Page 43 of Sweet Little Lies
Chapter 16
Mica
It’s been a few weeks now since the accident and the night I spent with Lance. I wouldn’t say that both incidents changed everything…but they kind of did.
My relationship with my sister has become tense and strained. She blames me for what happened to Alvie and I can’t say she’s incorrect. I am culpable. I let my focus drift that day and something bad happened. She still needs my help watching the kids, though, but now she calls to check in more frequently when she’s at work.
I guess I deserve that.
And then there’s Lance. I’ve been doing my best to stay busy and have worked to avoid him. Although that’s nearly impossible because he’s like some stealthy ninja, finding me when I’m most vulnerable and at my weakest.
To say I’m head-over-heels for him is an understatement. I try to deny my feelings, but they just keep bouncing back up to the surface any time I see his charismatic smile or feel the gentle touch of his hand against my cheek.
We’ve fallen into this friends-with-benefits type of situation. Although I’m on the fence on what I really want, it seems to be working for Lance. And honestly, I’m so busy that it helps to keep those lines clearly drawn.
The summer quarter is coming to an end and we’ve been studying for our finals which are a few weeks away. After that, we’ll head into our fall semester, and Lance will soon be gearing up for his last year on the basketball team. He’s continued to train throughout the summer and it shows in the definition of his body.
Dios mio. That man has an amazing physique. Lean, tall like a tree, built like a house. I’ve seen him completely naked four times since the first night and it never gets any less impressive. My mouth goes dry and all that wetness seems to trap itself between my legs.
It doesn’t help that right now his hand is idly stroking the skin on my upper thigh underneath the café table. We’ve been studying for the last forty-five minutes, sitting side-by-side, our bare legs touching and shifting against one another. It’s both erotic and calming.
“Hey, are you busy tonight?” he asks out of the blue, my head popping up from the book it’s been in. The one I’ve tried in vain to read and concentrate on but failing miserably.
I shake my head. “No, Therese doesn’t need me tonight.”
That’s because she doesn’t trust me anymore.
“You want to go over to one of my buddies’ house for a party with me?”
“Mmm. I don’t know. Which friends?”
He tilts his head, shifting in his chair to look at me. “Just some old high school friends. They’re good peeps. It’ll be fun.”
His warm breath is at my ear as he leans in. “And then we can have some real fun afterwards.”
Ugh. This is so difficult for me. I want to spend time with him and it makes me feel good that he’s inviting me out, but I also get uncomfortable around people I don’t know. Because I’m not like them.
Lance wouldn’t understand. He fits in everywhere he goes. People accept him and don’t judge him like they do me. When strangers look at me, I think they only see a Mexican immigrant. Someone who isn’t an ‘American’ like them and possibly here illegally. Even though it’s not true. I am an American. I was born and raised here, I just have different skin coloring.
Letting my chin drop to my chest, I avoid his eyes when I say, “I don’t know, Lance. I always feel out of place. I’m different than your friends.”
Apparently, this won’t do. Lance turns my chair toward him and scoots me in, his legs wide to allow me room. Then he cups my face in his hands and in a very serious tone, gives me the ‘what for.’
“Of course, you’re different, Georgie. You’re smart and beautiful, and they’re all dumb fucking jocks.”
I laugh at his attempt to make a joke, but inside, it still stings knowing I’ll never fit in with any of them. Especially the girls in those groups. They all give me the evil eye like I’m some leper or counterfeit wannabe.
“Not true. Cade and Van are both smart and they’re jocks. And you’re smart, too.”
Lance waves a hand in the air like it’s a foolish thing to say. “Those two are anomalies. Plus, I doubt they’ll be there. These are friends from my old neighborhood. And as for me, if I were smart, you wouldn’t need to tutor me. I’m a dumb fuck.”
He kisses my nose and pulls back, but I grab onto his t-shirt to keep him there.
“Don’t say that about yourself. That’s not true and I won’t allow you to put yourself down like that. Everyone needs help sometimes. It’s just whether we can let our pride go long enough to accept the help.”
Lance’s response is to kiss me. Full on the lips, as I part for him and my tongue seeks his to express my feelings. To prove to him that he is good. And smart. And that he has my heart if he wants it.
That’s the thing I don’t know. Since we’ve slept together, he’s not mentioned anything about being exclusive or if he wants this to last between us. My guess is that I’m simply a summer fling and once the season starts back up again, he’ll pursue the hoops hunnies as they throw themselves in his path every chance they get.
