Chapter 18
"So, why didn't you tell me you've been in touch with the Turner boy?"
My mom, the next morning, questioned me. The toaster popped up two pieces of toast. I sighed, not wanting to talk about this with her.
"Anderson."
"Right. So, you met at the BBQ? And then what?" she went on, now pouring herself a coffee.
"Mom. Nothing. We exchanged numbers." I sighed again, hoping she would drop it.
"I'm just wondering why you didn't tell me about it."
"Teenagers don't tell their parents stuff like that," I spat out.
"Oh. Okay." I'd offended her. She didn't really know about teenagers.
"Mom. Really. We've just seen each other a few times." I wanted to be done talking about it, but yet I smiled, thinking about Anderson.
"He seems nice." She bit into her now peanut butter-covered toast.
"Yeah. He is."
"Honey, will you keep me in the loop? I mean, sometimes? I want this - you, here - to go well."
"Yeah, Mom. I know."
"It's just... your dad. I'm sure he already thinks I'll fail at this." She continued eating, barely looking at me.
"Fail?" I was confused.
"You. As your mother," she explained.
"No, Mom. You're not failing."
She smiled. "I have to go to the office today for a bit, will you be okay?"
"Of course," I promised, then added, "I have homework."
#6 I KNOW YOU LIKE ME.
It was an hour later and I was in my bedroom, contemplating taking a shower. I had texted Tab but hadn't heard back from her, and I'd finished my homework. The text that came in from Anderson surprised me, for some reason.
HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? I sent back.
I JUST KNOW. I CAN FEEL IT.
HOW ARE YOU EXPLAINING ALL OF THESE VISITS TO YOUR GRANDPARENTS? I asked. I just wanted to keep talking to him.
I TOLD THEM ABOUT YOU.
Now, my heart beat picked up. He told his grandparents about me? In what way? Did he tell them that we had met on the plane?
IS THAT OKAY? I JUST TOLD THEM WE ARE FRIENDS, he asked, when I didn't reply.
OH, YEAH, OK.
SO, CAN I SEE YOU TODAY?
WELL, MY MOMS GONE TO WORK FOR A BIT, I told him, not answering the question.
OKAY, SO?
I NEED TO SHOWER. COME OVER IN AN HOUR?
PERFECT.
He was tapping on the back door, right when I told him to, and I was still surprised to see him. I'd had the fastest shower ever and then put on some make up and brushed out hair, leaving it down. I wanted him to think I was pretty. I wanted him to say more nice things about me.
"You jumped the fence?" I asked him, opening the door all the way.
"I thought you meant... we would hang out in the back yard?" he shrugged.
"We could," I said. The sun was shining, but it was still barely spring. "Or you could come in."
"Yeah?" he asked, his eyes questioning this.
"Sure."
Anderson followed me in to the living room, then watched as I sat down. He waited, then sat down, leaving room between us on the sofa.
"So... do you like me?" he asked, without much hesitation.
"Like... should I check yes or no?" I asked back, keeping a straight face.
"Maybe I should have made you a note," he agreed, half smiling.
"Maybe."
He was quiet for a few minutes, looking around the room. I wanted to know what he was thinking, what he was going to say next. Was I supposed to answer the question, for real?
"My high school girlfriend went to New York, last summer. It was like two weeks after we graduated. I found out when she got back that she had cheated on me while there, and also in high school. Like, a lot. We dated almost two years. Apparently everyone knew she was a slut, but not me." He said all of this with a straight face, but I could tell he was still affected.
"Oh, shit."
"I know, right? So, I was heartbroken and angry and I went to Minneapolis for a weekend, with friends, and I never really came back," he went on.
"Oh. You said you went there for a job?"
"Yeah... not really. I ran away, from here. I didn't want to be anywhere close to where she was. I got a good job there, right away, and moved in with a guy that I worked with."
"So.. it's been like, what, nine months? Are you over it?" I asked, feeling courageous.
"Rebecca? Being cheated on?" I nodded. "I wasn't. I was still angry, and brooding, and I stayed away from St. Cloud... until -"
"What?" I wanted to know, even though I was pretty sure I knew what he was getting at.
"I guess until I met you, on that plane," he said, plainly.
"So, I've been a good distraction?" I let out a laugh.
"Kelsey, no. That's not what I meant." He shook his head, then ran a hand through his hair.
I took in a breath, holding it there for a moment too long. "You want to know why I really came to St. Cloud?" Anderson nodded, so I continued. "I got in trouble, for being at a party. The cops brought me home. But my dad... he cares more about his job and his persona than his daughter -"
"He sent you away?" Anderson looked more than surprised by this. I nodded. "Well, maybe I can thank him someday."
"Why?" I asked, then laughed.
"You would never have been on the plane-"
"He thought he was punishing me, you know? I thought it was, too, at the time. But I feel... good. About being here," I admitted.
Anderson smiled again. "Reason number seven. Because I believe in fate."
"Fate?" I repeated, shaking my head.
"You know, like, we were meant to meet, in this way." He shrugged, but waited for my answer to this.
I swallowed hard. My mouth felt dry. I didn't believe in fate. I didn't really believe in anything. Things hadn't been easy since I'd been a teenager and finding out that my dad was the actual problem was something I still had to deal with. Especially because my brother was still there.
When I looked up at Anderson, he was just watching me. "I'm sorry your got your heart broken," I said, changing the subject.
He shrugged again, leaning in a little bit closer. "It was meant to be, I guess. I mean, she was kind of a bitch, anyway."
I smiled at him, but looked away. What I was feeling suddenly was something I had not felt before.
"I know I have three reasons to go-" he went on.
"I do not think all of the ones you've given me were valid," I interrupted.
"Yes, they were." He grinned, shimmying even closer. "I just want you to know... I really want to kiss you."
My heart skipped, for a moment. I'd only kissed one guy, and it was completely harmless. Just pecks on the mouth, really. I'd never been really kissed. I wanted to be looked at like Anderson was looking at me now. I had wanted that for a long time. But, yet, there were three reason to go.
"Anderson..." I said, unsure of whether it would make a difference.
He moved closer, now hovering sort of right in front of me. "Yeah?"
Our faces were almost touching. I could have reached up and pulled him just that little bit closer and felt his lips on mine. I wanted to. He smiled, and I knew he was going to do it if I didn't stop him.
And then the doorbell rang.