Page 27 of Please Don’t Go (The Midnight Strike #1)

“Josie told me about the swimming lessons. I’ve been meaning to text you, but I felt like that wasn’t a text message conversation.” Her voice is poignant, despite the small smile on her face. “Mom and Dad are going to be proud too.”

I feel too much and then nothing at all. “I highly doubt that. Well, Mom maybe, but Dad?—”

“Don’t say that. He?—”

“You didn’t tell them, did you?”

“No, but you should. I know it’ll?—”

“There’s a big chance this isn’t going to work.

I tried to talk Jos out of it, but…I’m doing it because we agreed on something.

Don’t tell them because I don’t need them getting their hopes up over something that isn’t going to help.

” By the end of that, I feel annoyed and more tired than I already was.

If it wasn’t because I know I’ll be seeing Josie, I’d skip class.

“You called her Jos.” She stifles a laugh and flattens her lips when I give her an unimpressed look. She’s my sister so she’s unaffected by my slight lash out, but still, I feel bad.

“We’re friends.” I shrug.

There’s a beat of silence, only a second long, before she’s beaming. “What did you guys agree on?”

“You’re so nosy. I’m leaving.” I wave goodbye and hear her say she’ll text me later and that I better answer or she’ll kill me.

I just hope I don’t do it before she does.

By the time I arrive at the new trail, I’m surprised to spot Josie already there.

She’s leaning against the driver’s door, camera in her hand, and eyes trained on the small screen. When I pull in next to her, she lets it hang from her neck, and it’s not until I’m out that she’s standing next to me.

I’m scrambling to get my thoughts together, hoping my heart won’t explode from how fast it’s beating, and attempt to look and sound as nonchalant as she does.

Everything I was feeling earlier leaves, like it always does when I’m around her. I don’t know what it is about Josefine that makes my thoughts run mad but also makes everything in me feel calm.

I wanted to explain that to her yesterday in her pool, but my nerves coupled with the fact that I was so close to her made it hard to explain.

“Hey, Josie.” I smile down at her.

She looks up, lips lifting slightly. “Hey, Garcia.”

Fireworks, a million of them, go off in my chest.

Like usual, we gather around Professor Carleson, and he explains the do’s and don’ts of hiking and then we’re walking.

“Have you decided what you’re going to do for your final exam?” she asks and surprises me because usually I’m the one talking first and asking all the questions.

It’ll be a while before the semester is over and we need to submit our final exams, but Carleson has already assigned it because of everything it entails.

Along with a ten-page paper and twenty pictures we take while on our hikes, we have to pick one color and create something with it. We can use any art medium form with that one color, but the catch is mixing it with nature.

“I have an idea but I’m still thinking about it. You?”

From my periphery, I see her shrug. “I’m still thinking about it too. Have you picked a color?”

“Brown.”

“Brown? You know there are so many colors you could’ve picked from?”

“I know but I have a thing for brown.”

Her eyes meet mine and the sun hits them just right; they look like two pools of incandescent amber. Mesmerizing and magnetic, making it hard to look away from.

“A thing for brown?” She sounds amused. “I thought your favorite color was green?”

“Yeah, a thing. I happen to really like that color.” I reply. “And it is but it’s a bit too obvious and brown is different. Brown is…I just have a deep thing for it.”

She stares, a little dumbfounded, like she can’t fathom why I would pick that color out of all the colors. “I’m intrigued.”

So am I.

“What about you?”

“Still thinking about it,” she answers as she fiddles with the zipper of her bag strapped to her chest. It’s almost like she’s anxious, and I wouldn’t have picked up on it except I see her twist her ring and tuck her hair behind her ear. “I have something for you.”

She unzips her bag and hands me a small square envelope.

“Can I open it now?” My mind is running wild and my heart is racing again.

“If you want, or you can wait.” She busies herself, taking pictures of the trees and things we pass by while I open the envelope and pull out the small handmade card.

“You made this for me?” I hold back my smile at the piece of toast with the words, Here’s A Toast , above it.

“Yeah, I’m not super creative or funny like you, but I tried,” she quickly says like she’s embarrassed.

“I think you’re funny.”

She rolls her eyes, but I spot a small tilt to her lips and that makes me smile.

When I direct my attention back to the card and open it, my breath hitches at the silver key taped on one side.

On the other side, it says, To Your New Toaster .

The bottom has two different toasters drawn inside that look like little homes.

One is old with two slots for bread, while the other is new with four slots.

“Josie.”

“You don’t have to stay, but if you ever feel like you need to um…get some rest, you can. Don’t feel obligated to spend the night or come over. But if you ever need space from your roommates, you’re more than welcome to stay.”

For the first time in a while my thoughts aren’t running manic because I have none. I’m genuinely shocked. I don’t know what to say until I snap out of it.

“Thanks, Josie.” I take it off the card and immediately attach it to my key ring.

“Yeah.” And then she goes quiet again for the rest of the trail.

And so am I because I’m struggling to accept that she trusts me so much, she gave me a key to her house.