’s what he does. He doesn’t like to be told what to do and Theo, well, he’s hell-bent on making sure he does.

“Ender, you—” Theo stops, meeting my eyes and then walks away, as if he can’t even bother with Ender today. “Don’t stay out here all night.”

“We won’t,” Arya says, hooking her arm into mine.

With one last glare his father’s direction, Ender growls, jogging after Roman and my sister Becca, and Walker, who follows as well, all heading to the bonfire blazing four houses down. My heart falls to my stomach. He’s leaving, with my sister. My older, more developed sister.

I told you I should have drowned her!

I watch them, mostly Becca, wondering if I will be like that when I’m older. Will I follow guys around like that? Will I want them to tease and flirt, and will I flip my hair and giggle when they do? I hope the fuck not. It’s pathetic.

Arya and I head up to her room where I discover Ender has stolen my pillow and blanket. I go to his room to get it back.

“I don’t know why he’s acting like this,” Arya says as we brush our teeth.

“Because he’s a stupid boy.” I’m still bitter he took off with Becca. What does she have that I don’t?

Through Arya, I learn a lot about the James family that night. We’re up in her room, filled with clothes and makeup she will never wear and music she loves. I thumb through her clothes in her closet. “I can’t believe this is your summer home. What the heck does you real house look like?”

“Stupidly big for no reason.” She shows me a picture of it. “My dad built it. I have my own bathroom.”

They live in Alpharetta, outside of Atlanta, in a million-dollar home with fancy cars and everything you can imagine. I can’t even comprehend having the luxuries they have. I mean, they have two houses. My parents can barely afford one.

Even if I were to go to the same school, we wouldn’t hang out. Actually, I know we wouldn’t.

Our families are different too. While they both have their own businesses, Theo’s dad had his handed down from his father.

“What’s in your notebook?” Arya asks, touching the spine of the leather-bound journal my Granny gave me for my birthday.

---