“Reading? What do you like to read?”
Ty laughs. “Books…they’re these things with paper and words.”
I f lick a forkful of potato salad at him, which he dodges. “I know that, asshole. What kinds of books?”
“I like reading about history, you know, the Civil and Revolutionary Wars. I’m thinking about being a history major.”
“Cool,” I say. Hell, I know nothing about wars, and I barely pull a B in history class. How smart is he?
“What do you like to do when you’re not playing football, Woods?”
I’m shoveling potato salad in my mouth as I think about my journal. But if I don’t even feel comfortable telling my best friends about it, how could I tell Ty? “Um, I like to play games. Like cards and foosball. I like running, and I like challenges and races too.”
“I can see that.”
“What’s your favorite color?”
“Clear.”
“Clear?”
“Yes, as in women’s bathing suits.”
“Hardy har har,” I say, giggling. “For really though, what is it?”
“Blue. And you?”
My first reaction is to say blue too, but then thoughts of Henry’s green eyes pop into my head. Ugh. I mean, here I am, sitting in my own personal Eden with Ty as tempting as Eve’s apple, and I’m thinking about a guy who I thought was my best friend. A best friend who ditched me the moment things got rough.
“I like blue too,” I say, rebelling against green. I don’t care how much my heart wanted me to pick that color.
“Cool.”
I focus on my sub sandwich, demolishing it, then I move on to the cookies.
“It’s a beautiful night…” Ty says.
“Yup. I love fall…”
“Me too. It’s my favorite season…”
“Mine too…” I eat another cookie.
Do we have anything to talk about?
When we’re hooking up, it seems like we have lots to talk about, but maybe that’s because we’re too busy kissing. This lack of conversation, this isn’t what love is supposed to be like, right? But what happens when you don’t find that right person? Do you just spend the rest of your life in a relationship where the conversation isn’t great, everything isn’t perfect, but it is nice and sweet?
Knowing how much I’m missing Henry, should I even be with this guy?
Maybe I could deal with unrequited love, but since I know Henry does love me, it’s not really unrequited. It’s…unaccepted love? Avoided love? Abandoned love?
When the cookies are all gone, I lie back on the blanket and stare up at the emerging stars, trying to think about nothing but Ty and waterfalls and blue eyes.
#
prepping for the state championship
the count? 45 days since the fight with henry
The day before the state championship, I’m feeling down. Isn’t senior year of high school supposed to be the best year of my life? What a bust.
“Woods?” JJ says, knocking me out of this pity trance I’ve been drowning in for a week. We’re sitting at Joe’s. “You gonna eat that?” JJ points at my untouched plate of spaghetti, then leans across the table and feels my forehead with the back of his hand.
YOU ARE READING
Catching Jordan
Teen FictionONE OF THE BOYS What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as...
Catching Jordan - Section 11
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