Page 127 of Before We're More Than Friends
It took all the strength in me not to gasp like I’d won the lottery. I’d lost all hope that we’d be friends again after Saturday’s band practice, but this was a step toward the right thing.
She didn’t hate my guts anymore.
“What you got there?” Hayden asked, leaning against the lockers. “It must be good if you’re grinning like that.”
“Oh.” My cheeks flushed. How long had I been beaming at the letterlike a fool? “It’s from Raina.”
A smile broke out on his face. “See, I told you that things weren’t over between you.”
“Actually, all you told me was that she was very upset the entire week.”
He patted my shoulder. “Same difference.”
“Sure.” I looked down at the letter, grinning again. This was my chance to make everything right. And I wouldn’t give up on it.
I glanced at my phone for the tenth time, hoping I’d driven to the right dog park. It was on the outskirts of the much nicer part of town, walking distance from Raina’s neighborhood, so I assumed I hadn’t messed up.
My nerves building up, I sat on a bench. Houston sat beside me as I kept him on his leash. Since it was almost eight o’clock in the evening, there wasn’t anyone here.
Please tell me she’s coming.
Around ten after, I started to worry that Raina had changed her mind. I fiddled with Houston’s leash, my knee starting to bounce. Why was I nervous like this was some type of date?
Ha. Like she’d ever like me back for us to go on one.
Just when I’d almost lost hope, a silhouette of a female body appeared in the moonlight, holding a big dog with a leash. My stomach jumped into my throat, the hairs on my neck standing up.
She came.
Raina walked over to me, and when she got closer, I was able to take in her full appearance. She wore the same clothes as earlier—a black-and-purple tank top, a small black jacket, tight jeans, and silver jewelry.
But there was one bracelet on her left wrist that didn’t gowith the rest of her jewelry. The purple-and-green bracelet with a black star.
I smiled, trying to keep myself from shaking. “Hey.”
“Hey.” She smiled back. “You’re here.”
“I didn’t want to miss this.” Houston, who’d been resting in the grass, perked his head up and barked at who I assumed was Penrose, Raina’s German Shepherd. “Houston didn’t want to miss this either.”
Penrose barked back at Houston, more aggressive. Houston backed away, still barking at her.
“I forgot dogs acted like this around each other,” Raina said. “Maybe this wasn’t the best idea.”
“He’ll warm up to her eventually.” I rubbed Houston’s head, but he only growled before going into a barking fit with Penrose. “Eventually.”
Raina giggled. “Just like we warmed up to each other.”
“True, it took us a bit to stop barking at each other.” I scratched the back of my neck. “Which I think we should talk about.”
“Yeah.” She sighed. “Want to walk around the park with the dogs?”
“Sounds like a bigger walk in the park than it actually is.” I cringed. My humor was completely off. “I mean, sure.”
She rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to be nervous.”
“I don’t know. The way Houston and Penrose are growling at each other . . .”
“Not about that.” She smacked me in the arm before realizing what she’d done. “Sorry! Gosh, you’re rubbing off on me. I’m becoming an awkward mess.”
