Chapter Fourteen

Huxley POV:

Our homecoming was full of pure Texas pride, over the top white dresses for homecoming court, mums bigger than the girls wearing them, and crying parents. I walked one of the maid of honors in the ceremony, cringing at the amount of her family in my face.

Once it ended, our game started with enough of a crowd buzz to fuel the NFL’s arena. I’d taken all of my energy and frustration over the past several weeks and poured it onto the field. It needed to be poured somewhere, because keeping it bottled up ended in too many fights.

So, when we won 56 to 27, I didn’t flinch, I knew it was coming after the way our team practiced together. That stadium buzz, with huge lights and screaming fans, would get anyone hyped about the game.

Coach dismissed us for the dance, which I wouldn’t torture myself by going. Everyone’s families and girlfriends flew toward the field afterward. Mr. Steven and Mom met me at the fence.

“Good game, Huxley,” Mr. Steven said. “I’m proud of you son.”

Mom pushed my sweaty hair from my forehead and smiled sweetly at me. “I love you, babe. There is still a chance for you to go to the homecoming dance. You have that fancy button-down and slacks from your cousin’s wedding.”

Most of my clothes consisted of football t-shirt and basketball shorts, and Mom knew it.

“I’m good, Mom. I want to eat and shower though. I’ll meet y’all back at the house.”

I passed by groups of my teammates and their families, noticing Liam with his parents underneath the goal. Adler stood beside him, tucked into his arm like a prize. I stilled when I noticed her wearing the mum I made her. I wasn’t sure if she’d wear it or not.

The length was perfect. I’d made sure she wouldn’t trip on it last like time.

She smiled at Liam’s dad, but it didn’t reach her eyes as it did at home.

She scanned the crowd, landing on me as I walked toward the hill leading to the field house.

My heart thumped.

Mom showed me a picture of her in a dress that made my insides twist. Liam would definitely try to get underneath it, but I tried not to focus on it. I lifted my head in acknowledgement as she waved. She pointed toward the poop emoji and smiled.

Liam noticed the movement and followed her gaze to mine. I hadn’t spoken to either one of them since the fight in the cafeteria. It’d been lonely in my room every day, but my grades looked good, and I even worked on my coding in my downtime.

He didn’t acknowledge me besides the side eye, so I continued up to the field house to shower before the team made it inside.

I took off my jersey and pads, carrying them to my side, while I stretched my neck.

I made it to the gravel parking lot when I saw Heather standing by the door, hair and makeup ready for the dance, but she hadn’t changed out of her dance uniform yet.

I groaned. This was not the time for this.

“Hey,” she said.

“Heather, I’m not in the—”

“Just hear me out,” she said. “I shouldn’t have encouraged Jacee to find your paper. I’m sorry. It wasn’t my business who you were talking about, and to be truthful, I already knew.”

I shifted on my feet. “What does that mean?”

She tossed her hands into the air. “Huxley, I was in love with you when we dated. I thought we’d continue to date after graduation, I’d have to commute to be with you, but I was determined to make it work, no matter the distance. I saw you with Adler. She baked cookies with me, she was kind and funny to be around. I noticed the way you looked at her way before this. You’d laugh at all her jokes, pick on her, call her poops. It’s a horrendous name but you never gave me one.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

Heather stepped forward, her hazel eyes wide in the setting sun. “Promise me you’ll go after her. I know she’s with Liam, but she deserves someone else, someone like you. That paper you wrote about her wasn’t something made up, it was from the heart. And even if I’m not the one that makes you happy, I can’t stand to see you unhappy. Go after her, Huxley.”

I slammed my eyes shut, wiping a droplet of sweat from my cheek. “I can’t Heather. She hates me.”

She shook her head frustrated at me. “That’s a load of crap and you know it. Adler is … I can tell that she loves you just as much. You annoy the crap out of her, but she cares about you. Her smile doesn’t reach her eyes with Liam.”

A few voices traveled from down the football field. I glanced over my shoulder and back at her hopeful face.

“When I asked her to play you, I wasn’t thinking—”

“What?” I asked. “You asked her to play me?”

Heather cursed beneath her breath and tucked a stray hair. “I thought you knew. Yeah, I didn’t hear anything out of her, and when I asked why she never replied.”

The notes underneath my windshield, the notes of encouragement, the notes that I turned down was Adler all along.

Part of me wanted to be mad but I couldn’t be mad at anyone but myself. I dared her, I made the website, and I couldn’t display my emotions like a normal person.

“Thank you,” I said, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. “You’ll make someone really happy one day.”

“I know.”

She skipped off toward a car that waited for her in the parking lot.

***

It wasn’t ideal to go to the homecoming dance at all, and especially last minute with no date.

The gym was transformed into a blue and silver wonderland. A Congratulations MHS Warriors banner stretched across the railing of the bleachers.

