Page 9 of The One
I needed that answer.
There was a utility closet at the end of the hallway that was constantly left unlocked, which had become a spot where my friends and I smoked weed between classes. The door was kept a little open, but it could be locked from the inside. As we approached, I gently grabbed her arm and pulled her in, twisting the knob so no one could barge in.
Lainey glanced around the small room. “Where are we? And what are we doing in here?”
“We need to talk, and we don’t need the bell or anyone interrupting us.”
“Rhett, we’re going to be late?—”
“I play football with Mrs. Lynch’s son. She has a soft spot for his teammates. Don’t worry, we won’t get in trouble.”
She pushed her back against the wall, and even though the open space was compact, the move added some distance between us. “What do you want to talk about?”
“The reason you were nervous to see me.”
“Oh …that.”
She glanced down, but I reached for her chin and lifted it until her eyes were back on mine. While I held her, something happened to my fingers. There was a tingling, and it moved through my arm to my chest.
“You didn’t call or anything, Lainey. You just left. Didn’t you miss me?”
“Of course I did.”
I felt my head shaking. “Then, why didn’t you ever reach out?”
Her expression was softening, like the time we’d walked to the pet store and she played with the golden retriever puppies. “Because I never thought my family would ever move back here. And because of that, I thought it would hurt even more to talk to you every day, you know? I didn’t keep in touch with anyone—it wasn’t just you.”
“What did you think about when you found out you were returning? You could have called me then—and you didn’t.”
She searched my eyes. “Oh, Rhett …” She stopped to take a slow breath, and I heard a shyness in her voice and in the way she inhaled. “Does it matter?”
“Yes, Lainey, it does.”
She pressed the back of her head against the wall and, with my help, tilted her chin even higher. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.”
She exhaled several times. “I thought about what it would be like to see you again.”
“Now that you’re seeing me, what does it feel like?”
“I didn’t expect you to be in my first-period class—that’s for sure.” She let out a quiet laugh that felt more nervous than funny.
“That’s the only thing that ran through your head? That you didn’t expect to see me in English Lit?”
“No.”
I spread my fingers, stretching from her chin to her cheek. A quick peek at her neck showed goosebumps were rising over her skin.
“I wondered what you would look like. If you’d have facial hair”—she touched the back side of my cheek, where I’d let my patchy scruff grow—“if you’d have an overgrown mop, like you did back then, or if you’d keep your hair short and buzzed. And how much taller you’d be. You’re really, really tall now, Rhett.” Her chest was rising much faster. “I wondered if working outfor football would change your body.” She gave a short nod. “It has in a big way.” Her eyes briefly closed. “And if you’d have a girlfriend.” When I said nothing, her eyes opened. “Do you?”
“If I did, would that bother you?”
She shrugged.
I laughed. “That’s your answer?”
“I mean, if you do, what can I do about it? I didn’t call, like I’d promised, so I can’t exactly be pissed off if you’re dating someone.”
