Southern Saturday Nights ✔️

11 | Crossing The Line

"Why?" Madison asked.

"Because I haven't quite found myself yet. I need to figure out who I am before I can love someone else, especially someone like Daxson who doesn't deserve to be hurt again. Some things take time." My eyes flickered between the two of them.

Everything I told them was true, but I also was still afraid of the consequences I would face with my parents if I they ever found out I was dating a black guy. I wouldn't risk everything I already had with Daxson just because I wanted more. Besides, Daxson wasn't interested in me like that.

"Well, I guess that's a good reason." Madison grinned at me before turning her attention to Camila. "Look at our little Allyson growing up."

Camila pretended to dab tears from her eyes. "She's just getting so big."

They both burst into laughter. I rolled my eyes and finished emptying the guts of my pumpkin into the bucket beside me. I started carving a face into the side.

"Well, speak of the Devil and he shall appear," Madison said obnoxiously.

I jerked my head up and glanced behind me to see Daxson approaching us from the parking lot. He was wearing his favorite black jacket over a red Alabama football t-shirt. He had a smile on his face he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"You ladies were talking about me? Well, I feel honored." He touched his chest, coming to a stop beside me.

"You should. We don't gossip about just anyone." Camila leaned over to grab some more candy from the pile.

Daxson laughed before looking down to me. His presence caused a sense of warmth and comfort to wash over me.

I looked up at him with a small smile. "What're you doing back here? You said you had something to do after our session earlier."

"I already did it." He dropped down to take a seat beside me. "Plus, I wanted to see how good you are at carving pumpkins."

I turned my attention back to the crooked smile I had carved into the side of my pumpkin. "My brother is definitely better at this kind of stuff than I am. He's the artist in the family."

Daxson placed his elbows on his knees and chuckled. "It really doesn't look that bad. A little crooked, but it's Halloween so we'll say it's spooky."

"You want some candy?" Madison asked, pushing some of the pile over to him.

Daxson held his hands up. "No, I'm good. Thanks though." He looked to me as he grabbed another piece of chocolate from the pile. "You want some more?"

When I held my hand out, he placed one of my favorite kinds of candy into my hand. I stared at it for a moment, amazed that he had remembered such an insignificant detail.

"You good?" He asked.

I nodded as I unwrapped it and put it into my mouth. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. So, are you ladies doing anything fun after carving pumpkins?" He asked as he tore his eyes away from me.

Camila looked at Madison. "I'm still waiting for Madison to decide if she has her party skills back."

Madison wiped the pumpkin seeds off her hands. "Keith is flying back home to California to see his family this weekend. So, I guess we can go." She held her finger up. "One condition though."

"What's that?" Camila asked.

"We dress up in costumes." A grin spread across her face.

"Hell yeah! I'm down for that." Camila clapped her hands together.