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“There’s something I’ve been dying to ask you,” Lexi says from behind me as I change out of my gym clothes in the girls’ locker room at school.

Without turning around to look at her, I roll my eyes, readying myself for an insult or some kind of bitchy comment.

Lexi has hated me ever since I made the varsity volleyball team and she didn’t.

I wish I could say her comments don’t bother me, but they do.

So I attempt to ignore her, hoping she’ll leave me alone.

An attempt that doesn’t work.

“Did you not hear me?” Lexi’s cringe-worthy voice makes me want to punch something.

Her face. Instead, I take a deep breath and turn around.

“Are you speaking to me?” I ask, feigning ignorance.

My friends from swim team step closer to me, offering me their support if I need it.

Jenni even takes a little step in front of me.

I love my friends. They are fiercely loyal, in the pool and on dry land.

“Yes. I was looking at you, so who else would I be talking to?” Lexi places her hands on her hips in a defensive stance.

“So sorry, I don’t have eyes on the back of my head.”

Elice chuckles at my side, making Lexi’s eyes narrow on her.

But she swings her gaze back to me.

“Actually, it’s a question my boyfriend wanted me to ask you. You know Jake, right?”

My chest clenches at the name of my ex.

Shit. I didn’t know he and Lexi are together now.

I dumped that douche months ago after I found out he cheated on me.

We hadn’t even gone all the way together, just heavy make-out sessions.

I wasn’t ready to go all the way with him.

Something that he wasn’t too happy about.

When I don’t answer, Lexi continues with, “He wanted to know if the carpet matches the drapes and hoped I’d be able to catch a glimpse of you in the locker room, but you cover up so quickly. So I figured I’d just ask.”

My face burns with humiliation.

I knew nothing but venom would come out of Lexi’s mouth, but I wasn’t expecting this comment.

The embarrassment is so obvious in my face as I feel it burn even redder.

Jenni pushes Lexi away from me, saying, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“She’s just jealous because Lori is a badass bitch whereas she is just a…bitch,” Elice says, putting her hands on her hips.

Lexi laughs. “At least I know how to treat my boyfriend. You wouldn’t even give him head? What is wrong with you ?”

“Nothing is wrong with Lori,” Elice says as she steps in front of me, completely blocking Lexi’s path of destruction.

But I’m already destroyed inside.

I bolt for the hallway like a pathetic coward, heading for my next class.

Before I make it there, my head slams into a brick wall.

A brick wall that smells like a gust of fall wind.

Arms wrap around my waist, pressing me closer.

“You okay, Shortcake?” Jonah whispers into my ear, using his nickname for me.

A name I used to hate when I was little, but it’s grown on me over the years.

I press my face into his chest and cry, not caring if anyone else is in the hallway.

How long have I wanted Jonah to hold me like this?

Forever. I shouldn’t let my best friend’s twin brother hold me like this in the middle of the hallway though.

But, in this moment, I don’t care.

I let Jonah hold me and he doesn’t break our embrace.

With his mouth against the crown of my head, he says, “Do you want to talk about it?”

“It’s just Lexi being a bitch. I can usually take her insults, but this one really hit hard.” I say as I pull my head away from his chest. “Girls can be so cruel sometimes.”

“Want me to get Sarah to kick her ass?”

“I’m pretty sure Elice and Jenni are doing that as we speak.”

Jonah’s chuckle does something to my insides that I can’t explain.

Mush. My insides are mush.

With his hands now gently caressing my lower back while keeping me pressed against him, I can feel that I have an effect on him too.

Pretending not to notice, I place my hands on his chest, saying, “Do you think I’m a prude?”

“What? Wait. Did I do something wrong? Because we don’t have to kiss or anything until you are ready. Eighteen. Nineteen. Whenever. I’ll wait until you are ready.”

My forehead collapses against his chest, this time on purpose, and Jonah’s arms wrap around me again.

Why does this feel so right, so good?

I want to stay in Jonah’s arms forever.

Then Sarah’s voice echoes from behind me and I let go of Jonah, turning quickly to face her.

