Say Yes Read Free Page B

can’t believe I’m saying this, but I had a lot of fun with you
tonight,” I said, holding onto my giant brown teddy bear with a blue bow around
its neck in one arm, and three stuffed bunnies in the other. 
                “You say
that like you’re surprised or somethin’, Lil.  That hurts,” Luke said, smiling
as we stepped up on my front porch. Just as I set my stuffed animals down on
the swing, he took hold of my hand and sighed. I was surprised that his skin
felt hot against mine. “I still can’t believe you are leaving tomorrow.  Ha,
you’re such a nerd. Who starts college a week after graduating high school?”
                “This girl
does. Besides, I don’t know why you care so much.  We never really became any
kind of friends until Jack started dating Daisy, and then you were always
hanging around here with him all the time. You only talked to me because you
had to,” I said.
                Luke looked
right into eyes, a little stunned. “Is that why you think I was hanging around
here so much?”  He was looking at me like I had three heads.
                “Well,
yeah, I guess I do. Wait, are you mad at me?”
                “No, I’m
not mad, just...yeah, I guess I am mad. Are you really that blind?” Luke said,
frustration dripping off his words.
                “What does
that mean?  What is your problem?” I answer back.
                Luke
clenched his jaw and he took a deep breath.  He seemed to be choosing his words
carefully.  “Lilly, I started coming over with Jack because when he told me he
had a thing for Daisy, I thought if I came along…that I’d get to see you.  I would
sit here on the couch, staring at the TV, sometimes for hours while they
flirted and kissed, which was disgusting by the way, just in case you might walk into the room and I’d get to see you
for five minutes.  I just…oh man, are you really gonna make me say it?”  He
paused for a long moment.  “I am in love with you, Lilly.”
                I just
stared at him.  I couldn’t speak. Luke Beckett was in love with me?  Jesus, I really was blind. I just
thought he was a flirt…I mean, I’d seen him be this way with other girls at
school all the time. My scalp started to tingle and my face suddenly felt like
it was going to catch fire. “Luke, I…don’t know…” I couldn’t speak.
                “Well, I
guess it doesn’t matter now anymore does it?  I’m out of time. But…there is
just one thing I have to do before you go.”
                I gulped. “W-w-w-what’s
that?” I stammered, my hands shaking.
                He took a
step closer to me, so that we were only inches apart, and before I can think,
he leaned down and kissed me…
     
                Violet leaned
over in her seat and honked the horn three times. “Hey y’all, we’re home!” she
shouted, and opened the car door before Evan can turn off the engine.
                I shook my
head to try and forget that memory.  I haven’t thought about Luke in years, and
now I have thought about him twice just on my way home.  I had to get a grip on
myself.  I opened the car door, and saw behind me that Evan and Violet were
getting my bags from the trunk.  Wow, with service like this you’d think I was
a queen or something.  Just then, my parents walked out onto the porch of our
home.  It looked exactly the same as it did when I left.  And so did Mama. 
Blonde hair, blue eyes, delicate features…my mother was just beautiful.  She
held her arms out for me. “Lilly, come here and give me a hug!”
                I jogged up
the steps and into my mother’s waiting arms.  I took a deep breath and
instantly I felt home.  She still smelled the same, like her favorite perfume.
“Hey, Mama,” was all I could say.
                “My baby
girl,” she crooned. “Oh,