A shy high school senior jock and a closed-off girl battling an immune disorder fake a relationship to win a social media contest.
Being shy isn't easy, especially when you're the new kid at school. Scotts Valley's football program is subpar compare...
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Returning Stella to Mrs. Calvin was one of the happiest moments of my life. A tear escaped my eye, soaked in pure relief.
During Christmas break, Paige and I went to Scottsdale, Arizona. Her parents agreed to let her come with me and Mom. Many people were here for two days, and the trip was half of her Christmas present.
"Oh, wow!" Paige looked around the hotel with sparkling eyes. They hadn't stopped since we picked her up. She twitched on the plane, petting her hair, grabbing my arm, and talking about a million things we could do here. I was still tired from us being out last night and an early flight, but was happy she came with us. Working seven days a week at the bakery, she needed a break more than me or Mom.
She trembled and hugged her elbows. Her arms were bare from her sleeveless purple shirt. "Thanks for inviting me."
She tied her coat around her waist because outside was like a dry, hot oven. Her elbows looked like smooth, natural skin. I wanted to touch them, but I didn't. That would be creepy. The faint pink was a sharp contrast to last night's dark red.
After her laser treatment, I took her to the beach. She needed a lot of convincing but relaxed at it being empty. The water chilled straight through my wetsuit and into my balls. We surfed through the sunset. I thought we were going home, but she tore back into the water, shrieking when it splashed her legs.
"You're going to freeze!" I yelled, laughing at her screaming at every step. Two steps into the water rushed a chill up my legs. "Fuck, this is too cold!"
"C'mon, chicken!" She flapped her arms, clucking. She was covered in goosebumps and dark areas, but she dipped under the water and came up with a gasp. Her hair stuck to her neck, her eyes rounded as I reached her, and she moved her arms under the water.
"Are you okay?"
She gazed at the blurred forms. "Yeah, it...doesn't hurt as much."
I smiled at her blue ponytail next to my bracelet. Paige had yanked her elastic band off and pushed it over my hand.
"There. Claiming my fake boyfriend." She splashed handfuls of water on my face.
How did she not know she already had me? She did, all of me. The number of times I replayed the moment with an outcome different from my dumb ass wiping the salt water from my eyes while Paige ran ashore was embarrassing. In my mind, I grabbed her from behind, tossed her back into the water, or—
"Brody, manners!" Mom slugged my chest with her hand. I grunted under the blow and clenched my stomach. "Give the freezing girl your sweatshirt. And, Paige, dear, no need to thank us."
"She didn't ask." I peeled it off overhead. The edge dragged up my T-shirt, and the air conditioning chilled my exposed skin. I tugged my shirt down, but not before catching Paige looking at my stomach.