“I just heard from Elice about what happened in the locker room. Are you okay?” Sarah asks, grabbing one of my hands.

“Yeah. I am now.” I look up at Jonah, who offers me a shy smile.

“Come on, let’s get to class,” he says, keeping his hands in his pockets.

A few weeks later, Jonah and I are still skimming the line of just friends, but I’m happier than I’ve ever been.

Just knowing that Jonah loves me is a dream come true.

I only wish we’d been open with each other sooner.

Our senior year is coming to an end, and with that, an uncertain future.

We are going to different colleges.

Though I’m open to a long distance relationship, I’m so worried it could not only break any possible romance between us but also our friendship.

Still, flirting is fun, and quite a confidence boost after what Lexi said to me.

I know I shouldn’t let her or Jake get to me.

They are only jealous.

Not only am I in the running for a tri-athlete award before graduation, but I’ve been the MVP for both of the varsity teams I’ve played on so far this school year.

Jake might be a star football player, but he didn’t get a full scholarship to Rutgers.

I did.

The only thing that would make my near future perfect is if Jonah was also going to Rutgers.

But he’s wanted to go to Stanford since I can remember.

He won’t choose me. I can daydream anyway.

Prom is next month and though Jonah hasn’t officially asked me to go with him, we have joked about wearing matching outfits.

I never cared about these things before, but Jonah makes me want to do all the cheesy couple things.

Even though we aren’t officially a couple, I want everyone to know that he’s mine.

I want my teenage dream to live a lifetime with Jonah Rosenberg.

Sarah interrupts my daydream by complaining out loud about how her boyfriend, Dylan, hasn’t made a promposal yet.

They’ve been an official item since the beginning of the year, yet I can’t help but compare how different our respective relationships are.

I’ve known Jonah for most of my life.

We were close friends before confessing our feelings for each other while Dylan and Sarah admired each other from afar, not really getting to know each other until recently.

Dylan has not quite grasped how utterly controlling Sarah can be.

He laughs at her impulses, thinks she’s adorable when she has a panic attack.

But maybe that’s what she needs.

Someone to balance out the crazy.

Sarah has already planned out her promposal and given Dylan a blueprint of her expectations as subtly as she could.

I know Dylan has his own plans for how he’s going to ask Sarah to prom.

He’s doing it on his terms though.

Dangerous. Still, I’m very excited to see how this plays out for the both of them.

I look up from my creative writing journal and say, “Give him time. He’s totally into you. And who else would he invite to prom anyway?”

“What if he doesn’t even want to go to prom?” Sarah collapses on her bed, where she has completely abandoned her AP history homework.

“Has he said that to you whenever you’ve brought prom up? Because I don’t think that’s where his mind is at.”

“So you know he has a plan then?” Sarah pounces on the trap I fell into.

Shit. She got me good.

“I didn’t say that! It’s just…well, you told me you guys have talked a lot about prom. Wouldn’t he have said to you that he didn’t want to go?” Solid recovery , I think to myself.

“Hmmm. Maybe you’re right.” And just then, Sarah’s phone rings.

“Speak of the devil!”

She answers the phone with a “Hey, boo bear,” and flips herself over so she’s lying on her stomach.

I take this opportunity to slip out of Sarah’s bedroom and look for my own “boo bear.” He’s not in his bedroom, so chances are he’s in the basement playing video games.

As I reach the kitchen on the ground floor of this mini mansion, Sarah and Jonah’s dad startles me.

He sits hunched over the kitchen island, watching videos on his phone.

“Hello, Laurel. How are you and the family doing?”

“Hi, Mr. Rosenberg. Everyone’s doing well. Hayden is loving New York City, though I’m not sure he’s loving the college part of it all. And my mom is as busy as ever. Shooting to get promoted to Chief Nursing Officer.”

“Go Cathy! That’s wonderful to hear.”

“Yeah. I’m really proud of her.”

“And I know she is incredibly proud of you. Full-ride to Rutgers I hear.”

The heat on my cheeks tells me I’m blushing enough for it to be visible, so I drop my gaze to the floor.

