That next week, I was sitting in class, trying to act like I was paying attention to the lesson when I felt a finger tap my shoulder. Thinking it was Delcan, I slightly moved my head to face him, but then I realized it was Mia Lukacher, a friend of Haven’s. When I noticed that the teacher was helping another student, I turned around to look at her. My brain was telling me this was about to be about Saturday.
“Hi, Ezra,” she whispered.
“What is it?” I asked her. I wasn’t in the mood to just make small chat, and it wasn’t like I had time, anyways.
Mia rolled her brown eyes. “Haven wants to meet you before the next class period,” she said. I was thankful that she didn’t know, but I gave her a confused look.
“What for?”751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UTp4bN9ur
Mia shrugged, and then looked over to Delcan for a minute before her eyes met mine again. “You’re her boyfriend,” she told me. I’m still her boyfriend? “You should know what it’s about.” I ignored her and turned back around in my seat, just as the teacher looked up to watch us. I kept my eyes on the paper and tried to remember where I last was.
“So, I eavesdropped,” Delan whispered to me. “And I told you that I was right.” I couldn’t help but smile when he said that, but I had to bite it back the second I felt Mia’s finger on my shoulder again.
This time, I turned around, annoyed. “What?”751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjlJE9y6IG
“Evvie wanted me to give this to you,” Mia said. I could see the pure annoyance on her face as well. “You’re lucky I haven’t figured out how to open it yet.” Her brown eyes were giving me a glare that set off red flags in my head, and I’m sure she thinks the same thing as my dad did; I’m cheating on Haven with Evvie.
I took the letter from her and opened it.
Hey, Ez. I don’t really know if Haven is gonna tell anyone or not, but I can tell you this: I talked to her before class and she asked me how long I’d known. I lied and said I just recently found out when Delcan actually accidentally said something about it. And then she asked me if the two of you were together, and I told her that I had no clue about it, and didn’t think so.
She’s onto you, I know that part, but she hasn’t told anyone yet. So your secret is safe, but after practice, she wants to talk to you. Haven was talking to Mia and kept looking over to me, but she won’t say anything. And Mia’s not smart enough to catch on.
Anyways, if you need Delcan or me to come with you, I can’t speak for him, but I’m willing to be there if you need it. You know where to find me.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pG8pOChAL
-Evvie H.
I put my phone in my pocket and then turned my head over to Evvie. She gave a kind smile before I turned back to the class to face the teacher. I could try talking to Evvie after class, but I only think I’d need Delcan. He was one that could answer questions I’d stubble on. I needed him for this if I was going to tell Haven everything.
When class ended, I looked around to make sure all of the football guys were out of the classroom-they were-then I gently grabbed Delcan by his arm and pulled him towards me. He seemed shocked by the action, and he slightly moved closer to me after the tension left his body. “Haven wants to talk to me about them,” I stopped when I realized that there were still a few people in the classroom. I moved away from him. “The thing. I was wondering if you’d mind-”
“Skipping next period and cussing her out?” Delcan asked. When I gave him a look, he smiled. “Fine. But I’m not getting away without saying one rude thing.”
I left the classroom, hoping that Delcan understood how important this was to me. Primarily, it was important so Dad never found out. If he did, my life would never be the same. A few seconds after I’d been walking down the hall, thinking about how much of a disappointment I was, I remembered that Evvie had asked for her assistance in this. It wouldn’t be the worst to have her there.
Plus, my life was already falling apart.
What’s the harm?751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMipKJFtOV
I walked over to Evvie’s locker with Delcan following behind me in silence. “Hey,” I said to her. I leaned up on the locker next to hers, but only because it seemed like a typical thing for football guys to do.
She shut her locker quicker than I thought she would. “Thanks for scaring me, douchebag,” she said.
I smiled. “Welcome.”
Evvie kept Delcan behind a bit as I purposely walked slowly to the girls’ gym. Whatever they were talking about, it had been put in Spanish, just so I wouldn’t understand it. I only heard a slight bit of the conversation, though, so it wasn’t like I could simply ask about it.
“Espero que sepas lo que estás haciendo,” Evvie whispered to Delcan. I turned down the hallway, still trying to stay closer to them.
“No te preocupes por eso,” Delcan said back to her in Spanish. “En el momento en que sea aceptado, no significaré nada.”
Evvie paused, and I could feel her mood change. “Eso no es cierto,” she said, sympathy in her voice. Delcan didn’t respond to her, and instead walked up to my pace and stood next to me at the gym door. My mind moved past how close Delcan was to me and went straight into panic mode. I began thinking about turning away when Delcan took my arm.
“You’re gonna be fine,” he said.
I shook my head. “I can call her,” I said. “Plus, we have a class to get to.”
Delcan smiled, and I tried to ignore the effect it had on me. “Tell me you’ve never wanted to miss a class before,” he said. I couldn’t stop myself when I smiled. Delcan was nowhere close to perfection, other than his body, but he always knew what to say at the right - or wrong - time. And I hate that he had that face. Practically everything about him is amazing, and here I was, hiding him from the rest of the world because I was scared of my parents.
He deserved so much better than me.
I took his hand off my arm when Adam and a few other football guys were walking down the hallway. Adam gave me a nod, and I returned the favor before leaning on the wall, pretending I was bored. Evvie turned back to look at me before her eyes met Delcan’s. Without a word exchanged, she turned back around, her dark brown hair flying over her shoulder.
When I looked down at the time, there were only two minutes left before the tardy bell rang, meaning I’d practically be ditching all of my classes. Oh well, I thought to myself. I’m already being a rebellious teenager. Not like missing a day of class would change anything, or be noticed by my parents.
Finally, Haven popped into view. Her dark brown hair was in a ponytail, and she was wearing her cheerleading outfit. Though on the downside, she was talking to Fawn. I tapped on the wall impatiently when she finally came over to us. When her eyes spotted me, she raised her eyebrows and then moved over to us. “Sorry,” she said. I knew her voice was obvious that she didn’t mean it. “I was having a girl’s conversation.”
“What does that even mean?” Delcan asked.
Evvie and Haven glared at him at the same time, and he simply rolled his eyes. I pushed myself off of the wall and smiled to Haven. “Hi,” I said.
“Don’t, Ezra,” she said. Dang, it. “Just tell me so I can get this over with.”751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaO54HxZYZ
I took Haven’s hand when a senior jock walked by and pretended she was my girlfriend. I could see the immediate disgust in her face. “We can talk about this,” I whispered to her. “But you need to make a promise to me.”
Haven looked up. “What?”751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1C4ldHsXTH
“Delcan and Evvie are coming,” I told her. “But no one else can know about this conversation between us. And I mean that.” I had a feeling she would care less and simply tell each cheerleader in the locker room, but apparently, she hadn’t yet.
She started walking back into the gym. I paused at the door when I saw one of the assistant coaches walk into their office. “What are you doing?” I asked her. Haven sighed in annoyance and then turned around to look at me.
“You want to talk, so let’s talk. I thought that’s what you wanted to do in the first place,” she said. There were so many signs pointing to the fact that she was angry. Her eyes, her body language, and her voice. She was angry, and she had every right to be.
Almost.
“Fine,” I said.
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