Eastwood Academy

Chapter 46: Loved Up Haze

The following two weeks pass in a loved up haze. I try to split my time evenly between school, my friends, and River, but it's hard because all I want is to spend every waking minute in River's arms. Jessica and Carly give me plenty of good natured shit about it, teasing me that I'm in looooooove with him. They might be right.

The baseball field has become our favorite school haunt, mostly because no one goes there during lunch, so we can sneak off to be alone. Thank god there aren't security cameras because if there were, someone would have a weekly (or more like almost daily) view of River and me all over each other. We don't have sex, but we do pretty much everything else.

I want to, though. The more time passes, the more I want to be close to him in every way possible. The Monday of the second week of October, I resolve to bring it up to River after school when he meets me to help me practice for softball tryouts.

Aside from privacy, the baseball field is great because it means I can practice with River alone. Which is good because I need it.

In the first week of October, Nina introduces me to a couple of the girls on the softball team, and they invited me to practice with them informally, starting in the second week of November. I happily agree, but I know I need to practice on my own before I get on the field with them, even informally, because it's been so long since I've bothered to pick up a bat.

Heading to the gym, I change out of my uniform into sneakers, leggings, a down jacket, a scarf, and a hat. It's gotten much colder in the last couple of weeks. Fall is in full swing, and I love it. The campus looks even more stunning than when I first arrived, with all the trees covered in red, orange, and gold leaves.

I meet River outside, who's also shed his uniform for sweatpants, sneakers, and an athletic jacket that fits him snugly. Hanging from his hand is a rectangular sports bag, which he hands me.

"For you. I know you want to start practicing soon. No time like the present," River says, leaning down to kiss the top of my head as he passes the bag to me. I unzip it to find two wooden bats and several softballs.

"Thank you," I tell him, feeling very moved by the gesture. River can be withdrawn and aloof to most of the world, but to me, he's the warmest, most caring, and most attentive boyfriend a girl could ask for.

Hand in hand, we head towards the baseball field, River taking back the bag and opting to carry it for me. When I tell him I can carry the bag myself, he just winks and says, "Chivalry isn't fully dead. What are boyfriends for?"

"So I was thinking..." I start as we enter the baseball field, feeling not insecure but also not sure how to phrase what I want to say. How does one proposition one's own boyfriend? "Maybe we could go into the city this weekend, just you and me? You know, to get away from everything, have some privacy. I have some money saved up. We could split a hotel room?"

At my words, River stops, causing me to crash into him and stumble. He catches me before I can fall.

"I would never ask you to split a hotel room with me. I appreciate you offering Brooks, I really do, but it's unnecessary. I can pay for things like that," River says.

Part of me wants to protest. River already does so much for me. Example A is in the sports bag lying beside us on the grass (judging from the fact that it's leather, I'm sure the bag alone cost a small fortune). I don't want him to think I'm with him just for his money. I also don't consciously believe that he thinks that, but sometimes, the nasty thought pops into my head.

"Secondly, as much as I would love to go into Denver and spend every minute alone with you in a hotel room, I have some shit I have to deal with this weekend I've been putting off. I actually don't think I'll be around much," River says, and I realize he's talking about parents' weekend. Except he's not talking about it. He's avoiding the subject like the plague. I realize now, too, that I never asked him if he wanted to meet my father.