Glancing along the street I see a bunch of the neighborhood kids running into Felicia’s back yard.
Jumping off my stoop in one big jump, because my Converses are kick ass, I dart off that way.
I wonder what they’re doing.
Almost out of breath, I find them all climbing into a makeshift treehouse I didn’t know that was there. Then again, why would I? Nobody invites me to play. Maybe it’s because I can beat them all up.
“Hey guys,” I pant out of breath. Felicia stops mid climb and turns toward me. Her flowered dress is no match for my mesh shorts and tank top. She’s always dressed so pretty. I’ve tried to wear things like that, Momma even insists I do, I just don’t feel comfortable in them. I look like someone put a dress on an ape.
“Look who it is, it’s Tater Tot Tate,” Felicia teases. I scowl, but choose to ignore it.
“What are you guys doing?”
“Felicia is marrying Camden, so we have to get everything ready for the ceremony,” Riley informs, poking her redhead out the club window. “They’re going to kiss!” She giggles.
“It’s not a wedding,” Camden objects from inside the house. I hear him, but can’t see him.
My chest does this weird thing knowing that Camden is playing with them and didn’t invite me. Even more so, my stomach twists in an uncomfortable knot thinking about him kissing Felicia.
“Oh,” I whisper. Not sure of what I’m feeling.
“You can’t play. Sorry.” Felicia shrugs smugly.
“Why not?” She never lets me play with them, I don’t understand why.
“Because, Camden can only marry one person. Duh.” She continues to climb.
I kick at the dirt on the ground.
“Well, I didn’t want to play your dumb game anyways.”
Turning, I head back home.
“Ah, she’s going to cry!” Riley giggles.
“No I’m not!” I’m not going to cry. The sun’s just in my eyes.
Reaching my house, I open the mailbox and find this month’s edition of Sports. Rolling it under my arm I head behind my house. There’s a tree that has a branch that swoops into a U shape. It may not be some fancy clubhouse, but it’s perfect for perching on.
Climbing into my spot, I rub at my eyes and open it. I can’t focus on what it says though, all I can think about is Camden betraying me and playing with them. Kissing them. We always play together. He told me I was the only girl he’d ever play with. That was a couple years ago though. What if he likes Felicia, what if he wants to be her boyfriend? He’ll side with her, and hate me too! I’ll lose my only friend. I shake my head trying to focus on Boomer’s speech after his big win last week.
“Hey.” Looking out of the corner of my eye I find Camden standing down below. He has on a dark blue ball cap that is backwards, a white shirt, and blue jeans.
“Shouldn’t you be locking lips with Felicia?” My tone of voice laced with venom.
He climbs up and sits next to me.
“I told them if you couldn’t play, I wasn’t either. To be honest the only reason I agreed was because I was bored.”
Every boy in school is crazy about Felicia. I’m sure he was more than willing to kiss her. He’s lying.
“Whatever.”
“You don’t believe me?” He pinches his bushy brows together.
“I don’t.”
“What ya reading?” He changes the subject.
I can’t help but eye him suspiciously.
“Oh, is that about Boomer’s win?” His eyes light up as he scoots closer. He smells good, like really good. Leaning in, I deliberately sniff him. It’s fresh, but kind of spicy too.
“I watched his fight last week, he’s got a punch on him.”
“I watched it too. It was amazing.”
“I’m going to be the best MMA fighter there is when I grow up.”
I smile.
“I know you will.”
He looks down, his face turning red.
“I’ll get all famous and I’ll take you all over the world, Tate.”
My heart flutters.
“Not if I become famous first,” I tease. His eyes flick to mine, and I feel as if I was just pushed under water. Quickly I look back at the magazine. Things are getting weird between Camden and me lately. I wonder if that’s why he wants to play with someone else? I wish I knew what was happening between us though.
“It says here that if you want to be a good fighter you need a good boxing buddy.”
I point to the underlying text.
He frowns in confusion.
“What’s that? I mean, what does a boxing buddy do exactly?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I think it’s where you are just there for the other person. You know?”
He nods, but he’s not looking at the magazine anymore. He’s looking at me.
“Do you have a boxing buddy?” His voice cuts out and almost squeaks.
My insides twist oddly. They’ve been doing that a lot lately, especially when I’m near Camden.
“No, do you?”
His pimpled cheeks flush.
“No.”
Turning the page there’s a picture of a guy in nothing but fighter shorts and boxing gloves holding a half-naked girl. They’re kissing, like really kissing. Something tingles in my abdomen, and I shift uncomfortably.
Peering under my lashes at Camden, he smiles as he looks over the page.
“What will your fancy wife think of you doing MMA?” I taunt, trying to break the awkward silence.
He shakes his head.
“I don’t want Felicia, I told you I was just bored.”
I scoff, looking back down at the couple kissing. “Yeah right.”
Suddenly my cheeks are squeezed and my head is turned. Camden smashes his lips against mine, and I melt into his hold.
Slowly opening my eyes, Camden’s eyes open at the same time. I panic.
“Ew!” I push him back, and he chuckles.
“You didn’t like it?” He looks shocked.
I look back down at the magazine. “I don’t know, kind of.” I glare at him. “But if you do that again, I’ll pummel you,” I threaten.
“No you won’t ,Tate.” He presses his lips into mine once more, and I inhale a large breath through my nose. I don’t feel like I’m in this tree right now. I feel like I’m floating.
Forgetting I’m in a tree I lose my balance and fall off the branch backwards.
Landing on my arm I scream when my arm makes a loud snap on impact.
“Oh fuck!” Camden jumps down from the tree. “Are you okay?”
