twelve

Cassie

~

When I noticed my parents sitting not too far from Luca, I knew I had to rip the Band-Aid off. I had to introduce him as my boyfriend. They were shocked, just as much as he was. I smiled more into his neck when I wrapped my arms around him. The smell of his cologne was inviting.

"It's really nice to meet you, Luca." Dad said, giving him a firm handshake. He smiled at him and then noticed the welcoming smile on my mom's face. "It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Harlow," he replied.

"Please, call me Patrick."

I instantly walked over to Mom from the curiosity on her face. She asked me if he was Annie and Greg's boy and I nodded with sincerity. We haven't talked about his parents just yet, but the entire school knows what happened.

"Such a shame," she said, eyeing Dad and him. "Seems like such a sweet kid."

I swallowed hard before looking their way again, then when he smiled at me, I smiled back. "Yes, he is."

Mom touched my arm. "What happened with Marcus, sweetie? I didn't know you were even friends with him."

Her words toward Luca upset me more than asking about my ex-boyfriend. We've always been friends. Or so I thought.

"We were actually good friends in middle school, you just don't remember."

She nods. "Well, what happened?"

I didn't respond to her when they stepped toward us. I mentally thanked him for interrupting our conversation.

"Would you like to join us for dinner, Luca?" Mom asked. My eyes darted toward him, and he noticed the look on my face. I was basically telling him no.

"Uh, actually... we were going to study at my house if that's okay?"

Dad glanced at me. "Biology?"

I nodded. "Yes, I need the help."

He wants to say more but doesn't push it. "Of course. Text me when you're on your way home."

I hugged them goodbye and followed Luca to his truck. He opened the door for me, and my heart fluttered. Marcus never did that.

"Thank you," I managed to say before he closed the door and stepped around to the driver seat. When he started the ignition and left the parking lot, I cleared my throat. "But you didn't have to do that."

I could see him draw his eyebrows together.

"Do what?"

"Open the door for me."

He looked at me and grinned, just barely. "I know."

The drive wasn't long, maybe ten, fifteen minutes. We pulled into a nice, secluded neighborhood and his house was near the dead end. It was a small, brick home with blue shutters.

"Honey, how was the game?" an older lady with light gray hair and tortoise glasses spoke as we walked through the front door.

She was sitting in a dark leather recliner before meeting us in the kitchen. It was very small, probably the size of my bathroom. But it was definitely inviting. Bright yellow colors accented the entire room.

"It was good," he replied.

Her eyes landed on me, and a happy expression appeared on her face. "This must be your girlfriend?"

I grinned so hard that my face hurt.

He mentioned me.

Luca shifted against the counter and crossed his arms. "Grandma, this is Cassie. Cassie this is—"

She threw her arms around me and almost squeezed all the breath out of my lungs. I laughed and tried my hardest to hug her the same.

"I'm Bernice, but you may call me Grandma too if you'd like. I'm everyone's grandma."

I shook my head. "I'd like that."

She held onto my arms and leaned back to really look at me. "My gosh, Luca. You told me she was pretty, but she's absolutely gorgeous. Those freckles..."

She pointed at my cheeks and almost touched one by my nose before Luca pulled me away. "We'll be in my room," he called out.

When he closed his door, I turned toward him. "So," I tilted my head, crossing my arms against my uniform, "you told her about me?"

"I might have mentioned it, yes."

"What exactly did you say?"

"Well, that you were my girlfriend."

I rolled my eyes with a smile.

His room is exactly what I pictured. Light blue walls, a neatly made bed, a desk in the corner with a small lamp and textbooks stacked in alphabetical order.

"Why not just tell her the truth?" I let out as I sat down on the edge of his bed.

He folds his arms across his chest. "We're playing the part, remember?"

Touché.

"Besides," Luca starts to say before sitting down beside me, "You didn't tell your parents the truth either."

Touché again.

I can't help but notice the way he looks at me. On the way over here from the football game I took my hair down with the bow. I don't really like my hair up, because I'm really insecure about my ears showing. So, after each game I quickly let down my high ponytail.

His eyes drift to my curls that rest on my shoulders. When he sees me noticing, he quickly breaks contact.

"You've made your point, Richards."

The rest of the night he shows me an easy way to learn more about Ecology and the interactive web or organisms. Then, he goes over Evolution, by which modern organisms have developed from ancestral ones. I drop my mouth in horror and shake my head.

"How do you know so much?"

His shoulders shrug before falling back onto the bed. "I don't know. It's just easy for me. I love learning about new things."

"Not me." I laugh, lying down beside him. Our arms almost touch. "I've never been interested in biology, it's too difficult for me.

"Nothing is too difficult."

"That's easy for you to say, you were born a genius."

The grin on his face makes me regret my words. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

I hit him on the arm in disapproval. "Hey, don't flatter yourself now."

"Sorry," he mouths, staring up at the ceiling.

My body turns toward him.

"But really, why are you so good in school? You're the only one I know who doesn't need to study to pass. Your head is always in a book. You're a straight A student and you have like fifty cross country medals hanging above your bed..."

"You make it sound like I'm amazing."

"You are."

He barely turns his head to look at me. For some reason when I stare into his green eyes, I feel like they tell a different story.

"For my grandma, I guess. I want to repay her for raising me. For taking care of me. I don't know what I'd do without her."

I smiled. "I like how close you are with her."

"I just want her to be proud of me."

The sound of my phone buzzing on the dresser startles me. I quickly grab it.

"Dad?"

His voice is unsteady. "Honey, she's not cooperating with me. I don't know what else to do."

"What's wrong?"

"It's her meds..." he pauses. "You know what honey it's okay. You're trying to study; I didn't mean to interrupt. Your grades are important to you... I can't ask for you to come home right now."

I take a deep breath before turning around. "No, I will be right there."

Luca stands up from the bed abruptly. I know he sees the worried look on my face.

"Everything okay?"

"Not really," I sighed. "Can you just take me home?"

He didn't push me or ask any questions on the way to my house. I know he had lots of them too. I stared out the window the entire drive. Luca kept the radio down which I appreciated so I could concentrate on my thoughts.

I wondered if he could see how used to it I was.

• • •

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