Don't Save My Life

Chapter 19

Emmet

“Are we going the right way?”

I glanced over at her quickly and she met my eyes before I could turn back to the road. Looking her in the face made an immediate smile break across my face. I should have been embarrassed, but I’d rather her see that than know about the eruption of butterflies going off in my stomach. Willa nodded. She turned to face the window with the phone still jammed to her ear, but I could tell she was smiling too.

After that kiss, I was too happy to even be angry at Payton. I told myself to let it wait though, it would come.

“I’m really sorry about this.” She said hurriedly, holding her hand over the receiver. “I’m so embarrassed.”

I shrugged it off. I’d made it clear to myself that I couldn’t possibly stay mad at her no matter what. If anything, I was pissed at that jerk Payton. Like he knew the perfect time to ruin things. The fact that Lyle found those two in the closet was aggravating enough, even though she swore they weren’t doing anything. I didn’t let myself realize until now how much that had bothered me. Just the thought of her running to his rescue right now, even worse, with me helping made me sick.

“Don’t be embarrassed.” I said, trying to sound unbothered.

She offered a closed mouth smile before turning back to her cell phone. “Okay, we’ll be there in a sec.”

When she hung up she didn’t say anything else. She leaned her head against the window. I wondered if she was still bothered by the whole fiasco before the kiss. If she was, I wanted her to know that it was alright. It happened, but we could put it behind us. What mattered was that we’d gotten it out.

I took my hand off of the steering wheel and placed it on her knee.

“You ok?”

She nodded pursing her soft warm lips. I realized quickly that I was staring, but I couldn’t help it. Just moments ago they had belonged to my own. Willa was an incredible kisser after the first five seconds. I could tell it had been her first and not late into it did I remember my first had happened in tenth grade. I didn’t remember much about it, but it was nothing compared to what‘d just experienced.

“Then what’s on your mind?”

 “Payton and Patricia got food poisoning at a restaurant and he’s too sick to drive home.”

I raised an eyebrow trying to be sincerely concerned. Being poisoned was seriously dangerous. Why couldn’t I bring myself to be worried?

“They okay?”

“Patricia got picked up by her parents but Payton’s still there alone. I’m just a little worried, that’s all.”

I didn’t question it. Things that didn’t worry people normally held the equivalence of living in a battle zone for me, there was no telling how much really scared Willa.

I gave her knee a small squeeze. “We’ll be there in a minute.”

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                Willa held the door open as I grudgingly led Payton in leaning him on my shoulder for support.

“Oh.” He moaned. “I’ve literally just dispensed a years’ worth of cheeseburgers.”

“Yep.” I murmured. “All over my backseat.”

He hung his head so that his beiber-like hair fell over his face. But his voice told that he was smiling. “Sorry about that bud.”