Page 40 of All of You

He waves shyly. “Right. Danny.” He has a cute, timid smile.

“Is this your seat or something? Sorry. I just grabbed the first empty table I saw.”

Danny shakes his head and shuffles his feet. “No, I mean, sometimes I sit here. I was actually just wondering if you wanted company. You looked kinda lonely and I was new here too Freshman year. It can be hard to…” his voice trails off.

“Fit in?” I finish for him. He nods. “Have a seat. I’d love some company.”

Twenty

Langdon

I’m ripe with things to say. Delia is heading for the bus, flanked by Miles and Lyra. Now’s my chance. I hustle to catch up to her and reach out my hand to touch her shoulder but I don’t know what to say and I lose my nerve.

I stop and watch as the three walk off and get on the bus. When she’s seated, I’m still standing in the same spot staring. She glances out the window. Our eyes lock briefly but I can feel the fire she’s stoking before she looks away.What a shit show.

I hoof it to the truck, passing Danny on the way. “Hey. What’s up with you and Delia?” I ask more aggressively than I intend.

He immediately throws his hands in the air. “Nothing. Just being nice.”

I rake my hands through my hair. “Put your hands downyou weirdo, I’m not here to pummel you.”

“If you’re together, sorry. I saw you at the party together, but she was sitting alone at lunch. Just thought I’d offer to sit with her,” he stammers.

Sucking in a deep breath steady myself. “Thatwasnice of you and no, we’re not together.”

Danny nods and tosses his bag into his car. “Cool.”

“Yeah. Cool,” I grind out. He grins and waves as I turn to leave. Irritating. You don’t stand a chance buddy. Not a damn chance with a girl like her.

In my truck, I crank the stereo to try and drown out the fact that every molecule in my body aches for Delia. I zoned out in first period and almost touched her hair like a Grade A creep. Work should be fun. I pull into the back lot off Main Street and head into the greenhouse.

Delia is bent at the waist, her tight ass on display for me. A groan slips from my lips. She stands suddenly and I catch the scent of her shampoo. My cock presses painfully against my thigh at the mere scent of her. She isn’t even naked and my head is spinning. I want to taste her. When she sees me her eyes cloud over and she bites that pouty bottom lip. Does she know she’s slowly killing me? The last of my resolve is in danger of disintegrating the way those little white tufts fall off when you blow on a dead dandelion.

“Langdon! Good, you’re here. I have heavy things that need moving.” Viv’s voice saturates the thick air between Delia and me. The look in her eyes drives me crazy. I want to touch her, hold her, kiss her. Delia plants her hands on her hips and cocks her head left.

“What?” she says.

I shake my head. “Nothing.” I strip down to my tank top. The afternoon sun beats down on the greenhouse. The windows are thick with condensation.

Delia snorts as I move through the rows of tables.

“Something funny?” I ask moving past her. I purposefully make sure my arm brushes her as I pass by. She inhales sharply at the contact.

“As a matter of fact, yeah. Why now?”

Confused I ask. “Why now what?”

She widens her eyes and shakes her head at me like she’s in disbelief. “You’re talking to me. Acknowledging me,” she says. Her tone implies I’m an idiot, and maybe I am. She has a knack for making me feel that way.

“Woah there, girly, sounds like you’re making a big deal out of nothing.” This is not at all what I wanted to say earlier. What is wrong with me?

She tilts her head sideways and it’s fucking adorable in a way I didn’t know was possible.

“Me? Oh my God, you’re not, like, serious, are you? Langdon, you stormed out of the-” she glances around making sure Viv’s not in earshot. “The closet Saturday all pissed and angry. You didn’t say two words to me Sunday night or today in school. It’s like I don’t exist or… I don’t know.” she throws her hands up in the air. “Like I did something wrong.”

I shake my head at her. “Nope. None of that. You’re making shit up.”

Her nostrils flare as she plants her fists on her hips. I’venever wanted to hold her more. “I can’t even. Don’t let work be any different than school. Leave me alone.” She turns on her heel and starts to stomp off but my hands are on her arm before she can get too far. I yank her to me until we’re nearly flush.