I’ve never been great at receiving compliments.

“Thanks. Yeah. It’s very exciting.” To change the subject, I ask, “What are you watching?”

“Oh. A news report about a research lab in Pennsylvania that exploded earlier today. There were people running out of the building engulfed in flames. I haven’t seen anything like it since 9/11. Those poor souls.”

“That’s terrifying.” I don’t know what else to say as I imagine the scene Mr. Rosenberg described.

Utterly terrifying. Fire doesn’t usually scare me.

My father was a firefighter.

But the idea of people still being alive as they escape an inferno like that, terrifying.

“Oh, hey, Lori,” Jonah says from behind me at the basement door.

“What are you up to?”

“I was looking for you, actually. Sarah is on the phone with Dylan.”

“I came up for a snack, but would you like to hang out downstairs?” He gives me a look that says we can do more than hang out if I want.

And I cannot resist.

“Yeah, sure.”

Jonah grabs a bag of sour cream and onion chips from the pantry and reaches out for my hand, dragging me downstairs.

“I was playing online with some friends, but I can log off if you want to talk or do something else?”

“I’ve got my creative writing journal, but I’m not feeling very creative.” I place my journal on the coffee table and flop down on the futon.

Jonah joins me, sitting so close that our thighs touch.

“Well, I’ve been meaning to tell you something,” he says, twisting his fingers nervously, which is so unlike him.

He’s always so sure of himself.

“What is it?” I ask.

“I’ve chosen to stay here for college. Knowing you feel the same way about me, I no longer want to be on the other side of the country. I want to be with you. I want to see where this leads.” He moves his hands between us as he says this.

“So I’m going to Rutgers.”

“You got into Rutgers? How? The application deadline pas–”

“I applied to every college you applied to. Part of me hoped you would dump that sack of shit and fall into my arms. When you did break up with Jake, I was still too much of a pussy to tell you how I feel. I love you, Laurel Hill.”

“Oh,” I breathe out as my body turns to rubber and my heart thumps so loudly I’m sure Jonah can hear it.

Before I can say anything else, Jonah’s lips are on mine, parting the seam to taste me, and I let him in.

I let him explore, our tongues in a frenzy at finally being able to touch.

When we part to gasp for air, I say, “You’re a really good kisser.”

Jonah’s breath tickles my cheek as he chuckles.

“Do you want to see what else I’m good at?”

“Hmmmm, yes.”

His lips return to mine, but this time for a soft peck.

“I also wanted to ask if you’d like to come to prom with me.”

“What? I mean, yes. I mean, are you sure? Really?” I’m so flustered I immediately think that I didn’t hear him properly.

That part of my daydream from earlier infiltrated my mind.

“Really. I can’t think of anyone else I want to go to prom with. Even if we go as friends. I want to share that memory with you.”

“And what if I want to go as more than friends?” I ask, my heart beating so fast I’m afraid I’ll pass out.

Jonah leans back in, lacing his fingers with the hair at the nape of my neck, and kisses me.

This one is slow but full of a raw hunger I’ve never tasted before.

I wrap my arms around his neck and pull myself on top of him.

We are so absorbed in each other that we don’t hear the door to the basement open, nor do we hear footsteps walking down the stairs.

It’s only when Sarah’s voice echoes off the walls do we let go of each other.

We are off the couch and miles apart within the next breath.

Only the heaving of our breaths can be heard until someone breaks the silence.

“This is…this is…” Sarah takes a deep breath to compose herself.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this to happen! I mean, ew, but yay!”

She runs over to me with arms wide open, squeezing me tightly.

Then waltzes over to Jonah, punching his arm while yelling, “You perv!”

“Ow! You just said you were happy for me and Lori. Why the fuck are you beating me up?”

“Because…well, I don’t know. You could have told me! Both of you.” Sarah’s hands are back on her hips.

She stares at me while Jonah rubs his sore arm.

“Call me a perv all you want, sis. But I love your best friend.” Jonah’s confession makes my chest flutter all over again.

“And I love your brother,” I say to Sarah.