Page 61 of The One

Rhett’s arms were stretched out behind him, his long legs extended in front of him, his heels resting on the carpet. I could tell he was curious about the conversation I was having with my sister as his head cocked to the side. I just couldn’t get over how hot he looked. The first two buttons of his shirt were undone, showing hints of his chest. His backward baseball hat made hissmile pop, and then there was the thickening of his scruff that, in the last couple of months, had grown to cover even more of his cheeks. Especially now since he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days.

But it was his position that was really setting me off.

It was like he was inviting me to climb on.

“Elijah’s house,” Pen said, reminding me we were on the phone. I’d almost forgotten. But I was holding it away from my ear and she had talked loudly enough that Rhett could hear. “The party. I toldyouuu.”

What she had told me was that she was going to the mall with a couple of girls who were dating guys on the lacrosse team and they were going to do some shopping with one of the guys’ credit cards. And I had told her Rhett and I were going to the movies. I’d just finished getting ready, and we were going to grab some pizza and then head to the theater.

“You’re at Elijah’s house now?” I asked.

I already knew the answer to that question. Unless the mall was blasting music, which I highly doubted.

“Yes. You need to be here. It’s so fun, Lain. Everyone is here.”

“Who’s everyone?”

“Everyone,” she repeated, drawing out each syllable, almost making the word into a long sentence.

Do you want to go?Rhett mouthed.

I shook my head.

Then, tell her we’re not going, he mouthed.

It was a statement I wanted to say; it was just hard to get out. Because the thought of turning her down caused dread to spread through me.

I never said no to my sister.

I didn’t have it in me because I needed to look after her—no one else would.

I swallowed, forcing the words to the surface, shutting my eyes as my mouth opened. “We’re not going to make it, Pen. We have plans. If I’d known about the party?—”

“What? You’re really not coming?”

My eyes opened. “No.”

“Lain, stop it. I know you’re joking. I’ll see you in an hour. Or less. It’d better be less.”

“Pen, I’m not joking. We’re going to sit this one out. But you have fun and please be careful.”

There was a tightening in my chest as I thought of her there without Rhett or me. One of us—usually both—always attended the parties my sister went to so I didn’t have to have this conversation with her. So I could make sure, with my own eyes, that she and everyone else was safe. Something so important to me. I couldn’t wait to be a nurse so I could do the same in a hospital.

“Don’t forget to be home by curfew, or Dad will have your head.”

She laughed. “Right. ’Cause I’m so good at doing that.”

“Be careful,” I emphasized again. “Seriously.”

“I always am.”

I laughed. “That’s not the truth at all, but do it this once. For me.” I paused. “Okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

The phone went dead, and I shoved it into my back pocket, taking a few seconds to catch my breath. The feeling in my chest hadn’t gone away. If anything, it was worse now that I could no longer hear her voice.

“If you change your mind, we can go to the party,” he said. “Whatever makes you happy, I’m down for.”