{WATTYS 2021/2022 SHORTLIST}{Editor's Pick} {Featured Story}
One girl. Two boys. An impossible choice.
Stella LaFever, a theatre student from California, can't wait to spend a summer in Newport, Rhode Island, with her best friend. She is in despera...
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"West, wait!"
He paused halfway up the ramp, head cocked over his shoulder and still refusing to meet my eye. There was an angry furrow between his brow that I wanted to smooth out.
I took a step forward, hands sweating and heart pounding, but I had to ask. I wanted to ask. "I don't want you to leave."
West ran his long fingers through his hair, then slowly shifted his gaze to meet mine. It was the first time he'd looked at me all week, and a hopeful thrill raced through me.
I took another step forward, aware we were beginning to draw the cast's attention. But a week's worth of aching need had me disregarding curious eyes.
"Can we talk for a minute? Outside?"
He cast his gaze around the theatre at the people watching us before returning to me. "Fine."
A smile split across my face, and I swore I saw the beginning of a smile form in the corner of his mouth too. I couldn't describe my relief as I followed him up the ramp, through the foyer, and out the front door.
The overcast sky was misting rain; the cool droplets stuck to my hair and cheeks. West turned to face me, one hand on the strap of his backpack, the other clenching his hip.
There was so much that I wanted to say to him but didn't know how to start. So I just stood across from him, staring, breathing heavily as the mist continued to soak through my hair and clothes.
West's white t-shirt was slowly becoming see-through the longer we stood there, frozen in front of each other.
"If you wanted to talk, Stella, then say something."
I rolled my lips together, trying to force them to move. "Why are you mad at me?"
I mentally cringed. That's not what I wanted to say. I wanted to know why he'd been acting so strange this week, but I had so many other things I wanted to say first. Like, I can't stop thinking about you.
"I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself." West shook his head and let out one of his deep laughs I liked so much.
Not knowing how to respond, I waited for him to keep talking.
After a minute that seemed to stretch to infinity, West added, "You're better off with Spencer. He can be there for you. And he likes you."
I could barely breathe or move. Spencer's name was as good as a paralytic on my system. I tried to understand why he was saying things like this. Did he know about our kiss? Had Spencer told him?
"West, look at me."
His syrupy brown eyes reluctantly found mine, and that same delicious thrill raced down the back of my legs. He was painfully beautiful, but there was something more than attraction between us. It was a need to know more and be more to him than just a friend or an acquaintance.