“Get my Mom,” I croak in pain.
Two hours later I’m sitting in a hospital bed with my arm wrapped up like a gordita. At least I got to pick a blue cast instead of some ugly white one.
“You sure you’re okay honey?” Mom asks, her face wrinkled with concern.
“Yeah, I’m okay.” But my head keeps going back to that kiss. It was my first kiss, and it was amazing. It was just like the kind you see in the movies. Only not the falling out of a tree part.
“I’m going to call your dad now and let him know what happened.”
“You think he’ll be mad?” Worry flushes through me, but I’m more nervous my mom saw Camden kiss me and that she might tell Dad. When I fell she came flying out the door as if she was standing right there.
“Nah, these things happen.” She winks before leaving.
Just as I close my eyes Camden and his mom walk in.
My stomach does that weird twisty thing again seeing him. His white shirt is covered in dirt from helping my mom pick me up off the ground.
“Hey, Tatum. Camden was really worried so he wanted to come see you. I hope that’s alright?” Camden’s mom smiles apologetically.
“Yeah, that’s fine. I’m going home soon though.” I laugh.
Kelly’s phone rings in her purse. Looking at the screen, she holds her finger up to me and steps outside.
“How are you feeling?” Camden walks up to the bed. The tension is thick between us, and fear spins in my head that Camden’s and I friendship might be ruined.
“I can’t really feel anything right now. The doctor gave me some medicine.”
“It looks really cool.” He looks over my new blue cast.
“Thanks.” My cheeks are warming. My eyes fall to his lips, and my body tingles. I wonder if I was his first kiss? Will he want to do more than kiss? I know Felicia has gone to second base with a kid from another school. Oh god, I’m not sure I’m ready for more.
He gazes at the counter that holds cotton balls and gloves before turning. His mouth turning into a lazy grin. “Can I be your first?”
My eyes pop out of my head. My mind going every which way with that question.
“What?”
Dimples form in his cheeks as he points to the cast.
“Your cast…” He holds up a permanent marker. “I found it on the counter, can I sign your cast?”
“Oh, yeah.” Wow, I need to pull my head from the clouds and slow down.
Pulling the cap off with his teeth he draws on it.
“I’m going to say I have no choice but to be your boxing buddy now.” His eyes focused on what he’s drawing, he doesn’t look up.
“Why?”
“Because I broke your arm.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.” His blue eyes flick to mine, and butterflies hit my stomach so hard I feel them in my throat. I guess this means the kiss didn’t harm our friendship any. Placing the lid back on the pen, he tosses it on the counter.
Camden’s mother walks in, tucking her phone in her purse.
“Okay Camden, let’s get going and give Tatum some rest.”
“See you later boxing buddy.” Camden winks.
Looking down at my cast I see what he drew. It wasn’t his name, but two boxing gloves that if you turned your head just right… it kind of looks like hearts.
Chapter Seven
Tate
Chewing on my nails I walk up the street where my dad is watering the bushes out front. He’s got a tight grip on the green hose, his eyes squinted as the mist of water sprays about.
Stepping up behind him, I spit out a piece of nail and take a deep breath. This is going to go horrible, I know it.
Closing my eyes I feel my heart continuing to break. Dad and I used to be so close before the world fell apart at our feet. I’d do anything to get us back, but to do that… it’s going to take a couple hits to the chest.
“Dad,” I mumble. He keeps spraying, my voice not loud enough. “Dad!”
He whips around, nearly spraying me in the face.
“Oh shit, sorry.” He lowers the hose, twisting the nozzle to turn it off. I attempt a smile, but it’s not genuine. He drops the hose, and rubs the back of his neck.
“I hope you’re here to tell me good news.”
I roll my eyes and cross my arms in front of my chest. “And what would that be? Hmm?”
He scoffs. “That you’re going back to school. That you’re not going to throw away your life.”
“Would you just stop!” I argue. “I’m so sick of it. You’re always on my ass, but you never hassled Journey about school. Why?”
He shifts on his feet, his brows rising at my back talking. “Because Journey was never in trouble as a child, Tate. You were. You defied your mother and I. The school was always calling us telling us of your brawls and arguments. But you are so smart, so goddamn smart if you’d just apply yourself.”
I point at him, my body temperature rising with the morning sun. “I was a typical kid. I took after my father, my role model. Why was that so bad?” I shrug.
He shakes his head, stepping toward the porch. My eyes sting with the urge to cry, so I look away, not wanting to look weak. Only my dad and Camden can affect me the way they do.
“I wanted a different life for you Tate, because look at me now.” He says it so softly I barely hear him before he slams the screen door.
Turning away from the house I use the back of my hand to cover my mouth as an unexpected sob breaks through my trembling lips.
I wish he could see how great he was and is.
He is my dad, and I want us back.
Staring at the gym I second guess going in. I second guess a lot of things. Why am I here, and not just Chicago but this damn gym that I know Camden will be at? He hates me and that kills me. I wish I could go back and change so many things. The way Camden looks at me destroys me from the inside out. Maybe it was a mistake to leave college to chase a dream. I must be insane to think I can do this.
Closing my eyes, I lower my head and sigh. This is what I wanted to be since I was a little girl. I can’t let anyone stand in the way of that. Not anymore. I didn’t come this far, just to come this far.
“You can do this,” I whisper to myself. I’ve never been known to back down, and I’m not about to start now.
Blowing out a breath of second guesses, I grab my gym bag and climb out of the car.
The wind is blowing hard this morning, causing a chill to run up my spine.
Once inside my eyes adjust to the dim light, and my skin instantly warms.