Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 30019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
"Thanks, I think," I say, teasing him.
"You know what I mean," he says, rolling his eyes. "It'll be good to hang with someone who knows, you know? Having this secret is fucking exhausting."
Empathy wells in my chest. I know exactly how it feels to have a secret. At my last school, everyone knew about my heart transplant. They treated me like I was fragile because of it. I got special treatment because they pitied me.
When I transferred, I didn't tell anyone. The school nurse and Gage are the only ones who know. I'm not ashamed of it. But I don't want special treatment because of it, either. I guess I got my wish, huh?
Victoria is vicious about my weight and has no clue about my heart. Honestly, I'd rather have her vitriol than her pity. At least the former is honest.
But at least my secret won't get me ostracized or disowned like Corey's could. I can still be myself and love who I want to love without my own family rejecting me. He can't. And even if his family accepted it, he wants to play football professionally. Even in this day and age, there isn't a lot of room in the locker room for an openly gay athlete.
My secret and his aren't really the same at all.
"It's really not fair that the world is so cruel just because love doesn't look the same for you," I murmur. "You deserve better. I'm sorry, Corey."
"That's life, baby girl. It's cruel and unfair, but we live it anyway. Here." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. "Put your number in. I'll call you later and we'll work out the details for the dance."
"Are you sure?" I ask.
"Troian, put your number in the phone, girl! Damn."
I laugh and take the phone from him. Going with him won't be the same as going with Gage, but at least I won't have to sit in the corner by myself all night while Gage dances the night away with someone who isn't me.
I hate Prom. And boys.
I still don't hate Gage, though.
I could never hate him.
Chapter Three
Gage
"Oh, hell no," I growl, watching from outside the cafeteria as Corey Gaines flirts with my girl. I'm so pissed, I'm ready to storm over there and rip his throat out for smiling at her. And yet…I stand right where I am, watching in horror as they flirt and exchange numbers. My stomach actually fucking hurts as he pulls her into a big hug and whispers something that makes her laugh.
That laugh is mine. That hug was supposed to be mine, too. No one gives better hugs than Troian, and they've always been mine. I never had to share them with anyone else because she never hugs anyone who isn't me. She barely even talks to anyone who isn't me. She's so damn shy and sweet. People here don't appreciate her nearly enough for the treasure she is.
It's their loss.
Apparently, it's now mine too.
She's hugging Corey Gaines.
What the hell?
I didn't even know they were friends. Now, they're hugging.
Corey's not a bad guy. He's one of the few people in this school who hasn't ever said anything bad about my girl. When our teammates start in, he's usually right there with me, telling them to knock it off. But, for fuck's sake, I figured that was just because he's a preacher's kid.
Clearly, I was wrong, and he's secretly had a thing for her all along.
I can't really blame him. She grows more beautiful every day. I know this because it's an endless source of worry for me. She's already been accepted to Stanford for next year. I applied, but I was waitlisted. I won't have a definitive answer for at least six weeks.
If I don't get in, I won't be able to keep men away from her.
She'll be a timid little butterfly in a garden full of snakes, and she won't have me there to turn the horny bastards away. They'll get close enough to realize that she's not only beautiful but sweet and kind and hilariously funny and endearingly quirky. They'll fall in love with her the same way I did.
Like Troian, Corey is headed for Stanford. They'll be at the same school next year. He'll be there to take care of her…to make her laugh and keep her happy.
No. Hell no.
There's no way I'm letting her go without a fight.
She and Corey break apart, heading in opposite directions.
As soon as he disappears around the corner, I take off after her.
"Troian!" I shout.
Everyone in the courtyard turns to look at me. Except Troian, naturally. I know she hears me, though. She starts walking faster, as if those little legs of hers can outrun me. She's a full foot shorter than I am, and I run every day.
She tried to run once. In tenth grade, she decided she was going to try out for track. She made it half a mile and then called me, convinced she was dying. I broke every speed limit trying to get to her, terrified she was having a heart attack. She was fine by the time I got there, so I took her for ice cream. She crossed her name off the tryout list first thing the next morning, much to my relief.