Page 44 of I Would Stay Forever (Parkhurst Prep #2)

twenty-nine

Either I’d forgotten how all-out Parkhurst Prep went on football game day or everyone had taken it up a notch for the first game of the season this year.

It started with the huge “Go Panthers!” signs on either side of the path as I drove into the parking lot.

Then it was the set of cheerleaders posted by each major school entrance, alternating between doing high kicks or waving their pom-poms in oncomers’ faces.

I was just grateful the ones by the door I went through didn’t include Tiffany.

Once inside, I felt like I was being assaulted by blue and silver everywhere .

Boys walked around in their jerseys, acting like they owned the school.

Ribbons, streamers, and balloons had mysteriously appeared on every locker and the ceiling overnight, making me wonder just how early the cheer team had shown up this morning to prepare.

Students who weren’t on the teams took advantage of being allowed to wear spirit wear instead of a uniform today, happily showing off new navy blue Parkhurst Prep sweatpants, T-shirts, and jumpers, some with just the school logo and others with Panthers!

across the front. Personally, I hadn’t bothered trying to find a full outfit of spirit wear, but I had swapped out my usual blouse and blazer for a crewneck with the school crest in the top corner while still wearing my usual skirt and a blue scrunchie.

I didn’t search for Dean exactly, but I did not notice that he wasn’t in the front hall when I walked in.

It wasn’t surprising, since I rarely ever saw him before class in the morning, but I still felt a small pool of disappointment in my stomach.

When had I become that obsessed with the idea of seeing him in his game day uniform?

I wasn’t completely alone this morning, though. I found Molly, Paige, and Zoey all crowded around my locker as I walked up.

“Wow, she wore spirit colors and showed up before the bell. It’s like you actually care,” Zoey said.

“I always care,” I said, even though we both knew that was a stretch.

I’d only been to a handful of football games in my time at Parkhurst since I didn’t have much interest in going to sports games aside from supporting Sebastian.

I wasn’t acting out of the usual for the first football game of the season, though, which was important since I hadn’t told my friends about the kiss with Dean.

I felt bad for holding out on them, but I wasn’t ready to talk about this yet.

I knew Zoey would be trilled for me, but that was risky in itself because she would put so much pressure on it.

I wanted to see what it was like for just me and Dean for a bit before I invited in outside opinions.

“Well, you look cute,” Paige added from the other side, adjusting the blue ribbon she’d tied around her ponytail. “You’re coming to the game, right?”

“Of course,” I said. “Wouldn’t miss the chance to stand in the cold with a thousand screaming teenagers.”

And wouldn’t miss the chance to see Dean play.

“I can’t believe it’s our last first game,” Molly sighed, collapsing against the locker door next to mine and nearly popping the balloon on it. “When did we get so old?”

“Are you going to be this dramatic at our first volleyball game, Miss Team Captain?” I asked.

I unlocked my locker and swung open the door.

Immediately, a small folded piece of paper came fluttering out, landing on the ground softly.

All of my friend’s eyes locked on it, though only Zoey had the knowing look of someone who had seen a note like that in my locker before.

I quickly picked it up and shoved it in my pocket, not wanting to read it in front of them.

“Anyway, I better get to class,” I said quickly. Was my face heating or was I imagining it? “I’ll see you guys at lunch, okay?”

“Don’t forget, we’re meeting at my locker for lunch!” Paige called after me. I waved a hand over my shoulder in recognition then ducked around the corner so I could read the small note.

I’ll be under the bleachers until the warning bell. Meet me?

He didn’t sign his name, but he didn’t need to. I would recognize that handwriting anywhere. I smiled to myself as I tucked the note into my bag and walked as quickly as I could through the packed hallways, silently thanking my past-self for getting up early this morning.

It was colder today than it had been the first time Dean had asked me to meet him here, but there was much more bounce in my step as I did.

There were plenty of people still out here since there was still more than ten minutes until the bell, but everyone was so caught up in their game-day celebrations that nobody noticed me go around the far side of the bleachers and duck under.

And there was nobody to see me as I ran into Dean Graham’s arms.

