34

Mariah

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I trail my fingers against the trophy’s “M.V.P.” letters as Zach hugs our mom and Kelsey in the parking lot. I hear the three of them laughing about something, but I don’t quite catch the joke.

All I can think about is the fact that Ashely Jordan walked right up to me and admitted that she was a bitch of the first degree. I can’t believe that my past few weeks of misery were all due to her being jealous of me and Liam, and I feel awful for not giving Liam a chance to explain his side of the story.

“Kelsey, please text me when you make it home,” Zach says. “Sorry I have to take your riding buddy with me this time. It has nothing to do with the fact that you still can’t drive for shit.”

She rolls her eyes at him, but waves bye to me. My mom gives Zach one last hug before getting into her mini van.

Zach loops his arm in mine and walks me to his car, opening the door for me, so I know there’s something up his sleeve.

As he pulls out of the parking lot, I look over at him. “I’m happy you and your team got it together in the second half. I was scared you were going to lose for a minute. Weren’t you?”

He doesn’t answer.

“And I’m really proud of you for winning MVP. I’m sure everyone will be shocked when you announce you’re going to play for Duke tomorrow. And, um —”

“Why didn’t you tell me about you and Liam, Ryah?” He glances over at me.

“Several reasons.”

“Give me the top two.”

“Well for one, you probably would’ve gotten pissed off and ruined a perfectly good friendship with him over nothing. And two, you would’ve beaten him up for no reason. Funny how point two actually came true, isn’t it?”

“I thought he was behind all those pictures. It was justified at the time.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure. But it’s been happening for a long time. We just thought it was nothing at first, and then ...” I don’t finish my sentence and he doesn’t ask me to. I’m not even sure what to say about us anymore.

When we pull into our driveway, he taps his hand against the wheel and looks over at me. “So, for the record, and from what he told me ... You two have practically been together since you started going to Camp Briar?”

“Well, not that first summer, but — Okay, yes. Pretty much.”

“Hmmm.” He continues tapping the wheel. “I still need to think on this for a while. I need to decide if I’ll give him my permission to continue dating you or not. It’ll depend on the quality of his apology to you and if I accept it or not.”

“What?”

“I’m kidding.” He laughs. “Get out of my car.”

I look at him in complete confusion.

“Ryah ...” he leans over my lap and opens my door for me. “Out of the car.”

“I thought you said you wanted to talk to me tonight and make sure I was okay.”

“You’re in love with my best friend,” he says in the most casual tone ever. “That’s as okay as you can possibly be. As much as I’m not thrilled about you dating anyone, if it has to be someone, I can deal with it being Liam. Now, if you don’t mind, I believe I just won the championship game and notched my second MVP trophy in a row.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, unlike you, I’m not in love with anyone right now, but I have another notch I need to put on my belt with a girl who’s waiting to do some pretty disgusting things with me.”

“You’re ridiculous.” I laugh and get out of his car. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Talk later.” He winks at me before speeding down the street. I watch as he drives away, and start to head inside. The second I turn the key in the door, I hear the familiar sound of Liam’s car pulling into the driveway.

Turning around, I watch him as he steps out and walks toward me.

“Ryah ...” He holds up his hands in a sweet surrender as he steps onto my porch. “Ryah, I just need you to listen to me for five minutes. Can you do that?”

I don’t answer him. I just stare because I honestly can’t get my mouth to say a single thing. It’s been weeks since I’ve been this close to him and my heart is practically beating outside of my chest.

“Is that a yes?” he asks.

I nod and he grabs my hand, sending my heart rate up even higher.

“Mariah, I would never, ever hurt you,” he says. “And I’m sorry I didn’t have my phone locked, but I didn’t leak those pictures. Ashley did, and I hope she told you the whole truth about that. But if she didn’t, I need you to believe me. And I need you to take me back.”

He slowly pulls me close to him, so we’re nearly chest to chest. “Please take me back so we can pick up where we left off.” He kisses my forehead and I nearly melt. “I really do love you and I’m not sure if you understood just how true my words were in that letter I wrote you, but I really can’t go too much longer without you talking to me. At least talk to me ...”

I still stand speechless, feeling his hand caress mine.

“What do you say, Ryah?” He presses his head against mine, and there’s a hint of hurt in his eyes. As if he’s assuming that I’m about to turn him down. “Can we at least be friends, then?”

“You and me both know that we can’t be friends,” I say softly. “It never works.”

“It did this time until someone jealous got in the way.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “I can try to be your friend for the last few months of the school year, but you’ll have to agree to go to prom with me as my date. That’s the only thing I won’t accept a no on.”

I blush. “That’s not how you ask someone to prom. And you’re a little late asking, don’t you think?”

“I left notes asking about it in your locker.” He smiles. “You haven’t been back to school. Understandably so, might I say, but I did ask ...Can you be my friend?”

“No.” I step back from him and his face falls. “Not your friend.” I walk over to my door and continue turning the key, then I look over my shoulder. “But I’d love nothing more than to be your girlfriend again.”

He immediately pushes me against the door and presses his lips against mine, kissing me like I’ve never been kissed before — making me regret all the weeks I’ve spent without him.

We stumble into the house, our lips locked as we topple over a lamp, and I quickly tear away from him before we can do any more damage.

“My mom will be back in about two hours,” I say, breathless. “And since it’s just the ‘three’ of us here ...You, me, and –”

“I took your virginity weeks ago.” He laughs, completing my terrible ‘first-time’ sentence for me. “What are you getting at?”

“That it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, and you really need to make it up to me. You need to make love to me?”

“Right now?”

“Yes. Preferably right now.”

He smiles and grabs my hand, leading me up to my bedroom. Then he whispers, “We’ll go to my house once we’re done, since my parents aren’t home. I have a month’s worth of making up to you to get through tonight ...”