It didn’t make any sense. I’d only ever been cruel to her. Even in the few times we’d fooled around, I’d spewed horrible, hateful words at her because I couldn’t let myself believe any of it was real. That she could ever want a boy like me.
Broken down by life and circumstance, I had nothing to offer her. No money, no prospects … no future. And she had everything.
Why the fuck would she ever choose me over that?
“Grams?” I called, entering the trailer. Only to find my best friends sitting there with her.
“I knew it,” Kye hissed under his breath.
“What’s going on?” I looked between them.
“They were worried,” Grams said, giving me a concerned look. “Something about you feeling sick and coming home to rest?”
“Actually, I was at work. Morris managed to get me an extra shift, so I said yes. It’s not a big deal.” The lie came easily as I headed for the kitchenette to grab a glass of water.
Nix followed me. “Where have you really been?”
“Like I said, I did an extra shift—”
“Zane…”
I shook my head, glancing at Grams. “Not here, okay.”
“Fine, but we are talking about this.”
“Not here, not yet. You need anything, Grams?”
“A cup of tea wouldn’t hurt. You boys are going to send me to an early grave.”
My fingers tightened around the glass in my hand.
“Grams, that’s not funny,” Kye said.
“Oh, hush now. It is the only one inevitability of life. We are born and we die. Everything else is just part of the adventure.”
“Still, none of us are ready to lose you just yet, we have too many adventures in our future.” He winked at her, their laughter lightening the tense mood.
“Coach will kick your ass when he finds out you cut class,” Nix said.
“No one cares I wasn’t there, Nix. I’m not his star player.”
“He cares. We all do. You’re just too damn stubborn to see it.”
“Can we not do this right now? I don’t want her to worry any more than she already is thanks to you two assholes.”
I made Grams a tea and went and joined her and Kye.
“Here you go,” I said, placing it on the little table beside her favorite armchair.
“You’re a good boy, Zane Thackeray.” She smiled at me like I was her world.
Her everything.
I only wondered if she knew she was mine too.
* * *
“So… spill it,” Nix said as we sat in Kye’s yard.