He snickered. “You want me to give you a hickey?” I nodded. He sighed. “But that’s so...”

“High school-ish?” I laughed. “Don’t forget, baby. Your girlfriend’s still a senior.”

“Mmm…girlfriend. I like the sound of that.” Daniel moved his mouth to my neck and slowly began to suck on my skin, teasing me. His tongue flicked back and forth slowly and then rapidly, his sucking becoming more intense. I arched my neck in his direction, holding my hands against his hips. When he pulled away, I felt a light kiss on my neck. “I guess that makes you mine.”

My head shook back and forth. “I was yours before we ever met.”

“That awkward moment when you find people making out in front of your parents’ graves.”

My heart jumped out of my skin as I heard another voice hovering over us. I was quick to step back from Daniel in fright. His eyes moved to the guy standing near us, and I gasped.

I could’ve been looking at Daniel if I hadn’t known better. The only differences were that this guy had buzzed hair and his blue eyes were a lot colder. A lot more lost.

“What are you doing here?” Daniel asked. His eyes were filled with a look I’d never seen from him. Hate? Love? Could someone hate and love at the same exact time?

“Well, I’m in town and thought I would come say hi to Mom and Dad. I would ask you what you were doing here but…” He stared at me with a smirk, and I curled my arms around my waist. “I think it’s pretty clear.”

Daniel’s eyes moved to me and then back to his…brother? I felt my face flushing over. How long had he been standing there?

“I’m glad you found yourself a girl. She’s cute,” the stranger said. “It probably makes it easier for you to sleep at night, eh?”

“Go home, Ashlyn,” Daniel demanded.

I looked at him, confused. Why was I being sent away? “Wh-what? Wait—”

“Now.” The word was stern and hurtful.

I was instantly worried by the way he’d spoken toward me. He’d never seemed so harsh, so distance—even when he’d found out I was his student. I felt my heart jump, and Daniel’s eyes softened when he stared into my greens.

I stepped toward him to try to comfort his sudden shift in personality, but he only stepped away from me.

That hurt.

I turned to the guy who was sporting a sly smile my way. Gabby was standing behind the two guys, playing her guitar, singing the Beatles Let It Be. I frowned at her, silently begging her to help me understand what was happening.

Then she was gone.

Because she’d never really been there.

After an eternity of doubts and indecisions, I left, giving them both a wordless goodbye and feeling empty inside.

I waited until I reached the outside of the cemetery to start crying. I hated how much I cried this past year. I was supposed to be stronger.

I rushed back to Henry’s home and darted straight for my bedroom. I tried not to overthink things. He would text me. He would explain. Hailey was in the shower, so I was fine to cry alone in my bed. I pulled out my cell phone and waited for his text.

And waited.

And waited.

Hours passed, I missed dinner, and my mind was wandering into dark thoughts. He still hadn’t texted me once.

Me: What was that all about?

My stomach filled with nerves as I waited for the ding of my phone that never came.

Me: Please don’t ignore me.

Nothing.

Me: Don’t do this…please…

I was begging him to reply. Begging him to answer me.

Me: We’ll talk tomorrow?

Nothing. No response. I placed my hands over my face and began sobbing uncontrollably.

“I blame you for making me have to write this damn flash fic—” Ryan came stomping into my bedroom and paused when he saw me bawling on my bed. “Ashlyn, what’s wrong?” He moved over to me and I began crying even more from the level of concern in his voice.

I wished I could tell him. I wished I could tell somebody, anybody. But mainly I wished I could talk to Gabby. She would’ve known what to say. She would’ve known what to do. She was the logical one, not me.

Ryan slid over my body and lay down next to me, wrapping his arms around me. I pulled him closer sobbing into his shirt. “Jesus, kid…what’s going on?” he whispered.

I couldn’t respond, and I doubted he was even looking for a response. Before I knew it, I felt two more arms wrap around me and another body covering me in a tight hug. Hailey.

We didn’t speak. They simply held on to me, making sure to let me know that I wasn’t alone. Henry showed up next, peeking into the bedroom. He didn’t say anything, but he did come and sit at the end of my bed.

That was the most comfort I’d received from him. Ever.

Chapter 21

I like the way you lie

When I ask you to stay.

I like the way you flirt

When I need to go away.

~ Romeo’s Quest

“You might want to put your hair down,” Ryan muttered against my ear at breakfast. “If Henry sees the huge hickey on your neck, he might freak out.”

I gasped at his comment and reached to pull my messy bun down, covering up my neck.

Ryan snickered. “We’re having a very intense conversation in Hailey’s car today.” He gave me a glare. “Going to the library, my ass.”

Hailey stumbled into the kitchen, looking like a zombie. She grabbed a mug, poured some orange juice, and stumbled out.

“She’s not a morning person, is she?” I asked.

“Not in the least.” Ryan paused. “You okay? Last night you were kind of…”

“A mess?”

“A hot mess,” he grinned. He always looked so effortlessly handsome. He was wearing a plain blue polo with his cross necklace and some jeans. All he had done to his hair was run his hands through it. Yet Ryan made it look as if he’d just come from a GQ magazine photo shoot. Every. Freaking. Day.