Glad we won or that would have been a waste of money.

Balloons and streamers littered the floor and basketball goals on each end. One of the sophomores DJ’ed from a booth set on the left side of the sidelines.

My classmates stood around taking pictures and only a handful danced in the middle. You guessed it, Ledela took up center court, doing her twirls and kicks in a killer green dress that slit down the back almost to her butt crack.

Jones, her date, stood to the side sizing her up with a huge smile. If I had thought about hooking Jones up with anybody, it would have been Ledela.

The football players were by the punch table, too cool to dance, their dates texting one another and videoing. I shoved my hands into my pockets, feeling out of place, when I noticed Adler and Liam.

He leaned against the bleacher’s railing with Adler standing in front of him. I almost didn’t realize it was her, but judging by the shiny sneakers on her feet, I’d lost that bet.

She still wore the mum I made her, and it made me proud.

She watched Ledela with a grin, tapping her foot as if she might want to join her. Liam talked to Michael beside him without a thought about dancing.

Clearing my throat, I walked over toward them, not caring that Liam or Michael were pissed at me.

Closing in, Adler noticed me, straightening her shoulders and her top. Liam noted her movement, looking up to see me come to a stop in front of them.

Michael chuckled beneath his breath. “Huxley, thought you weren’t coming?”

“I changed my mind, not that it’s your business.”

Michael was the male version of Savannah, always starting something. His smile never faltered, but I ignored him, trying to control my temper.

“You left before I had a chance to see you,” I said to Adler. “I see you got your mum.”

Her mouth opened for a few seconds before she said, “We went to eat with Jones and Ledela beforehand. I would have invited you, but Mrs. Shana said that you weren’t coming. Thank you for this. It’s perfect.”

Adler’s ice blue eyes bored into my heart. It’d been so long since we’d been this close to one another. Her sweet perfume suffocated my chest, making it hard to breath.

“You made that mum for her?” Liam asked.

Obviously she hadn’t told him, or he hadn’t asked. I didn’t see her wearing one he made. “I should have known; the damn poop thing is getting old. I bet she doesn’t like it anyway.”

Adler curled her arms around her stomach. “I do like it,” she said.

Liam stared down at her. “Well, we wouldn’t have invited you out to eat anyway,” Liam snapped. “I don’t think it’s a good idea that you hang around my girlfriend.”

With a laugh, I asked, “How do you suppose I stay away from her when we live together, huh?”

Michael rubbed his palms together as if he may get to see a fight, but I couldn’t fight Liam again, it was exhausting hating him. Plus, Mom would kill me if I got into another one.

Liam pushed Adler to the side, his white button-down already unbuttoned and his sleeves rolled up to his forearms. “Looks like you’ve done an awesome job of ignoring her to me. She says you won’t even eat with them at home.”

Adler dropped her gaze to her shoes.

“Listen, Liam you are my best friend, I hate feeling this way, but I can’t just drop how I feel about her.”

“She’s your sister,” he hissed.

I laughed. “My stepsister, Liam and you know that. I can’t sit around and pretend that I don’t love her because I do. I won’t intrude on your relationship, but I won’t stay away from her.”

Liam clenched his fist, his dark eyes dilated with hate toward me. “I want you to leave—”

“Stop,” Adler said, grabbing his bicep, looking up at him with pleading eyes. “He is right. I can’t stay away from him, that’s insane. We need to be friends, all of us.”

Liam scoffed, dropping his gaze to her. “Adler, he said he loved you, made you this mum when you’re my girl, kissed you even. I can’t stand around while you two secretly hook up behind my back.”

She stepped back as if she’d been slapped. “I would never cheat on you. I can’t believe you don’t trust me.”

“I didn’t say that—”

“Stop,” I said. “Y’all enjoy your night, I didn’t come over here to start a fight, I came over here with intentions of making this better, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.”

Liam didn’t budge, his eyes hard like I figured his heart was at the moment.

I walked away from Adler who looked ready to cry. Maybe it was too soon to try to make friends with Liam, but I knew it wasn’t too soon to make Adler my stepsister again.

The dance was opened until ten, but I left at nine after dancing with a few freshmen and drinking some punch. It felt nice to feel like a part of the school. Most of my classmates didn’t hate me as they had Adler for making the website. It was a double standard, them ignoring the fact that I dared her to do it. Her shoulders seemed more relaxed since I forced Señor Seth to unblock me, so I could take it down.

Adler’s phone bill was lower this month, too. Apparently, she hadn’t been connected to the Wi-Fi as she thought and Mr. Steven almost crapped bricks.

I started home, unbuttoning my shirt on the way, and kicking my shoes off. Mr. Steven and Mom’s door was cracked, with the dim light from their TV shadowed onto the living room wall.

