Puddle Jumping(13)

She nodded. “Sure. Why would you have? Not a lot of people go out of their way for them. But Sawyer will. He’s all about breaking the stigma. We could eat anywhere in the cafeteria, but they’re his friends. He’s like a big brother in some ways and feels like it’s his duty to set an example.”

“That’s exactly what I want to do.” It was the truth. I wanted everyone to see how amazing they were. I already knew it. I was just waiting for everyone else to get a clue.

And then she said the most profound words I’d ever heard.

“You’d like to think it’s a choice to love him, but it’s not, Lilly. You’ve already decided. I can see it on your face.”

I knew she was right. There was nothing inside me that could imagine it being any different. I wanted to be there with them and I didn’t care what anyone had to say or who thought what about any of it.

“You want people to stop thinking he’s different? Get him involved with your friends so they can see him like you do. Let them see the Colton you’re falling so hard for. I guarantee they’ll all get it in due time. He’s really amazing.” She smiled with that last sentence before leaving me alone in the library to mull over her words.

It was that night that I invited Harper over to discuss everything openly. At first, she seemed confused, thinking I had started to hang out with Colton out of some type of obligation because we knew each other when we were younger. And because he saved my life, twice.

“You broke up with your boyfriend in order to date Colton?” It was like I had given her a Rubik’s cube to work on, she was so confused.

“I didn’t say ‘date’ yet, but I’m really . . . I like him. A lot.”

She nodded a little and then leaned back on her elbows to appraise me. “He’s cuter than Joseph. But he’s weird, Lilly.”

“He’s not weird. He’s just not exactly like you. But, let’s face it, neither am I. I think if I can get him to be comfortable around you and some other people, it would really, really help him come out of his shell and you’d see how incredible he is just like I do.”

Right about the time I finished that sentence; she looked like she understood my intent. And it reminded me why we were friends in the first place.

“Then bring him to the bake sale prep tomorrow after school. Maybe he’ll like helping us make cupcakes and cookies? It’ll be social, I promise.”

My heart swelled at her ability to just accept what I wanted and to be on board with me. I threw my arms around her, tackling her on top of my bed, thanking her over and over as I made plans in my head to proposition Colton to hang out with us the next day.





It was a fine line to walk.

I mean, I could have asked him with the result being he immediately said no and went home to do his routine as he did every other night.

Or, I could tell him to come, but risk feeling like I was forcing him.

I was an utter wreck by the time I pulled up to his house the next morning. It wasn’t something I wanted to ask him over the phone. Not that it mattered all that much if he could see my face when I asked. It mattered that I could see his.

Mrs. Neely ushered me through the front door and I greeted her as I did every morning. But instead of heading straight up the stairs to the art room, I decided to run it by her that I was planning on inviting Colton to stay afterward for the bake sale meeting. She seemed initially shocked, and almost a little worried.

“He may not like it, Lilly. Be prepared to have to leave. Quickly.”

I was pretty sure I understood what she meant. “I know. I just want him to be able to do things other than his PEERS class and his art after school. You said he wanted to make friends . . .”

Her expression got really soft and she leaned in just a little closer than normal. I remember how gentle her fingertips felt against my cheek before she tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and then slid her palm under my chin to look into my eyes.

“Thank you,” she’d murmured. “But, Lilly? Remember this is all new to him. And he’s younger than you.”

I couldn’t hide the stupid blush in my cheeks as I’d replied, “This is new for me, too. And trust me, Colton’s only younger than me in age.”

She laughed and seemed satisfied I wasn’t going into anything blindly. When I went up to his art room, I pushed the nerves aside and clenched my sweaty fists to gather my courage.

He was at the desk, packing his books. I knocked lightly on the open door and he gave me a small smile before zipping his bag closed.

It sounded so damn loud over the heartbeat in my ears.

“Colton?” My voice was shaking and I hated it but I pressed on. “Harper has asked me to bring you with me to work on some items for the bake sale after school today. Your mom said it was okay.” He was just staring at me. “Will you come with me?”

He nodded. He decided he wanted to. It was enough for me.

School crawled by at half speed and I thought I would die if the last bell didn’t ring because I was so worked up over how things could potentially go. I had made up a million scenarios in my head: good and bad.

But I knew Harper and there was nothing inside me that thought she would be anything but nice to Colton. He seemed more tense than usual when I met him at my locker, and as we moved toward the Home Ec room, I had to fight the urge to grab his hand and link our fingers.