Page 95 of My Life with the Walter Boys
Cole jumped back in surprise when he saw me. “Jesus,” he shouted, almost dropping the towel that was wrapped around his waist. He must have been heading for the shower. “Why are you creeping in the closet?”
“Peaches, peaches, apple pie. If you’re not ready, holler I!” Zack shouted from his room, and I felt Benny tug on my shirt in panic. Crap, we were going to be found first.
“Get in here,” I said, grabbing Cole’s wrist and yanking him in.
But there wasn’t much room. With the door shut, I could feel the shelves digging into my back. And then there was the part where Cole’s entire body was pressed up against mine.
“Change your mind about dating Alex?” Cole asked. I couldn’t see him in the dark, but we were so close that I could feel his breath on my face.
“What?”
“Well, you just pulled me into a closet nearly naked. I’m assuming you’re going to confess your undying love for me and tell me how you made a mistake that night at the party. Then we could have hot, passionate se—”
“Oh my God, no,” I hissed at him, as my face went warm. “I haven’t changed my mind about anything. We’re playing hide-and- seek and you were about to ruin my spot.”
“Okay, fine. We can skip over the undying love and jump right to the fun part.”
“Cole,” I said, stomping on his foot. “Shut up!”
“God damn, woman! That hurt!”
“Can you guys just kiss or something?” Benny complained. “At least then you’d be quiet. I wanna win.”
“Holy shit, Benny?” Cole exclaimed, his chest heaving against mine in surprise. “Anyone else hiding in here too?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Carmen Sandiego and Where’s Waldo. Now please, be quiet!”
Cole listened to me then, and even though he kept his mouth shut, I was afraid that my heart would give us away. It was pounding so loudly that the entire house must have heard it.
Chapter 16
“Ay me! Sad hours seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast?’” Danny said, raising a hand to his heart. The other was clutching a script.
“‘It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours?’” Isaac said in a booming voice, flourishing his hands wildly.
“Thank God you’re not in the play,” I mumbled in his direction and shook my head in embarrassment.
Danny, Isaac, and I were sitting on the bleachers at Alex’s baseball game. The seats were metal and burned in the afternoon light. I was wearing a skirt that forced me to sit on the edge of the seat to keep the skin on the back of my legs from getting scorched. My boyfriend was far out in left field, and I could barely see him since the sun was glaring in my eyes.
“‘Not having that which, having, makes them short,’” Danny recited.
When Isaac didn’t answer because his attention was focused on a possible home-run hit, Danny elbowed him in the side.
“Oh, um—‘in love’?” he said, quickly looking down at his copy of the script. Danny was forcing Isaac to run lines with him so I could watch Alex play.
Danny sighed, embodying the lovesick Romeo, “Out.”
Isaac stood up in excitement as the ball flew toward his cousin in the outfield. “Did he catch it?” he demanded a few seconds later. “I can’t tell. The sun is in my eyes.”
“Huh?” I responded. I was trying to watch, but the humidity was making my head feel heavy, and it was hard to concentrate.
“Never mind,” Isaac grumbled and sat back down on the bleachers. “You’re not even paying attention.”
“Neither are you,” Danny told him angrily. “We should be done with this act by now.”
“Dude, why do you even need to go over this? You’ve already had your costume rehearsal,” Isaac complained. When Danny glared at him, he sighed and glanced back down at the script. “‘Of love?’”
“‘Out of her favor, where I am in love.’” Danny said his line without having to look down at the sheet.
