Page 49 of Before We're More Than Friends
“You’ll be all right,” Dad said. “Just maintainyour B average, don’t drink or do drugs, and be careful of the people you hang around. Especially when you start dating.”
Mom rolled her eyes. “Gosh, please don’t start one of your stories about your high school exes.”
“I wasn’t going to talk about it out of respect for you.” Dad held Mom’s hand. “But gems like you aren’t easy to find.”
Mom’s cheeks flushed. I rolled my eyes, but my insides warmed from the two of them being so affectionate. This was the best they’d gotten along in weeks.
Kami shifted in her seat, staring into her coffee cup.
Dad got up from the table. “I’m heading to the office now.”
“You have milk in your beard,” Mom said.
Dad wiped the milk off his brown beard with a napkin. “There we go.” He gave Kami and me kisses on the forehead. “Have a great first day. I love you.”
“Love you, too.” I smiled and gave him a small hug.
“It’s about time you guys should get to school as well,” Mom said. “Make sure that Dallas drives because no way will you make it to school if Kami is behind the wheel.”
Kami frowned. “Dallas hates driving.”
“I really do,” I said. I rarely drove the car we shared, but being behind the wheel with so many crappy drivers on the road would be enough to make me avoid it anyway. “But I hate getting in car accidents even more.”
Kami rolled her eyes and burped.
Mom giggled. “That’s my girl.”
After I took one last bite of cereal, I went upstairs to brush my teeth and use the bathroom. When I was done, I grabbed my backpack and went back downstairs, where Kami was waiting with the keys. She looked more alert now, her eyes wide open. She even had a little lip gloss and eyeliner on.
“I thought you’re not driving,” I told her as I put my shoes on. “We can’t get in a wreck on our first day.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said, but the yawn she let out said otherwise.
I snatched the keys from her. “I’m driving.”
She scoffed. “Like that will lessen our chance of getting in a wreck.”
“Hey, at least I passed my driver’s test the first try.”
“They put the cones in the wrong place.”
“Sure.”
Houston sat down at my feet, and I gave him a head scratch and a kiss. “Be a good boy while I’m gone,” I whispered into his fur.
He licked my cheek.Don’t crash and burn.
It was only first period, and I’d already entered the wrong classroom. The last time I’d checked, there weren’t posters about human reproductive parts in any English classes.
The students looked up at me like I’d walked in at an inappropriate moment while the teacher cleared her throat. “Can I help you?” she asked.
“Sorry, I thought this was English with Mrs. Huff.” I looked down at my sheet. Room 106. Shoot, this was in Room 406. Not even in the same floor or building. “Oh, I see where I messed up.”
The teacher shrugged. “It happens.”
I scurried out of the room, not only hearing butfeelingthe students whisper about me. Why was I acting like I’d never been in a school before?
A guy around my height crashed into me, practically breaking my shoulder. He shot me a dirty look, his nose scrunching and his eyebrows furrowing. “Ow.”
