Page 20 of Paper Hearts

7

WHEN MY DAD WARNED HIM

The days on the lake fly by. Every day is the same, yet different. I learn to wake board while my dad’s at work, and while I suck at it, I’ll remember Ender’s laugh long after the bruises fade from me face planting into the side of the boat.

I’ll remember the way he held my cheeks in his hands and how I thought he might kiss me long after my summer ends here.

Tonight we’re going over to the James house for a barbeque. My parents, my sisters and my aunt Leslie who’s known the James family for years. When we get there, Ender is sitting on the dock with Myles and Walker. My sisters Harper and Becca come with us, both to see Ender I assume. I haven’t talked to Becca since I saw her sitting on his lap. I refuse to.

“Does he have a girlfriend?” Harper asks, watching Ender with no shirt on.

“No,” I’m quick to say, as if I know all about him. I feel like I do. I think we’re… friends? I don’t see him stealing anyone else’s Pepsi.

Hazel, my oldest sister, comes too. I guess she and Chandler are having prewedding jitters, or they’re fighting because she’s been yelling at him all afternoon on the phone. Glaring at Ender anytime he looks in her direction, she makes friends with some girls on the docks instead of following us over to the James home.

On the back deck overlooking the lake, Ender keeps his distance when my dad’s near, but he smiles at me a few times, a look of annoyance plastered on his face.

When my dad’s out of sight, Ender steals my Pepsi again, drinks half of it and then hands it back to me. “I’ll get you another one.”

I roll my eyes, making sure to drink from the same spot he did. “Why, so you can steal that too?”

Ender rolls his bottom lip between his teeth and winks at me. “Maybe.”

He leaves toward the house and digs through the cooler.

And that’s when my dad approaches him. No hello. Nothing. Just a firm “Stay away from my girls. That’s your only warning.”

Ender nods but doesn’t say he will or even acknowledges him with words. With a Pepsi in hand, he returns to my side as Arya is trying to take all the bags of chips away from Roman. “Your dad’s an asshole,” Ender tells me, leaning against the railing next to me. Our shoulders touch, his warm, mine hot from my fading sunburn.

“He’s not that bad.” I roll my eyes, knowing heisthat bad.

“Uh-huh.” Ender flicks his hand at my dad who’s now talking to Theo for the first time. “He told me to stay away from his daughters. What would he do if he knew what I was thinking?”

I crack the top of my Pepsi open, my heart hammering in my chest anytime he looks my way. “What are you thinking?”

A chuckle leaves Ender’s lips and he shakes his head. “I can’t tell you that. You’d hate me.”

“I could never hate you,” I admit, sounding every bit thirteen. I could hate him, but the girl inside me is so infatuated with him I doubt that’ll happen.

He shifts his weight and drops his gaze from mine to the deck we’re standing on. “You’ll hate me eventually. Everyone does.” His eyes lift to his dad in the distance, then away.

I don’t know what he means by that. “Well,” my words squeak, as if I’m unsure, “you might want to listen to my dad. He can be scary.”

He tips his head toward me again, squinting as if following his order is an impossible task. “I don’t listen to anyone.”

I try to laugh, but what comes out is some weird giggle, and that makes Ender start laughing. I think it’s the first time I’ve heard a genuine laugh come from him and it entices my own to continue. Before we know it, we’re both laughing uncontrollably, and I don’t know why.

As the night progresses, we’re down on the dock. I’m sitting on the edge of the dock with my leg wrapped around the ladder when Ender comes up behind me. “Get in, Hads,” he says and shoves me from behind.

I hear the crack before I feel it. Not a lot of words are said. Aside from me screaming.

“Ender!” Arya smacks his face. “You broke her foot!”

“Holy shit,” he gasps, reaching for me in the water. “Fuck. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I wrap my arms around his shoulders, forgetting all about my throbbing ankle because hello, Ender James has his hands on my body and his pinky is touching my right booby. My stupid nipples harden again. Just kidding. My freaking ankle hurts. I don’t care if he’s touching my dang nipples. “Oh my God, put me down.”

He dips his head forward, catching my eyes, worry in his and stars in mine. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see your foot on the ladder.”

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