He laughed. “I have an idea for inspiration. How about you actually come to the rally today?”
“The school rally? The one they do in the gym with screaming people and chanting and school spirit? And … wait, how do you know I don’t go to rallies?”
“I notice you, Lily Abbott.”
I smiled. “I’m still not going to the rally.”
“Just today. They’re doing some big thing for the football team and then introducing the post–winter break sports. That’s me. You want to be supportive and stuff, right? And I actually expect you to come to some of my baseball games in the spring.”
“I’m super supportive. I’m going to be there. At the rally and at your games. You watch me. I will be the best girlfriend ever.” I said the word before I realized I said it then quickly backtracked. “I mean, not necessarily girlfriend. Dating person. The person you go out with … and kiss … and, I’m sorry I’m still weird.”
“You are adorable. And I didn’t think I needed to ask. I thought it was assumed. But I’ll ask.” Then he did the most embarrassing thing in the world. He threw his hands in the air as we were approaching the commons and screamed, “Lily, will you be my girlfriend?”
“Not after that I won’t,” I said.
“Really?”
“Of course I will. Now put your hands down and stop being so … ”
“Mainstream?”
“Loud.”
He laughed and gave me a quick kiss. “See you at the rally, girlfriend.”
If I smiled any more at school people might start to think I actually liked to be there. I settled into my seat in Chemistry, a new feeling of appreciation for the class coming over me. Maybe I owed Chemistry some effort for all it had done for me. I was going to get my grade up. Isabel would help me.
My hand immediately went to the underside of the desk even though Cade and I both knew Mr. Ortega was on to us and we’d said we wouldn’t write anymore. My smile widened when I felt something there.
“You and Cade, huh?” Lauren said from next to me and I jumped a little. I pulled the letter onto my lap so she wouldn’t see it.
“I guess,” I replied. “I mean, yes. Me and Cade. Cade and I. We don’t really fit but we … ” Why was I explaining myself to Lauren? “Yes.” I forced myself to stop with that.
She looked over my shoulder and nodded. I quickly glanced over as well and saw the back of Sasha heading to her seat. I was surprised she hadn’t said anything. She was probably embarrassed. She’d said enough over the last few weeks. I was glad she was going to quietly lick her wounds.
I waited several minutes—until Mr. Ortega started his lesson, until Lauren was busy taking notes—to open the letter. The handwriting brought my smile back.
Hi. I know we’re not writing anymore but I couldn’t help myself. I’m thinking about you. Plus, I forgot to tell you something this morning. Remind me later. Now pay attention or Mr. Ortega will steal this.
I grabbed my phone from my bag and sent him off a quick text.
You know that there is this thing that magically takes words and sends them through the air and delivers them to a recipient. It’s kind of new so I didn’t know if you’d heard about it. But you use it for its speed.
He wrote back immediately.
Like an airplane that attaches words to its tail? I thought those only advertised sales and things. I wonder how much they charge per word.
My cheeks hurt. He must’ve read my letters as much as I’d read his.
You’re my favorite, I replied.
I need your letters back, btw. They belong to me.
The class had gone quiet and I silently cursed. I looked up to see if everyone was staring at me, but they weren’t. Mr. Ortega was just writing something on the board. It was my lucky day.
A lyric came into my mind: You’re my favorite way to pass the time. But time stands still when you’re on my mind. I reached inside my backpack to write it down, but couldn’t find my notebook. I must’ve left it on my nightstand the night before. That was new and kind of refreshing. I smiled a little and jotted the note on the corner of a scrap paper instead. The clock told me I still had thirty minutes left of class. Then it was the rally. Another thing I never thought I’d look forward to.
I hadn’t been to a rally in a while. It was loud.
Isabel leaned close as we sat in the bleachers. “The things we do for your boyfriend,” she said with a smile.
“I was just thinking the same thing.”
We had gotten to the point in the rally where the football team had just been congratulated for its amazing season. The sports teams we were now supposed to direct all our fan efforts toward were standing across the stage. I smiled at Cade, who had caught my eye.