Part 25 (1/2)

My heart breaks to look at her. I soften my tone. ”Don't tell on me. It's only three more days. I want a chance to say goodbye...to Gray...to the job. To the best summer I've ever had. Gray and I have plans to hang out all afternoon tomorrow. And then, Sat.u.r.day is ThunderLand. I've never been there. Even though it's totally fake, every second with that black haired, green-eyed boy is better than anything I've ever known. You must understand a little why I don't want to let it go. For me, this is all I'll ever get to have. Just go upstairs and put away the laundry. Plant the darn flowers Mom wants you to plant. Play along, Kika, please. Let me have just a couple more days of being in love before I have to go back to square one. Please.”

Without a word, she shoots me a tear-filled glare and runs upstairs.

Chapter Twenty-Seven.

Gray Jess. IK ur reading these. Txt me bk. Txt me bk. Plz.

I click send, and then cut and paste the same message into my phone and send it again. And again. No response.

”d.a.m.n her,” I mutter.

”She's still sick? What does she have? Chicken pox? The plague?” Mich.e.l.le leans on the rink snack counter. Her smile tells me she knows there's something bigger connected to Jess's absence.

”Yeah. She's got it bad.” I pretend to check my email, unable to meet her eyes.

”Dude, you're major whipped. I think you've checked that phone a total of sixty times in the past two hours.” Corey shoves a dripping nacho into his mouth. ”Send her some flowers, make up already. I miss the girl bossing me around.”

Mich.e.l.le punches Corey's shoulder lightly. ”Shut up, would you. They're fine. You guys are not breaking up are you?”

I open a can of cheese sauce to refill the pump, thankful the complex isn't busy tonight. ”It's-not what you think. We're not fighting. She's been really run-down. The girl's not used to so much activity. We've had some long days on the tradeshow project, and she's been moved into the s.h.i.+pping department until the tradeshow next Monday. All the new info has overwhelmed her. I'm going to see her tomorrow. We've both been given a half day off for good behavior. We just need to hang out. Reconnect. You know how it is.”

”I've never seen you actually moping after a girl,” Mich.e.l.le says. ”It's so cute.”

”Jess won't text you back. She won't pick up your calls, and you are saying things like you need to reconnect?” Corey sticks his finger down his throat and fake-gags. ”Smells like trouble in paradise to me. You kiss her, yet?”

I shake my head and open the next can of cheese sauce.

”Porter, you've held back all summer long on that move. Go for it, show her some skills. That should cure her from whatever she's got. You should just mmm....and mmm, and then-ooh, yeah.”

I don't have to look behind me to know that Corey's making faces and being a complete a.s.s because Mich.e.l.le's giggling like he's the funniest thing ever.

He goes on, ”Plant a big one-right smack on her lips and then-”

”Dude. Shut up. I told you-she's sick.”

Mich.e.l.le coughs. And then coughs again. I realize she sounds really odd. Corey coughs too. Something's up. I turn, surprised to find Coach Williams standing at the counter next to my friends.

”Hullo, Coach,” Corey stutters, fidgeting with the napkin holder.

I meet Coach Williams' steely, accusing gaze with a small nod. ”Can I make you something, Coach?” I ask, pasting on a tight smile, wis.h.i.+ng I could punch Corey.

”Nash. Miss Hopkins. Good to see you both.” Coach Williams nods. ”Mind if I have a word with Porter, alone?”

”Sure, Coach.” Corey shoots me a look as he grabs his nachos. He's all but running to a table with Mich.e.l.le. Traitors.

”Is she really sick, or is it true you're having some sort of fight? ”

”It's true that I've never tried to kiss her yet,” I offer.

”That's something.”

”I had an interesting phone call from Jess's father this week. After what Corey just said, I'm not sure what's going on. I thought maybe you could enlighten me before that man ambushes me again?”

My heart feels it was tossed in a blender. ”No. What did he say? Did you out me? Did Jess tell him about our contract?” I ask, wondering if this is one of the reasons Jess won't text me back. ”Would have been nice if you'd warned me.”

”The guy called me, and he has no idea about the contract. In fact, the guy sounds happier and more hopeful than I've heard him since...since...you know.” He looks away.

”Still afraid? I'll say it for you. Almost raped. Since his daughter was almost raped by your star player.”

Coach clears his throat and leans over the counter so only I can see his face. ”Jess's dad told me you were going to their house for a BBQ day after tomorrow. Only there seems to be a bit of confusion on the invite. He told me Jess is bringing a kid named Corey Nash to the party He asked me what I thought about him.” Coach flips a glance at Corey and Mich.e.l.le who are currently holding hands and pretending, very badly, not to watch us.

”s.h.i.+t. I'd forgotten about that barbecue. What did you say to that?” I hold my breath and try not to blink.

”I told him Corey is a great kid. A bit goofy, but nice enough. Thankfully, that's all the man asked. Had his questions gone any deeper, I don't know if I could've lied to him. You attending a BBQ at the Jordan house this Sunday, or is that dumb-a.s.s standing in for you?” He shoots Corey a doubtful glance.

”Jess and I already have a plan in place. No one is going...thanks to some future food poisoning. At least, I think that's the plan.”

”Jesus, Porter. Maybe I'll call her dad back and tell him what I know.”

”Don't. Please.” I run a hand through my hair. ”I need to handle this carefully. I've fallen for her. Seriously.”

”Why are you telling me this? It only makes me want to kick your a.s.s from here to Kansas.”

”I don't know. I guess I'm asking for your blessing, or help. I want to tell her the truth. About me, about that night. And I'm scared to death I'm going to mess it all up. Mess her all up. You know?”

”Are you out of your mind!” Coach Williams roars, causing everyone in the room to stare. He lowers his voice and leans in. His fists clench on the snack counter and his eyes are spitting fire. ”h.e.l.l yes you could mess her up! You could put the girl over the edge. You have no idea what you're doing. She's going to need a therapist standing by or something more serious than some misguided, love sick Boy Scout opening a can of worms all over her head.”

I don't even flinch. ”I've already witnessed her flipping out after a nightmare. It can't be worse than what I saw her go through the other night. I've never known anyone as strong or as brave as Jess. Don't you think she should know the truth?”

”I can't let you do it. Why do you think you have the right?”

”Because I have everything to lose if it goes badly! I'm the one who's in love with her. Because I was in love with her freshman year when it all went down. If the truth about me trickles down into her head from the mouths of her over-protective parents, or even from you, I'm sure it will be twisted forever. You'll ruin all the good stuff between us. And believe me, it's there. It's fragile as h.e.l.l, but it's completely real. She hasn't said anything, but I think she feels the same.”

”I don't know, son.”

”Please. Either way, when she finds out she's going to flip out some, right?”

”Probably.” He swallows.

”Wouldn't you want her to flip in my arms where I can catch her? If she has to go through finding out what happened that night alone, it will hurt her even more. I'll do everything in my power to not let her fall. If she does, then I'm going with her. All the way.”

Coach sighs. ”When are you planning to tell her? And where?”

”Tomorrow. We have a lunch date.”