“Want to go get an ice cream?” he asked when he reached the stairs I was sitting on.
I wasn’t a kid. Did everyone around here still see me as a child? Gran trying to buy me a cupcake and now Creed offering ice cream. I bet he didn’t take Fleur for ice cream. She probably got taken to the coffee house.
“No thanks,” I replied, still not looking at him.
He sat down beside me on the steps and I wished he would just go. I didn’t want to deal with him. He was the main reason I was in this terrible mood and having the worst summer ever.
“You’re mad at me,” he said.
Yes, I was mad at him, but I wasn’t telling him that because then I would have to tell him the truth. I had some pride. I would not tell Creed Sullivan that I was almost positive that I was in love with him. He didn’t need to know I counted down the days every year until I got to see him again. Even worse that when Chase had asked me to the homecoming dance, I had told him yes but just as friends because I had a boyfriend in New Hampshire. Which was a complete lie but I hadn’t wanted Chase to think I was available to date. I didn’t want to date anyone but Creed Sullivan.
“Tell me why you’re avoiding me,” Creed pleaded. I didn’t want to be mad at him or avoid him. I just didn’t know how to be around him and Fleur when I was sure I loved him.
“I’m not,” I said, forcing a smile and flashing it at him. When I started to turn away from him again, he caught my chin with his fingers.
“I know you, Sailor Copeland, and you are avoiding me,” he said, making me look into his eyes that were unfair to unleash on any female.
A lump formed in my throat and if I cried on him, I would have to leave Portsmouth. I could never face him again after that. I could not cry. I had to be cool. Like Fleur was cool. The thought of her made me want to roll my eyes, but I didn’t.
“You’ve been busy,” I said, and the thickness in my throat made my voice sound weird.
He raised an eyebrow. “When have I ever been too busy for you?” he asked me.
Now that he had a girlfriend. That’s when. Jeez was he going to force me to spell this out for him? Because I didn’t want to do that. Humiliation was not a strong enough word. I shrugged instead.
He tilted his head to the side and studied me. “Is this about Fleur?”
Ding, ding, ding! I remained still and silent. His fingers stayed on my chin and I couldn’t look away unless I jerked my head and that was too dramatic.
“It is,” he said then his hand left my face.
I felt instant sadness at his letting me go. Was the revelation that I was jealous of Fleur going to send him away now? Would this be the last time we talked all summer? Would my sulking lead to our friendship ending? I didn’t want that but how did I stop it?
Creed rested his hand on his knee with his palm side up. I stared at it then back at him. He gave me a crooked grin and boy had I missed that grin. “I broke up with Fleur. She was taking up all my time and the truth was I just wanted to be with you.”
“Oh,” I replied in a whisper.
He nodded toward his hand. “You going to make me beg or are you going to give me your hand?”
“Oh,” I replied again, still reeling at the news he wanted to be with me. He missed me too. I slowly slid my hand over his and his fingers laced through mine, before closing over my hand.
“Now, I really want a freaking ice cream. Would you come with me? Because I’m not letting go of your hand or you.”
A giggle came from me before I could stop it. When had I become so silly and giddy from Creed’s attention? “Okay,” I said.
He stood up and I went with him, our hands still clasp. “You know I was only dating Fleur because you were dating that tall football player guy.”
I paused confused. “What?”
He didn’t look at me then but said, “Facebook. I saw your picture at the dance with him. Everyone commenting about you two being a cute couple.”
“Chase?” I asked, realizing he’d seen that picture and assumed the wrong thing. I hadn’t thought about Facebook. Someone else had posted that picture on my wall, not me.
He shrugged. “I don’t know his name.”
“Chase was not my boyfriend and we were not dating. We just went to the dance together.”