Maybe This Time(74)

“I don’t!” Micah declared. “I’m going to … let things just happen.”

I raised my eyebrows, not completely convinced but willing to play along. “I like this plan.”

“It’s not a plan!” she argued. “It’s a natural occurrence.”

I noticed Lance then, carrying a big jar of mints to the back table. He glanced in Micah’s direction.

I had a feeling Micah would not have a problem finding someone to kiss tonight. “Right. Very natural.”

“It’s New Year’s Eve, after all,” Micah was saying. “Remember when that one kid from Jasper kissed you last year and how mad you were? Did he have a name?”

“You’re kissing people without names?” Andrew asked, setting another box of flowers on the table next to the two others.

“He had a name,” I said. “I just didn’t want to know it.”

“I think you might have called him Jasper all night,” Micah said.

“What about him?” I asked.

“I don’t know, I was just thinking about that,” Micah said. “That guy didn’t let it happen naturally. I will not make that mistake. It must be mutual. A mutual kiss is the best. Take note of that, you two.”

Andrew and I exchanged a glance and I tried very hard not to blush. I nodded toward the exit. “I’ll go get the last box.”

“I can get it,” Andrew said, following me.

“Thanks.”

“Look at that,” he said. “You’re actually going to let me.”

“I know. I’ve come a long way.” But I still followed him out. “So how much longer will you be in town?” I asked, hoping I sounded casual. “Has your dad picked out the next location for the mentorship, or whatever he calls it?”

Andrew picked up the last box and I shut the back doors of the van.

“Yes, he has. We leave next week.”

My face went numb. “That soon?”

“Yes.”

“So … where?” When I realized that wasn’t a complete question, I clarified. “Where are you going this time?”

“Remember the wine lady from the benefit? She had a sister near Birmingham?”

“Yes.” My hopes skyrocketed.

“It was almost her.”

“But it’s not,” I said as I realized he had used the word almost. My spirits crashed back to earth.

“No. We’re going back to New York because I told my dad I wanted to finish out high school in an actual school. So he found a candidate in Manhattan.”

“You’re right, there are no actual schools in Birmingham,” I said.

“My dad probably doesn’t think there are.”

Andrew was still letting his dad dictate his life. Or maybe he wanted to go back to New York. It’s not like he knew anyone in Birmingham. And he obviously had no reason to want to be two hours away from me for the last semester of our senior years. “You get to go to a whole five months of high school?” I asked.

“I know, it’s what dreams are made of.” We walked back inside and Andrew set the box on the table with the others. “You going to miss me, Soph?”

“How can I miss you?” I replied. “I only see you at special occasions. It’s like you’re a cousin or something.”

Why did I say that? Why? That’s what he’d said about his mother and I knew it and I said it anyway because I was being a jerk. And because he could’ve asked his dad to pick Birmingham. I said it because I was going to miss him. So much that my chest was aching and I wanted it to stop.

I didn’t feel any better seeing that my comment had hit its mark. Seeing the hurt in his eyes. “Right,” he said quietly. “Like we don’t even know each other.”

No! I wanted to scream. We do.

It had been almost a year. Of course we knew each other.

Before I could say anything, a microphone screeched with feedback as it was plugged in. It was like a wake-up call.

“I better get to work,” I said. “People will be here soon.”

Andrew held up his phone. “Me too.”





Are you seeing this?” Micah asked as she refilled a water dispenser.

“Seeing what?” I said, trying to pretend I didn’t know exactly what she was talking about. Because I was seeing it. Shelby Dickenson, freshman at Alabama State, obviously home visiting her family between semesters, had been talking to Andrew for the last hour. Not just talking. Laughing, and flipping her hair, and touching his arm. And I didn’t blame her. She should be flirting with Andrew. He was not discouraging it and he was handsome and funny and smart.

“You know very well what I’m talking about,” Micah whispered. “In two hours, at midnight, her lips are going to be on his if you don’t do something.”

“He could’ve picked Birmingham, Micah. So now I know how he feels about me.”

She shook her head back and forth. “First of all, he doesn’t get to pick anything. His dad does.”

“But he acted like he didn’t even want to go there!” I protested. “He wasn’t even disappointed.”

“Second of all,” she went on as if I hadn’t said anything. “You are not a mind reader even if you pretend to be one. You have no idea how he feels because the two of you are dumb and won’t talk about it. And now I’ve been so preoccupied with who you are obviously not kissing tonight that I haven’t laid any groundwork with who I’m kissing.”