“Shit. That was close! She’s friends with both our moms. I hope she doesn’t say anything,” he says through his laughter.

I can’t help laughing hysterically, too. “What is it with parents driving by this field? I mean, what are the odds?”

“One thing is for sure; Mark is not going to live down Francis.”

I roll over, laughing so hard my stomach hurts. “I bet he’s going to be glad he lent you his truck,” I say, still laughing.

When I turn back, Todd’s face is stoic before he slowly gives me that crooked smile that always causes me to make bad decisions.

He leans down so he’s inches from my face. “Where were we?”

I try to stay strong. “Going back to school.”

He looks at his phone. “Shit. Right. We’ve gotta go.” He gives me one last kiss before he helps me out of the back of the truck.

“Hey, what was she hitting the truck with? It sounded like a brick.”

“Must have been her purse. She wasn’t holding anything else,” he answers, half paying attention as he checks his phone. “Looks like Mark already got a text from his mom.”

“Oh, no. What did he say?”

Todd turns his phone to show me Mark’s text.

Run into someone?

“I’m telling Francis to calm down,” he says as he texts Mark back.

“And so it begins,” I say with a smile.

Todd laughs. “Yeah, that one is going to be our get out of jail free card for a while.”

Something about his words reminds me of my conversation with RTS.

“Hey, speaking of jail, I ran into Rebecca in the bathroom this morning.”

Todd drops his smile, obviously aware of what I’m going to say. His hand moves to my knee, and his eyes quickly shift to mine then go right back to the road. “I was going to tell you, Ash.”

“Then why didn’t you?” I try to stay calm. I don’t want to fight; I just want to know.

He shakes his head. “I don’t know. I just didn’t want the kiss thing to be a big deal.”

“It’s only a big deal if you don’t tell me, and I find out from her. I can’t say I love that you’re going to kiss her, but I’m excited for you. The lead in the school play is a big deal. I just want you to share it me.” I run my hand over his leg as he drives back to school, needing to touch him.

He’s going faster than he should since we’re running late, but I do enjoy seeing him drive a truck. There’s something exciting about being up higher than the other cars. Plus, what could be sexier than a boy and a truck?

Todd turns to give me a smile as we take a sharp corner, pulling into the school parking lot. “Thanks, Ash. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away, and for what it’s worth, I don’t like the kissing part, either. I wish you were in the play with me. Then I would have an excuse to kiss you every day in front of everyone instead of hiding in Francis’s truck.” His hand finds my leg again as his lips crash into mine, but we are interrupted by the late bell.

“Well, we almost made it.” I smile through our kiss.

He starts to laugh. “Tell Mr. Ramirez you have your period or something.”

“What?” I can’t even believe those words just came out of his mouth.

“What?” He smiles innocently. “I have a sister, and that’s something I know Mr. R. won’t touch with a ten-foot pole.”

“No way, not worth it. I’ll take the detention, thanks.”

“Or we can just stay here since we’re already late.” He pushes farther into me.

I love the feeling of his body against mine, but I cannot get into any more trouble, so I find the strength from deep within to push him back.

“Nice try. I’m sure only one of us will be getting detention, anyway. Athletes are pretty much exempt.” I give him once last kiss as I open the door.

“Well, I had fun,” he shouts to me through my open door.

“Me, too,” I say with a smile, fighting every urge to get back in the truck.

“I think we have a new lunch spot, minus Mark’s mom, of course.”

I give him a quick smile and then slam the truck door.

Just keep walking, Ashley.

Chapter 14: The Date

ASHLEY

It’s the night of my big date with Casey. Unfortunately, ever since my dad let out the secret that Todd and I are broken up, Casey wouldn’t let it go and kept asking me out. I don’t like the idea of going out with him, but it is the perfect decoy date to prove to my parents that Todd and I are not together. I have been dreading it for the past few weeks. But there are no more excuses, I have used all of them up, so I finally just need to do it.

I was grounded for the first week because I got a detention thanks to our lunchtime excursion, but thankfully, my parents don’t know why I was late to class. I actually did use the period excuse with my mom, and it worked like a charm. I said I was too embarrassed to say something in class, so point for Todd. Our lunch was totally worth a detention, and being grounded gave me the perfect excuse for Casey. Therefore, the first week was easy to avoid, but it became increasingly more difficult to come up with excuses.

The next week, I used the bad cramps excuse with Casey. Good thing none of these people talk to one another about my menstrual cycle. Then there was a big paper due and then a huge test, and that brings me to tonight. I figured washing my hair wasn’t really a viable excuse, but I was just short of using that one.

There is a huge party that someone from Casey’s school is organizing, so we are going to dinner—painful—and then to the party—even more painful.

I just keep telling myself to make it through dinner, and then I’ll be home free. I like Casey. I like spending time with him, but I hate that he thinks Todd and I are broken up and I can’t tell him the truth.

Ryan and Brian are taking Todd out tonight to keep him distracted, to which I am grateful. I wish I was going out with Sid and Shane, though.

The hate for my dad just keeps growing.

***

I’m sitting across the table from Casey. I see his lips moving, but I don’t hear the words coming out of his mouth. Well, I hear them; I just don’t comprehend them. I can’t stop thinking about Todd. I want to know what he is doing right now. I try to pretend that I’m here at Olive’s with him, but when I open my eyes, it’s still Casey.

“Ashley, what’s going on with you? You’ve been practically avoiding me for the past three weeks. I’ve never seen you scurry out of practice so quickly.”

I hear those words and absorb them, and when my eyes connect with his, I notice how intently he’s studying me. I don’t want to hurt him, and I don’t want to lead him on. I’m using him to appease my parents, and it’s wrong. I need to tell him the truth.

Then I hear Todd in my head, and I know I can’t. I care about Casey, yet I don’t trust him. He will tell my dad the truth if he knows, because for some reason, he sees me as a conquest.

I look down at the tablecloth and start to study the pieces of cracked bread littering the pristine white cloth. I will do anything to avoid locking eyes with Casey.

“I told you. I’m not over him.”

He reaches his hand across the table, his thumb gently caressing mine. “Why? I’m here, sitting right across from you. Be here with me. Be in this moment. I like you. You know that. That’s one thing I’ve never hidden from you. I know you have feelings for me, too. Don’t fight them anymore.”

I feel the sweat on my palms. I wasn’t expecting this. I wasn’t expecting Casey to be so honest, so upfront. I don’t know why, though. It is Casey, after all.

My mouth is dry, and I don’t think I can speak, even if I knew what to say.

“Ashley, it’s done with Todd. Forget him. Be with me.”

“Um … Excuse me.” I push back my chair so quickly I almost take out a waiter carrying a whole tray of food. I need the bathroom, right now.