“Yes, you!CauseI’ll make love to you, like you want me to…” he started singing our song and I absolutely melted from his voice.When he was really trying hard to sing, he had a deep, grainy sound that made chills run up my back and down my arms.
I was done.
I knew right then.
I loved him.
Chapter Fifteen
LEE
19 years earlier
It’s halfway through junior year and Mom begged me to start taking school more seriously, she said I need to start thinking about what I want to do with my life after graduation.But all I want to do is get out of this place, move to Virginia and be with Ellie.
That’s not practical, she told me.
That’s not real, she told me.
So, I tried my best to sweep Ellie to the back of my mind.The guys at school were worse than Mom when it came to trying to get me to forget about her.They kept pushing me to talk to random girls they pointed out in the halls.It was practically torture because none of them were her.
One Friday, at the beginning of February, I got to school late and rushed to my locker.A tall, blonde cheerleader was standing there, leaning up against my locker door; her legs crossed in front of her.
“Hey Lee.”She drawled.
“Hey, do I, um, know you?”I asked, not sure how she knew my name; I don’t really hang out with the popular kids in school.
“Duh, I’m only in three of the same classes with you.”She twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
“Oh.Sorry…?”I tried to guess her name but came up blank and shook my head.
“Maggie.”She rolled her eyes.
“Maggie.Right.I’m kind of late and my first class is on the other side of the school.Can I get in my locker?”I reached my hand for the combination lock, and she scooted over just enough for me to open the door and grab my books.I hoped she would be gone but when I closed the door, she was still there, looking at me expectantly.I spun the lock and started walking away only to find her running to catch up to me.
I saw Dane and Ezra waving me over and veered into their direction by the guy’s bathroom.I was trying my best to ignore Maggie, but she was still walking one step behind me.
“Hey!”She reached for my elbow and snagged my shirt.I spun around on my heel and breathed out an exaggerated breath, raising my eyebrows in response.“Some of us are going to the movies tonight.Do you want to come with?”
I stopped next to the guys and was about to come up with some excuse to not go but Dane cut me off, “He definitely wants to go.”I looked at him with a questioning stare and mouthed “What the fuck”.Then to make it worse, Dane asked, “Where should he pick you up?”
“Great!”Maggie smiled.“Pick me up at 7:00, my house.”She grabbed my hand and wrote her address in blue marker, then sauntered off.
“Thanks dude.What the hell.”I said to Dane as we all walked to our first period class.
“No big deal, man, you need to get out there.”Dane told me.
“And Maggie is hot!”Ezra looked over his shoulder toward the direction Maggie walked off in, whistling so that just the three of us could hear.
“Okay whatever, but if I’m going, you guys have to come too.You can’t leave me hanging with those jocks all night.”I took a seat in the back of the classroom.
“Alright by me.Maybe you can get Maggie to introduce me to her friend, Liz.”Dane laughed.
“Like I have any sway in that department.”I shrugged.
“Dude – Maggie wants you bad.She’ll probably do anything to get in your pants.”Ezra tapped my desk, emphasizing his statement.
“Whatever man.She’s never talked to me once before today.”