I stuck my head inside to let them know I made it home and headed up to my bedroom.

It felt good to strip from my clothes and into a pair of basketball shorts. The weight on my shoulders lessened knowing I’d tried to talk to Liam, and Adler at least heard me out.

Most of my life, besides my dad bailing on us, I had things go my way. With football and girls, it was easy breezy.

This year proved hardball and nails compared to the ones prior. And if Liam continued to date Adler, it most likely wouldn’t be easier my senior year either.

I’d never loved someone so much that it hurt deep to see them with someone else.

I turned on my TV, lowering the volume enough to start on our next novel for English Lit, The Green Mile. It was thick, and I’d seen the movie, but I almost felt excited to read it.

Ten chapters in, I woke to a knock on my door. My book fell to the floor, losing my spot when I jumped up. “Come in.”

Adler pushed my door opened softly, her sneakers in one hand and the other nervously pulling at her skirt. Her puffy eyes were red-rimmed, and I immediately wanted to beat the hell out of Liam for hurting her.

I stepped forward, hovering close to her. “Did he hurt you, Poops?”

She shook her head, a small smile rising from the corner of her full mouth. “You called me Poops. I never thought I’d want to hear you say that to me again.”

Chuckling, I tucked her auburn hair behind her ear. “Why are you crying?”

She sniffled and wiped her snotty nose with the back of her hand. “I broke up with Liam.”

My heart plummeted into my stomach, falling so deep I thought I’d have to fish it out. “Why?”

“Can I come inside?” she asked.

I opened the door with my arm above her head, while she walked underneath it to my bed, sitting on the side, while I shut the door behind me.

The room felt small with her in it. “Huxley,” she said beneath her breath. “I don’t know how to say this really, I had it all planned out in my head, but it disappeared the moment I saw you standing there half-naked.”

I looked down at my shirtless chest and low-slung basketball shorts and smiled. “Go on.”

She laughed. “When Liam said he didn’t want us to be around each other I felt empty. We’ve been ignoring each other but I knew that it wouldn’t last forever. I knew we’d come around to being us again one day. The thought of that never happening made me want to cry.”

I stepped forward, hands behind my back, because I couldn’t find a place for them.

“All those times you tickled me to near death and annoyed the daylights out me. The nickname, the way you stuck up for me, and the wild way you kissed me, Huxley, Liam didn’t make me feel that way. I stood in the bathroom mirror this morning, wishing I wore your jersey instead of his.”

She let out a breathy sigh. “When you kissed me I wanted it to be so much more. After that, I didn’t feel anything for Liam. I wanted it to be there, but it wasn’t. You were there in the back of my mind while he kissed me. That isn’t normal.”

My hormones began to unravel, sending me into a whirlwind of want.

Adler stood up. “You make me feel alive, Huxley.”

I reached forward, running my thumb against her bottom lip. “What do you want to do about it?” I whispered, watching her heartbeat pick up in her chest. “Mom and Mr. Ray—I don’t know how they’ll take it.”

Adler shrugged her small shoulders. “Can we think about it tomorrow?”

She lifted onto her tiptoes and kissed me, pulling me down to meet her, and running her fingers into my hair.

Her small arm tugged strongly on my shoulder, while she sat down on the bed behind her, bringing me with her.

Adler’s hand shook a bit, deepening our kiss as if she couldn’t get enough. “Wait, wait, Adler,” I whispered, my mouth a hairbreadths away from hers. She stalled, lying back against my mattress, staring up at me. “We can’t do that, and I’m not strong enough to be in here with you like this.”

She made a face as if I offended her.

“This is serious. I can’t take your virginity without serious thought from you.”

Adler blinked slowly, a small smile on her lips. “Huxley I’ve been thinking about losing this for a long time now, and you’re the only boy I would ever trust with something so special to me. To the one person that truly loves me.”

I did love Adler Ray.

Leaning down with her in-between my arms, hips pressed against her opened legs, I whispered, “I’m going to strip you of all your insecurities, Adler Ray. You don’t know how special you really are.”

Adler sealed our kiss, her soft moans filtered into the quiet room, her hands running up and down my chest and over my shoulders.

Everything about her made my heart soar. She struggled with her top, laughing when I reached behind her and unzipped it, letting it loose around her arms.

With nervous eyes, she peeled the top off, leaving her in a black lace bra that I would have never pegged her for.

She mewled at me when I kissed her neck and down her chest to the top of her skirt. She had never been touched or kissed there, and I couldn’t wait to show her how I could make her feel.

Better yet, I couldn’t wait to show her how much I loved her.

***

I woke the next morning with Adler lying across my chest. My downy comforter hugged her tiny naked body tight. Never in a million years would I have guessed Adler would sleep naked in my bed.

