Page 79 of Something to Prove

Five minutes later, armed with a stack of blank posterboards and a bag of markers, I marched to the quad. It was even busier now. Students congregated on benches in twos and threes under bare trees or on the ledge of the fountain. A couple tossed afrisbee near the hedges and others jogged or speed-walked along the crisscross pathway.

I spotted Walker chatting amicably with a group I assumed were Smithton’s curling team. I hadn’t even known we had a curling team. No doubt they were awesome, but I didn’t spare them more than a passing glance. My heart was doing that thing where each beat echoed throughout my body. I could feel it with every step I took and in the steady whoosh in my ears.

Fuck, I was nervous.

Very nervous.

I had a speech—something about taking a chance and going for it—but better. I could hardly hear myself think let alone process original material.

“Walker.” I tried again, louder. “Walker!”

Someone tapped his shoulder and gestured my way. He turned, his head cocked and brow furrowed.

Christ, he was so beautiful. One of a kind, extraordinary, and mine…mine.

This was my cue to make my move. I could waltz up to the group of curlers, ask for a private word with Walker. I could smile, I could be charming. They wouldn’t mind the interruption and once I had him alone, I’d tell him…

Fuck.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. And now, he was staring. No, he was stepping forward. He was coming this way.

I panicked and put my hand out like a stop sign. Then I dropped a blank posterboard on the grass, fished a marker from the plastic bag, and wrote in big, bold capital letters…

I LOVE YOU.

I raised the sign over my head.

Walker froze.

I decided that wasn’t good, so I kneeled on the grass and wrote another, and another. Flashing them in succession.

I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

Someone started clapping and I was sure I saw a few cell phones aimed my way. I didn’t care. I had more posterboard.

YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND.

IT’S ME.

PS-I LOVE YOU.

I KNOW I SAID THAT ALREADY. IT’S TRUE.

WALKER + TY

Applause, catcalls, and more blood rushing in my ears.

I dropped to my knees again, and this time, he was next to me.

“What are you doing, Ty?” he whispered.

I scratched my head and met his gaze. “Too much?”

Walker’s eyes welled. “You know what I mean. We talked about this. We said?—”

“No, you talked and I didn’t say anything I should have, and I’m sorry for that. Because if I’d been thinking straight, I’d have told you that I wanted more than part of this summer too.”

“What do you want, Ty?”