I wrapped my arms around him and he picked me up and spun me around as if we were celebrating something amazing instead of just seeing each other for the first time since yesterday. I giggled, then tried to silence myself in case anyone was around.

“How did you know I’d get your note with enough time to spare?” I asked him, threading my hands through his hair. He smiled.

“I just hoped.” Then he ducked down and kissed me.

It was amazing how natural this had become for us so quickly.

I grabbed the front of his jersey in a tight grip and held him close as he ran his tongue along my bottom lip.

I parted my lips, and he leaned in further, deepening the kiss.

His hand found my waist, fingers curling gently against my side, and then I felt the shift of his weight as he moved closer, pushing me backwards into the bleachers.

His body was pressed right up against mine, keeping me warm as a cool autumn breeze blew past.

Would it be weird to tell him I would love to use him as a blanket? Yeah, probably. He might take that the wrong way.

I pulled away for a second to take a gasping breath and brush my hair out of my face. Dean stared back at me with swollen lips, which only made the sight of him in his jersey that much hotter. I glanced at the time on my phone.

“Three minutes until the bell,” I told him breathlessly. Five minutes wasn’t enough. An hour wouldn’t even be enough. I could have a whole day open in front of us and I would still be annoyed that it wasn’t a full week—I would always need more of him.

Without a word, I pulled him back in. I hadn’t caught my breath yet but I was pretty sure I would never be able to catch my breath when Dean was around. The kiss was more urgent now, now that we both knew the very limited time we had and damn it, we were going to make the most of it.

A muffled shout echoed across the field somewhere and we both froze, pulling away just enough to not be touching.

When nothing else came, Dean laughed softly and went in again.

I met him halfway, locking our lips together, then shifted my grip on his jersey, pulling him just a little closer.

He kissed the corner of my mouth, then the other side, then came back to center like he didn’t want to stop.

If I had my way, we would never stop doing this.

Just him and me and all the secrets we kept between us.

“I think tonight will be when I make my move,” Zoey said as we waited in our favorite pizza place after school.

Molly and Paige had gone next door to get us snacks from the convenience store while Zoey and I came to get the food to takeout, then we would all meet up to eat before we went to the football game.

“After the game, I’ll just walk right up to him and say, ‘Jackson, I have feelings for you. I think we should go out.’”

“Very bold,” I commented.

“Well, I need to be bold if I’m ever going to have a boyfriend again.

” She sighed, twirling her hair around her finger.

She froze, looking at something through the window, her face hardening.

Her free hand came to grab my wrist and I frowned.

I looked out the window as well, but whatever it was she saw wasn’t visible to me.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Is that your Dad?” she asked softly. My heart leapt into my throat.

Zoey knew about the divorce, but she didn’t know that I hadn’t spoken to my dad outside of the day at the Urgent Care or why we’d run into him in the alleyway that night.

There was no reason for her to react this much to just seeing him—not unless he was doing something now.

I steeled myself then moved to step behind Zoey so I could see what she could through the window.

It was my dad all right. Him and the woman I’d seen with him that night.

They were leaning up against her car, and though they weren’t kissing now, it was obvious they had been at one point, with his tie so loose and lipstick smeared along his face.

My stomach turned, just as the pizza guy called out that our order was ready.

Neither of us reacted like we’d heard him.

“Lavender…” Zoey whispered to me. “What’s he doing with her?”

My eyes burned and I wished so desperately that I could explain this whole situation away. I wished I could say that I knew who this woman was and that my dad would never have had an affair with her, but what excuse could I give?

“We should go,” I said in a rough voice.

I broke my gaze away from the window and turned to the counter where the two pizza boxes were waiting.

The worker, who didn’t look much older than us, watched me with concern, but he didn’t say anything as I took the boxes and stiffly walked out of the shop.

Molly was standing by the car, but Paige was nowhere to be seen, which meant we couldn’t leave yet.

“Do you know who that woman was?” Zoey asked me as she rushed to keep up with my fast strides. “Why was he with her? They only got divorced last month. Has he already moved on?”