Page 41 of I'm Gonna Get You Back
Trepidation tugged at me, but his unwavering gaze was sweet. Open. The harder his eyes dug into mine, the harder it was to remember my own name, let alone why I should back away from him.
“But I’m not going to lie, Clara. Truth or dare kinda fucked me up.”
I laughed a little. Me too.
He leaned in close, his lips brushing my ear. “When you kiss me again, I want you to mean it.”
When.
CHAPTER ELEVENCLARATHEN
IN THE MONTH AFTERhomecoming, Reid and I texted every day, all day long. But despite getting closer, we hadn’t actually seen each other much outside of school since the cross-country season was over. He was either training for track, having meetings with coaches, visiting college campuses, or catching up on homework he’d gotten behind on because of all the other stuff.
But he was finally coming over.
I kept checking my texts while I frenzy-cleaned my room. He’d been on the East Coast for nearly a week. I couldn’t even keep track of which schools he visited—there were so many that wanted him.
Mom knocked on my door and leaned against the doorframe. “You’ve been working hard on that application. Going to bed soon?” she asked.
I had a pile of clothes in my arms. “Yeah. Soon.”
She heard the lie in my voice and leveled her gaze at me. “What is it?”
I dropped the pile into my closet and closed the door. “Reid is coming over to help me with my CAFA sample.”
It was almost ready, but despite hours of editing and combing through footage, I still didn’t feel like I had nailed it yet. Which was why I needed someone to watch it before I submitted it to CAFA or the Legacy Program.
I had never let him see any of my footage. Like he had never told me what he was always writing in his notebooks. They were the sides of ourselves we hadn’t yet revealed to each other. But for the first time I actually wanted to show someone what I had done. I wanted to showhim.
Mom’s eyebrows sprang up. “Does this mean the Golden Boy is yourboyfriend?”
“No. And don’t call him that.”
Her eyes narrowed at the protectiveness in my tone. “Remember that you have your whole life for boys, mija. You need to stay focused on your own goals right now.”
I looked up at the ceiling. “I am. He’shelpingme.”
Mom was quiet a moment as she studied me closely. “I’m just asking you to be careful. I know his parents, and they have big plans for him. I wouldn’t want you to get swallowed up in a relationship—changing your direction for him. Men force you to bend yourself for them untilyoubreak.”
A frustrated scream lodged in my throat. She’d been telling me this my entire life, but still taking my dad back every chance she got.
I squared my shoulders, jutting my chin up defiantly. “He’s different.”
“I’m sure you think he is.” The soft sympathy in her voice made myface flame. She held up her hands. “I’m not trying to upset you, I just want you to be smart. Find yourownfeet. Don’t follow his.”
Headlights streamed through my window as a truck pulled into our driveway, mercifully cutting off this conversation.
Mom sighed. “Keep your door open; he’s gone by eleven. Got it?”
“Got it.”
I waited for her to go into her bedroom, then I ran. I flung open the front door, cold seeping into my socked feet as I jogged across the frosty driveway. Reid was barely out of his truck before I threw my arms around him and sighed against his skin.
He laughed in my hair as he held me tight. “Hi.”
“Hi.” I breathed him in, a deep calm coming over me in his embrace. That was new.
A violent shiver passed through me that was definitely from the brisk night air and not at all from the sensation that just coursed between us. It was early winter, and in my excitement, I hadn’t even bothered to throw on a jacket. Reid drew back to rub my arms, trying to warm me up.
