Page 33 of The Weight Of Falling
“I’m okay.” Or I will be. Once I climb into bed and pull the covers over my head and try to pretend this mortifying night never happened.
Unfortunately, that’s when my hiccups start. And there’s nothing remotely delicate about them. They sound like, I don’t know, a tractor in its dying throes of machine life, because that’s the worst sound I can think of right now.
“Just when I thought this evening couldn’t get any worse,” I moan.
Joel blinks. “You hiccup like a six-foot-three linebacker.”
“It’s hereditary,” I say, punctuating it with another loud hiccup. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” he tells me, and I can hear the smile in his voice. “At least I won’t lose you in a crowd. I just have to follow the sound.”
“Not funny.”
“It’s a little funny.” He touches my elbow lightly. “Come on, let’s get your dehydrated, hiccupping self home.”
We make our way to his car. By now, Joel doesn’t even try to defend himself from the glares and muttered accusations hurled his way. Much to my chagrin, I think he’s realized that anything he says only makes him look guiltier.
When he finally pulls into my driveway, I feel wrung out. My head aches and my eyes are swollen.
“Thank you for making our first fake date so memorable,” he says as he walks me to my door.
I briefly close my eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure what came over me. I don’t usually get so emotional over a movie.”
“In your defense, it was a real tearjerker. I should have opted for an action film instead. Lesson learned.”
“What happens now?” I ask.
“You tell everyone you’ve dumped me and that we’re just friends.”
I gather up the courage to ask, “Would we be?”
“What?”
“Friends?”
He leaves a long, quiet pause. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea for us to be friends.”
My throat tightens. Because of the kiss. Because of the way I sometimes catch him looking at me. And the way my heart trips at the deep rumble of his voice. A part of me already knows he’s right.
I nod, disappointment sitting heavy in my chest. In a town like Brown Oaks, I’ll still see him. Maybe from across the street and he’ll give me that polite smile you give someone you almost knew well.
I tell myself that it will be fine. It turns out, I’m not even particularly skilled at lying to myself.
11
[MESSAGES]
JOEL:My shirt is still drying out.
KENZIE:No jokes this morning. My swollen eyes and post-Shadowlands headache can’t take it.
JOEL:I had no idea one body could produce that many tears. You defied biology.
KENZIE:At least I gave you a date you’ll never forget.
JOEL:It’ll go down in the history books. Want to stage a dramatic breakup?
KENZIE:I’m not really the dramatic type.
