I Shouldn’t Love Him (Book 2) – Chapter 62
LAKE
If she thought that kind of attention was better than none at all.
Tiffany took her glass again. “Sorry, Lake. I’d die if you left me here alone all week.
om Tiffany. “That’s fine with you too. Where did you e
and me?” »
And don’t mention it
planning to be alone, I didn’t know whether it was better to know or
ed in his seat. “Is that the guy from the fair?” he asked.
Corbin Swenson, who looked as tall and swooning as ever in a sweatshirt , jeans, and skate shoes. Corbin w
said.
in opened his arms. “You wanted a
e,” Tiffany said. “You weren’t at any of the meetings.” “Lac knew.” Corbin m
morrow,” Gary said.
w things.” , Corbin added.
s wrong with just throwing the ball?
ed as he and Manning locked eyes. “But when you have
g it in front of everyone made me dizzy.
o
nning. “Looks like you could use one of yours,” he said, since Tiffany and I were sharing.
where I am,” Tiffany replied, placing her hand on Manning’s k
ake,” Corbin said.
tween Manning and Corbin.
hand through his honey-colored hair. “How was your summer?” He
they were all listening to our conversation. “Stay busy.”
Every time I see you, you’re reading or you’re with friends, or, he said, clicking his tongue, you’re eating cotton candy.
s summer.”
dad won’t let me. That’s why I was reading at the beach. For s
? My old man works with him.
not messing around here?”
pplications. Don’t tell my dad I like it.
r.
before. “But listen, you two…”
veryone recited before bursting into laughter.
set a good example for the children. No alcohol, no s*x.
“Unless it’s you who
e laughter.
ning and not a minute later. The last stall to show gets dining room cleaning duty. Hannah and I
’t be us.”
ions for Gary about tomorrow. Do not leave.
I just nodded as I watc
ny said.
Manning said. “We could play a game.”
ld you no.
ds.
ng nodded to a group of counselors across the hall. “Do you know one?” “
No.”
roduce yourself? Part of this experience is to meet new people.
chair closer to him and whispered in his ear.
ground. “We can not.”
as he stuttered, “We’re not. . and I promised your mother.
walk?”
a little, then we can go for a walk.
o you want to come with me?”
n there were moments like this, when I wondered how well I really knew him.
and spoke only for my ears. “We’re just going out to smoke a cigarette. That’s all.”
moke at all.”
id I’d understand.” He cleared his throat. “You know how bad it is.” Is it hard to go all day without a cigaret
if I asked you?” He blinked slowly, as if seeing me for the first time. “Wh
you do it?
”
of you.”
. “Yes, you do.”
n? Name once.
I got close. It hadn’t occurred to me that it was on purpose. I could, however, remember the smell of smoke near him. I could almost taste the bitterness on his mouth.
” he said.
e. It’s because I care about you. I care enough that I want you to stop hurting yourself.
.” It wasn’t good enough, so I didn’t respond. “But if you want me… I’ll try harder. I wanted him not to go out with Tiffany. Truth be told, I would come to love the smell of cigarettes because it reminded me of him , and I would cherish the gross taste on his tongue, the stench, if it meant a kiss, but more than that, I had spent my time young
he said. “I’ll
the door.
urning away from my seat.
“Who?”
”
He didn’t wait for my response, he just got up and left.
eal power over me. Why should I listen to everything I said when he was out with my sister?
you doing OK?”
n no. I’m tired.”
t. I knew it was because he cared, but at that moment, I I even wondered what that meant. I stood up. “That would be nice.”
all around us . “Man, I love it here,” Corbin said as we walked through the woods. “So peaceful. I would have done the counselor thing, but I start baseball camp this week.
in the all-star team?”
m applying for scho
Real
ia, like Stanford, but I’ve always wanted to move east.”
ed to gape a
to do great things, Lake. To be somebody. That’s what it’s all about. that it’s New York.
can surf in New York. There’s this place called M
’re a year younger than me, but have you started thinking about college?”
o USC.”
huh?”
y ever been ‘SC. “Would you stay in California if your dad asked you?
o school there would be like moving to a new country. If I was honest, even Stanford in Northern California intimidated me . “My dad went to USC. We’ve been working on stuff for my college applications since middle school. We hadn’t even discussed it. Dad and I had just started planning at one point.
the chirping of crickets. I first smelled cigarette smoke. It made its way through me instantly, leaving me warm and cozy, as it usually meant I was close to Manning. Also strongly Although I associate him with it, it still surprised me t
o smokes?”
“W
sister?”
d and c
re,” she said.
res appeared.
, and the four of us were silent for a moment. “Told him what?” asked
. Tiffany.
s.”
d his rules. He couldn’t protest. And if he did, what would it look like for Tiffany and Corbin? “He doesn’t think it’s safe to walk around alone in the dark,” I said. “But, as you can see, I am not alo
keep things inside.
, he stepped back. “‘Night.
away.
ht.”
hanks. I have to get up early.
who asked me
bout it.
n fact. And he was right, I kind of blew him away both times. Me, blowing a Swenson. It was so crazy, I almost laughed. “I
ays I’m too young.”
badass, don’t isn’t it?”
son?
at?”
two?”
lize. I had a crush on a boy like him, and it had everything I felt for Manning. They don’t compare in my eyes. “It’s just an expression.”
e had dropped once the sun had disappeared. He nodd
game tomorrow? Encourage me? »
left me in knots in my stomach. With Corbin, there were no knots. There was nothing, really. Maybe that wasn’t a bad thing.
ome.”
n the morning.