“Yeah. I’m fine. Just going through the motions of life.”

He laughed, moving to pour me a cup of tea. “That can be a real bitch sometimes.”

He wasn’t lying. I thanked him for the tea and I hopped off the stool. I headed toward the living room, where I saw Rebecca sitting on the couch, watching the news. My fingers combed my hair down against my neck.

“Oh, hey, Ashlyn.” She smiled brightly as she sipped her coffee. “Come here. I have a question for you.” Her hand patted the spot on the couch next to her.

My butt found the sofa cushions and I sank into them. She placed both of our mugs on the table. Rebecca smiled and moved in closer, taking my hands into hers.

“How are you?”

How was I supposed to answer that?

Good. I hate almost all of the boys at the school.

Good. I love eating lunch with your g*y son and Buddhist daughter.

Good. I haven’t heard from my mom, and Henry has no photos of me in his office proving that I exist.

Good. I just made out with my teacher in a cemetery last night in front of his dead parents and have the marks to prove it. Then he pushed me away suddenly with no explanation.

“I’m okay,” I muttered. “I’m good.”

She released a sigh of relief and patted my hands. “God is good, isn’t he?”

I narrowed my eyes on her and slowly nodded. “Sure.” I paused, wondering how understanding Rebecca was when it came to all issues. She never came across as too pushy or close-minded to me. So it made me wonder why Ryan and Hailey had to keep their private truths secret. The way they showed up for me last night made me want to help them, too.

“Hey, Rebecca…what would you say if I told you I liked girls?”

He hands dropped from holding mine and she chuckled a bit. “What?” Then it happened. I saw the shift of her whole personality. She smiled tightly and stood up. “I better make sure Hailey’s up for school.”

“She is. Ryan and I saw her.”

Rebecca turned off the television and moved toward the stairway. “Yes, but just to be sure. You can never be sure about these things.”

She moved in a hurry, rushing upstairs. I tried to grasp at the many different emotions that had been showcased in her eyes. Fear, guilt, anger? There was no doubt that there had been an air of restrained fury in her blues. Yet that wasn’t the main thing I’d noticed.

No, it was sadness that had prevailed amongst her looks.

But why would that have made her sad?

I heard shouting coming from upstairs, echoing throughout the hallways of the house. Rebecca and Henry were having a strong screaming match. Henry stumbled down the stairs—loudly—and was standing in front of me. He brushed his fingers against his peppered beard and sighed.

“Are you a lesbian?”

My mouth hung open at his forward question. “Henry!” I harshly whispered.

“Well, are you?” He paused and shifted his weight around. “Because I don’t care. Really, I don’t.” He sniffed through his nose and placed his arms across his body. “And if you don’t feel comfortable here, we’ll find somewhere else to go.”

A silence fell. I tilted my head toward him and stilled my body. His green eyes were filled with so much passion and honesty. “You would move? For me?”

He brushed his fingers against his lips and sighed. “Of course I would, Ashlyn. You’re my…” His words faltered. He cleared his throat. “You’re my daughter. And I could give a rat’s ass who you love. You’ve been through enough this year and—”

“I’m not a lesbian.”

Henry paused and arched his eyebrows. He was struck with a strange surprise. As if he’d already made it up in his mind that we were moving due to my sexuality. “You’re not a lesbian?”

“I’m not a lesbian,” I repeated.

“Jesus Christ, Ashlyn!” He sighed heavily and fell onto the chair. “That’s all fine and dandy, but if we could try to avoid such topics to keep away from such fights before seven a.m., that would be great.”

I turned away from Henry, who was pretty relieved that we weren’t packing our bags. A smile found my lips.

He’d picked me first.

I’d never thought he would pick me first.

The car ride to school was eerily silent after the fight between Rebecca and Henry. The tension was thick. I tried my best to sink into the back seat.

Ryan eyed me through the rearview mirror and sighed. “Listen, I get what you were trying to do, asking my mom that question and all but…” He muttered something under his breath. “I know how she is. Okay? I know how she would react. Just, don’t try. For one, she won’t approve, and for two, I’m not ready for her disapproval.”

My fingers ran across the gray-clothed seats, my heart pounding against my chest. I felt awful for even having brought it up to Rebecca. “I’m sorry, Ryan.” I really was. It wasn’t my place to even bring up such an issue.

We pulled into the parking lot of the school and the three of us hopped out. I watched Hailey climb out of the car and look toward Theo, who was waving her over. “I’ll catch you guys later.” She started in his direction and I went to stop her. Ryan placed his hands on my shoulders.

“She has to learn on her own, Chicago,” he said. His voice lowered. “I know I did.”

“Ryan, I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to make a big issue this early in the morning. Or to make an issue at all.”

“It’s okay,” he said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “Now as long as you tell me where you got that hickey from, we’ll be really okay.”

I laughed as I snuggled against him. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” When I looked up, I saw Daniel walking right next to us into the school building, his eyes locking with mine. There was a small twitch in his lips, and he eyes were the bluest of blue against his shirt.