The night before had been—for me, the best of my life—I knew she’d be sore, but I didn’t think she cared. Pride took over me, knowing I’d been her first made every other guy’s chances zero of hurting her.

A crackling sound of bacon sizzled from downstairs, sending me straight up in my bed.

Mr. Steven and Mom’s voices sounded distant, but they were awake. They didn’t need to see this, not yet, it’d have to be a gentle conversation over Christmas when I got Mom everything she wanted, and Mr. Steven had three weeks’ vacation.

It couldn’t begin with her sleeping in my bed after losing her virginity.

“Adler,” I whispered.

“Stop it,” she hissed.

“Get up,” I groaned, shaking her shoulders.

She swatted at me, turning the opposite way to avoid my voice. “Stop it or I’ll eat all the muffins when you’re in the shower.”

“Adler,” I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

Her eyes popped open, and she sat up on her palms, staring at me with wide eyes. She glanced down at her bare chest and squealed, turning to hide herself from me.

“Too late for modesty, Poops. That flew out of the window last night.”

“Oh Ga-wd,” she looked around the room for her clothes.

Finding it funny, I leaned back against my headrest, pointing toward her top over on my desk chair and her skirt in the opposite corner. “There.”

Her eyes turned to slits, but a small smile curled at the top of her mouth. “You find this funny. I’m not getting up to retrieve those, so you better do it yourself.”

I pulled the covers up to look underneath and shrugged. “I’m indecent myself, so no can do.”

Adler reached over to twist my nipple when Mom’s footsteps sounded up the stairs. “Oh no.”

“Get underneath the covers,” I hissed.

Adler slipped beneath the covers as Mom opened the door. I hopped on top of her, hearing a soft ‘oomph,’ before snatching my book from the floor.

Mom opened the door. ‘Good morning,” she said. “I’m making pancakes and bacon if you want some.”

“Yeah, sure, sure. I’ll be down soon.”

Mom lingered in the doorway, eyes searching my room. Adler wiggled a bit, so I reached over to squeeze her thigh. “How was the dance?”

“Meh,” I said. “Afterwards though, I had a night to remember.”

“You were home earlier; did you have fun reading your book?” she asked with a laugh.

“It’s the best book I’ve ever put my hands on.”

She smiled. “What time did your sister get in? I’m gonna go check on her—”

“She went for a run this morning,” I lied. “Told me to let you know.”

“Adler went for a run?” she asked dumbfounded. “She’s gonna float away if she loses any weight. That girl … anyway, I’ll tell her when she gets back.” Mom closed the door softly.

Adler pulled the covers from her face and took a deep breath before shoving me off her. “That was so close,” she said.

“Too close.”

She crawled away from me, keeping my comforter around her body as she grabbed her clothes. I couldn’t make it out, but she mumbled underneath her breath, scratching her unruly hair while taking small steps to keep herself covered.

I grabbed my basketball shorts from the end of my bed, slipped them on, and stepped on the end of Adler’s cover.

She pulled, reaching around to jerk it when she realized I stood behind her. “Stop it, Huxley. We’re just now in each other’s good graces. Do not pull that. Plus, we have an issue on how I’m going to sneak out of the house and pretend I’ve been running.”

I grinned, causing panic on her face.

She jerked hard, and I reached down to snatch the end, pulling her toward me with too much strength, she flew forward, knocking me over and I hit my head against my dresser.

Adler landed on top of me, laughing as I rubbed my head. “That’s what you get.”

I rolled over on top of her, covering her with my body. With auburn hair splayed around her, I took in her natural beauty. “How do you feel?”

“Sore,” she admitted. “But … good. Do I look older?”

“No, sorry,” I laughed.

Adler placed her palm on my chest. “Do you think Dad and Mrs. Shana would be okay with this?”

“That’s a million-dollar question.”

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough, or maybe, we should hide it for a while. Let us enjoy … us?”

Adler squirmed underneath me, avoiding eye contact. “I thought we talked about insecurities last night? You don’t have to be shy, it’s a little too late for that.”

She grinned. “I’ll work on it.”

Moving, I helped her up and into a pair of my shorts from my dresser and an oversized t-shirt.

“I’m going to go put some workout clothes on and climb down the trellis. Hopefully, I’ll fool them.”

“Grab the water hose and drench your head, maybe that will work.”

Adler walked toward my door but stopped to look over her shoulder. “Thank you,” she said.

I began to get dressed. “For what?”

“Daring me to do that stupid website. It was something I needed to get out of my comfort zone—and as much as I hate you for it—for telling everyone about it. I’m no longer Adler Invisible Ray. I’m Miss Play Your Man.”

I pulled my shirt over my head and cradled her chin in my palm. “You were never invisible, Poops. You’ve always been visible, I just didn’t realize until now where you were supposed to be, with me.”