Chapter 2

“Hold your horses, Mom. Before you start planning my dance outfit, I shut him down. No dress, no dance,” Gwen interjected.

“You turned down a date with that stud, Gwen? What were you thinking?” a shocked Kate exclaimed. “Girls would kill for a date with him. I know I would!”

“I guess it’s because I already had a feeling of what you just laid out, Kate. It’d be like a fairy tale initially. But come next week, when school kicks off, every cheerleader, hottie, flirt, and half the female teachers would be all over him. And what’s left for me? He’d ditch me in a heartbeat, and everyone would know I was just a temporary fix until he found someone more his speed. Dudes like him don’t go for girls like me. I get it, and I’m cool with it, but I’m not about to play the fool for the whole school’s amusement,” Gwen concluded.

“Gwen, you can’t be serious! He spent twenty minutes with you, chatting, asking about your school and family, and even scoring a date. That doesn’t sound like someone who’s not interested,” Paula exclaimed. “You need to get out more, honey. Senior year’s coming up. I know you’re gunning for pre-med at Stanford, but you’ve gotta have some fun too. You’ll do even better in your studies if you’re happy and living it up. Steve seemed like a good guy. He wasn’t asking you out out of pity. I saw him eyeing you before he knew we were heading your way. Trust me, he liked what he saw. It was obvious.”

“Yeah, sis, I noticed it too. I was just messing about the clothes thing and him not being into you. My bad for saying that. I was just jealous he was with you instead of me. I don’t get how you could just turn him down flat. You should’ve left yourself some wiggle room, like getting his number and telling him you’d let him know tomorrow or something,” Kate admitted.

“Well, there’s a tiny chance I might go to the dance with him on Saturday,” Gwen confessed. “He made me promise to go if our football team wins the game on Friday. I’m guessing he’s on the team; he was acting all cocky.”

“If we win the game?” Kate echoed, stunned. “Gifford took the league title last year! They smoked us by thirty points in the first game last season, and our quarterback and half the offensive line graduated in the spring. Looks like you’re stuck at home Saturday if our team has to win on Friday.”

“That’s exactly what I told him, Kate. That’s why I finally agreed to go out with him if they win. It was way easier than just flat out saying no,” Gwen explained. “It lets me off the hook without seeming too harsh or mean.”

“Gwen, listen to yourself,” Paula responded, exasperated. “Not many girls your age would want to get off his hook, given the choice.”

“Mother!” Kate and Gwen said simultaneously.

“I’m just saying!” Paula laughed. “He seemed dead set on getting a date with you, Gwen. Might be a good idea to have a backup plan for Saturday. He might just win that game single-handedly to take you to the dance.”

Steve had hit up the mall to grab a few things for the upcoming school year. He was stoked about diving into the whole regular high school scene in the U.S. and gearing up for his senior year of football. It was a major change, but one he was totally looking forward to. While contemplating whether to snag some fries at the food court, he spotted her.

Now, Steve had seen his fair share of good-looking girls wandering around the mall. Like any typical 18-year-old dude, he knew how to appreciate beauty. But let me tell you, he was still pretty darn stunned when he laid eyes on this dark-haired beauty chilling solo in the food court. She was rocking a Stanford sweatshirt and some laid-back jeans. And as Steve gave her a closer once-over, he realized those clothes couldn’t hide the awesome figure underneath.

Her long, dark hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, reaching halfway down her back. Every now and then, she’d scan the food court, watching the shoppers hustling about.

Steve noticed a little smile breaking out on her face more than a few times. She seemed amused by the whole crowd scene. Eventually, it dawned on Steve that it wasn’t just her looks that got him hooked; it was also her confident, easygoing vibe. She didn’t seem to take herself or life too seriously. Then he spotted the book she was reading and decided to take a shot.

Meanwhile, Gwen was multitasking while waiting for her sister and mom to wrap up their shopping. She was diving into the last novel for her honors English class while people-watching. Dreaming of becoming a doctor, maybe even a surgeon, she knew that tuning into what people conveyed through actions, not just words, would set her up for success in her field.

She caught sight of him right before he snagged a chair at her table. Dude was over six-foot-three and a solid two-twenty, sporting short hair and radiating relaxation and confidence. Then she locked eyes with him.

“Hey! I’m Steve Hammer. Noticed you’re digging into ‘Lord of the Flies,’ and I was wondering if you’re in Ms. Summer’s honors English class?” the guy asked, extending his hand.

Gwen felt like time froze for a hot minute. She finally snapped out of it, realizing she’d been staring. Breaking the trance, she noticed the hand waiting for a shake.

Taking his huge hand in hers, Gwen struggled to put together a response. She had to rewind in her mind to catch what he had just asked.

“Hey! Sorry if I seemed a bit lost there for a sec,” Gwen apologized. “I was deep into my book, and you caught me off guard. So, to spill the beans, I’m in Ms. Summer’s class. I’m Gwen Anderson. Now spill, how’d you know she threw this novel into our summer reading mix?”