Page 41 of Grease Monkey
“They did it with my brother.”
“I thought you didn’t know if that was true?”
She sighs, some of the fight leaving her. “I don’t, but I can only assume. Why else would he have left? Unless he fell for someone they disapproved of.”
She’s muttering to herself about different scenarios as to why her parents and Skip no longer speak, but it’s thesomeone they disapprovedofcomment that has my blood turning to ice. That would be me if Ana was to ever come clean to her parents about us and actually wanted to be with me for the long haul. My chest aches as I cannot see the possibility of that ever happening. And could I really let her walk away from her family because she chose me?
I’m not asking for you to fall in love with me.
High school romances rarely work out.
For however long this lasts.
The problem is, I’ve fallen in love with her.
I rub my sternum, willing the stupid emotions holding my heart in a vice grip to let go.
“… I’ve applied to five schools and got into every one.”
That snaps me out of my thoughts. Jumping off the car, I stand in front of her, stopping her pacing and run my hands down her arms.
“All five want you?” She nods, nibbling that bottom lip I want to bite. I press my lips to hers, and she sags into the kiss. “That’s amazing. Damn, I knew my girl was smart.”
She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. The wind whips her hair around her face, and I brush a mass of curls behind her ear.
“What? What’s wrong? Why aren’t you happy? You have your pick of any school you want.”
She steps back and disappears into the passenger side of the car. I turn and watch her through the front window as she rummages around her bag and pulls out… is that an envelope? She closes the door softly and stares at the crumpled envelope with the top torn off.
“I also applied to another school.” She glances at me through her lashes, worry filling her eyes, making them look more blue than green in the dying sun. She shrugs, her face twisting like she’s trying to make out that whatever’s in that envelope is not a big deal. “I don’t know why, but…”
She pulls out a letter and holds it out to me. I take it and unfold the paper as Ana practically runs away from me, pushing herself back onto the hood of the car and looking anywhere else as I read it. I frown and gaze at an acceptance letter, my pulse skittering to a stop when I see the University of Arizona header.
“Dear, Ms. Adler. Congratulations. It is with great pleasure that I offer you admission to…” I mutter, reading and re-reading the first lines over and over. University of Arizona. Less than a two-hour drive away from Phoenix. “You got into UA?”
She nods timidly.
“For this fall?”
She winces and there’s that face again. But this is a big deal. Bigger than big—fucking huge.
“Yeah. I know it was stupid and foolish, especially when we agreed that we couldn’t be more than this weird casual but not casualthing, but I was researching schools, it was right there, and I clicked apply before I knew it and…”
I silence her with a kiss, diving my tongue between her lips and stroking it over hers. She groans, the entire top half of her body sinking into me as I wrap my arms around her waist, plastering the best piece of paper to her back.
“You’re coming to Pheonix?”
Her lips are swollen, and her pupils blown as her eyes meet mine. “Well, Arizona. But I don’t have to go. I can decline. I don’t want you thinking I’m rushing you or forcing you to…”
I kiss her again. I can’t help it.
“I love you.”
She pushes my chest hard. “W—what did you say?” I laugh, kissing her neck and making her shiver. “No, Teddy. Stop. Look at me.” I pull back and smile, reveling in the look in her eyes. “What did you just say?”
“I love you, Ana.” Her mouth parts, stunned. “I think I have for a while. I know you said that wasn’t what you wanted, but I didn’t listen. I love you.”
She blinks. And blinks some more.
