10 Reasons, Why You Like Me

10 Reasons - Chapter 14

   The text was from him : 1. YOURE BEAUTIFUL.

   The next morning, while I was avoiding eye contact with my mom, he sent another text. I ignored it at first, sipping my coffee. My mom was looking at the newspaper. My curiosity won, though, and I turned over my phone to check it.

   2. DIDN'T SLEEP BECAUSE I COULDN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT YOU.

   THAT DOESN'T COUNT, I sent back to him.

   WHAT? YES IT DOES.

   NOPE. LOOKING FORWARD TO #2.

   I did some homework, while texting with Kennedy a bit. It sounded like things were okay there, but it was hard to tell. I made a mental note to call him soon. It was midday before my phone buzzed again, with a text from Anderson.

   I NEED MORE TIME TO GET TO 10. BUT I WANT TO SEE YOU BEFORE I GOT BACK TO MINNEAPOLIS.

   BACKYARD, TEN MINUTES, I sent back quickly.

   I was already out there when he hopped over the fence, that smirk on his face once again. He was wearing the same clothes, I noticed right away. His hair was sort of messy and he pulled on a winter beanie before stepping closer to me.

   "Hey." His voice was so deep.

   "Hi." I nodded my head. "Why aren't you staying at your mom's house?"

   "It's like... four blocks from here."

   "So?"

   "Well, my grandparents live next door. To you." He shrugged, the smiled again. "I told my grandma that I came back to do an oil change on her car."

   "Ah, so you lied."

   "I did the oil change today. Plus, they like having me around," he told me.

   We were still just standing there, on the back deck.

   "You don't have reason number two yet?" I asked, changing the subject.

   "I do, actually. Number two - you're not making it easy for me."

   "You like that?" I asked.

   "I like a challenge." He nodded. "And I really came back this weekend to get your number. The date can wait."

   "So you'll have to come up with some reason to visit again next weekend?" I asked him, shoving my hands into my sweater pockets.

   Anderson grinned. "You want me to come back next weekend?"

   "Depends if you have any more reasons to add to that list," I said, but smiled back.

   "Oh, I will." 

"Why didn't you text me last night? You said you'd come to the party," Tab asked, in my ear, when she called me a little while later.

   When Anderson left, I waved from my front steps. He had been gone for an hour when Tab called.

   "I said maybe," I told her, crossing the room.

   "True. So, did you hear your mom having sex?"

   "Ew. No."

   "So, what did you do?"

   I wasn't ready to tell her about Anderson, but I had to tell her something. I opened the fridge and took out the milk, hesitating.

   "So, there's this guy..." I began.

   "Guy? What guy? From school?" Tab practically yelled in my ear.

   "No."

   "So, who?"

   "Well, he lives in Minneapolis." I felt so weird telling her this.

   "Did you meet online? That's kind of weird -"

   "No, no. Uh, his grandparents live next door to my mom. He's eighteen," I explained.

   "Ohhh. So, how'd you meet?"

   "He was here for his grandfather's birthday, and my mom and I went to the party-"

   "Oh my gosh, Kels. So, you like him? You hung out with him last night?"

   "Yeah. Um, in my back yard. Until til 3A.M," I admitted.

   "Wow. So, what now?"

   "Nothing. He went back to Minneapolis today." I sighed, thinking about him being back there already, so far from here.

   "So, you like him?"

   "Uh, well, I don't know -"

   "You do. And he obviously likes you," she said anyway.

   "I don't know. I've never done this before. I mean, not like this."

   "Well, it sounds like something. That was a good reason to ditch me, I guess," she laughed.

   I felt myself relax. "See you tomorrow?"

   "Yep, see you at school," she finished.