Page 4 of Deadly Secrets

“I guess,” I finally say acting as though it’s such a burden, but we both know it’s not.

We stand in the field behind the playground and toss the football for a while and I’m super impressed at her throwing and catching abilities. As the hours go by, we head next door to Sherman Park to get some water from the fountain. No chance in hell that I’d offer to take her over to my house.

“When did you and Chance break up?” I ask, wondering what happened in the few weeks we’ve been out of school for the summer.

“Few days ago.” She turns on the park bench, propping her bent leg between us. “Caught him cheating.”

My eyes widen. Why would Chance be so stupid to cheat on Remi? She’s the entire package.

“That’s what I said,” she huffs and I didn’t realize that I’d said my thoughts out loud. “Right after I threw his alarm clock at his head.”

It’s not funny but it makes me chuckle, which in turn makes her laugh.

“I’d loved to have seen that,” I say. “Hope you hit the target.”

“Don’t worry, I hit bullseye.” She gives a mischievous smirk and I find myself returning one.

Her smile makes me feel lighter and stirs something deep within me. I avert my gaze as my dick takes notice. Even though I just guzzled down a lot of water it feels like I’ve swallowed cotton and can’t talk to her or form sentences.

“Do you come here every day?” she asks clearing the clouds in my head, which makes me focus back on her.

I nod, clearing my throat. “I work in the evenings so this is the only time I can get it in.”

“Makes sense, where you working at?”

I hesitate, almost embarrassed by having to work, but realize I’m not. Working gives me the freedom and chance to get out from under my parents and the circumstances they’ve put themselves and me in.

“At the Victor Mart. I stock the shelves at the end of the day,” I fill her in.

“Cool,” she replies.

“It isn’t,” I say and shake my head. “But it gives me some money so it’ll work for now.”

“Maybe I’ll stop by later and hang out.” Her eyes drop down to her leg hitched up on the bench between us.

Her response jolts me. What does she mean that she’ll come by and hang out with me? My head turns to the side looking for a group of classmates waiting to jump out and prank me. This can’t be real. She can’t really mean that.

“What are you doing here, Remi?” I ask, my voice coming out a little too harsh thinking I’m being played for a fool that this girl would actually want to spend time with me.

Her head snaps back at my tone and her eyes widen in shock.

“What? I…”

“We’ve been going to school together since kindergarten and this is the first time you’ve ever went out of your way to hang out with me,” I say.

Her face drops and a soft pink hue skates across her cheeks. She turns her body away from mine and faces forward.

“I… You…” she stops talking, then plants her face down into her palms. I stay quiet waiting for some kind of explanation. She lets out a heavy breath before perching her shoes up on the bench and laying her head on her knees. She turns her face my way and looks up at me where my curious eyes are staring back at her. “I just wanted to hang out with you. Is that not okay?” Her voice gets defensive and goes up a notch.

My eyebrows scrunch up and her words give me pause for a hot minute. “But why?”

Her shoulders hunch up to her ears. “I’ve wanted to for a while but I was with Chance and you’re always so hard to find at lunch or after school.”

I start to think my mind and ears are playing tricks on me. I couldn’t have heard her correctly. She’s saying that she’s been wanting to hang out… with me?

“Why are you looking at me like I just told you that you won the lottery or a new car?” she questions.

I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts of how this conversation is not turning out to be what I was expecting.