I inform her of my father’s plan and she nods, hugs me, and heads for her rental car to follow the ambulance. I stand paralyzed, watching as the vehicles turn the corner and vanish behind the inn. I drop to my knees, my head in my hands, and finally let it all come out, let my fear, weakness, anger, love fall out of my eyes and leap from my lungs, foolishly begging for this to all be just a nightmare. My mind shifts to last night, to my mom setting her wine-soaked paper cup on the nightstand, her sweet voice wrapping around a late nightI love youas I turned out the light and fell asleep.
I tooka couple of seconds after I finished reading to let the gravity of the short story sink in.
“Where’d that come from?” I asked, handing her assignment back over.
She shrugged. “Just came to me last night and I kind of ran with it.”
“You’re really talented—like, you should really consider taking this further.”
“What do you mean?” she asked as a smile spread on her face.
It was nice to just be sitting with Leilani, to be able to talk with her and compliment her talents. Not having to worry that someone would call me out on being too nice to her and not my usual dickish self was a breath of fresh air.
“Like, if you added in some back story, dialogue, and followed up on the aftermath, you could submit it to a journal or something. The sky’s the limit, kid.”
“You really think it’s good?”
“It’s better than good. You have incredible talent.” I reached across the table as a tear started to drop onto Leilani’s cheek. As I took her hand in mine, I felt my lungs seize up and stop working.
“Mav?” Leilani finally looked at me.
“What?”
“Why have you never asked me out? I notice the way you look at me when you think I can’t see.” Her eyes were locked on mine as my body went numb.
“I-I…” I didn’t think. I didn’t finish my statement. I just leaned over the oak table and kissed her. The lips I had been dreaming about feeling were finally connecting with mine, and they weren’t pulling away.
With my hand holding Leilani’s cheek, I looked down at her. “I have wanted to, but I’m not good for you, and also, you’re Dane’s sister.”
“Can’t I be the judge of who is or who isn’t good for me?” A little smile pulled at the corners of her eyes as I sighed.
“After tonight, no. I think you’ve lost that privilege,” I teased with a quick wink.
“I was just trying to make you jealous.” Her admission made me happier than it should have.
“It worked,” I whispered.
“Good.” She leaned up and kissed me again.
“What do we tell Dane?” I asked, knowing he would probably never speak to me again.
“Can we just wait and see where this goes before we have the entire group judging us?”
“I kind of like that plan.” I kissed her cheek. “We need to get some sleep before my mom comes out here and gives us hell.”
“You’re right.”
I walked Leilani to my sister’s bedroom door. Brushing her hair back over her ear, I whispered, “Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow.”
“You’re such a hopeless romantic. Quoting Shakespeare like that is really cliché, Steele.” She giggled.
“Am I really that transparent?”
She nodded. “So, does this make you my boyfriend or something?”
“I’ve been your boyfriend since the first time I realized how beautiful you are. You just didn’t know it until tonight.”