Letterman Jacket

8 / sixty days before

Today started off pretty badly.

For one, I had accidentally bumped into my mother this morning as she was entering Dad's study and spilled coffee all over the perfectly planned clothes I'd put together last night for my date. Theo had left for school already and I had to ask my father to fetch me—who drove as slow as a turtle. I almost didn't make it to the first bell if I hadn't ran the moment I stepped out of the car.

Mr. Finch had also rescheduled our second period anatomy test today instead of yesterday, and I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning studying for it because I was sure Nico wouldn't.

And I was right.

"It's the synchrondosis joint," I corrected in quiet irritation, my patience slowly running out as Nico argued with me about yet another question.

"Nope, I'm pretty sure it's the syndesmosis."

"Do you have to contradict me on every question in this test just to piss me off?"

"Whoa, what did you have this morning? An extra serving of bitchflakes?"

And because I was the more mature one between the two of us, I chose to ignore the insult.

With ten more minutes being wasted arguing over answers, his insufferable attitude got to the best of me that I literally snapped my pencil in half. I used the remaining time to work by myself as Nico finally shut up, racking my brain for the answers as I moved from one question to the next.

A sigh of relief escaped my lips once I walked out of the school gates after all my classes and entered the parking lot a little over five o'clock. The only car left parked was an '89 Chevy, and Faust was leaning against its side with his eyes cast downward and his hands in his pockets. Standing in khaki shorts and a gray sweater, the muscles of his arms were clearly defined where the garment ended, and his ink-black hair was tucked underneath a navy blue ball cap that he pulled on backwards.

"I'm sorry you had to wait," I apologized with a sheepish expression as Faust looked up and grinned, blue eyes meeting with hazel.

"It's no problem," he responded with a smile, opening the passenger car door. "After you."

*

The only thing Faust would tell me was that we were heading two towns over so that nobody would see us (for example, my brother, who luckily had already went home because of my excuse that I would be studying at Sutton's house) and so we wouldn't need to worry about looking over our shoulders when we were supposed to be having fun.

It was when he killed the engine that I finally figured it out. My mouth hung open in amazement, and then I asked, quite unbelievably, "You're taking me to Crown Pointe Park?"

"The one and only."

"But—but the tickets here are really expensive—"

"I asked you out, Thea, I get to choose the place and pay for everything, so don't worry about it. I'm going to ace this date."

I met his eyes and raised a brow. "You sound awfully confident."

Faust shrugged, the corners of his lips turning up into a lazy grin. "Come on."

*

I remembered that I read somewhere that first dates always went horribly—and the theory had been right until today. There was always something wrong or lacking in the first dates I had been on with other guys, but Faust had been able to prove that mindset wrong.

There weren't a lot of people in Crown Pointe Park considering it was a Wednesday afternoon except for a few other kids our age from Parkway and Faircoast. Faust grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the entrance, and I willingly followed with the silliest grin on my face.

We rode all of the rollercoasters in excitement and exhilaration, and then went on to the arcade games afterward. It seemed like Faust had a weakness after all—air hockey.

"Ah, come on!" he whined, staring at the puck that just entered his goal with raised arms. "I haven't scored yet, Thea. Give me a break."

I threw my head back and laughed—something I had been doing a lot lately since the minute we got here. "This is the only thing I can beat you at. Let me have my fun."

He tilted his head to the side, lips slowly curling upwards. "I don't know about that."

I rolled my eyes. "Drop the modesty. I think you know you're pretty much ace at everything you do, Faust. Well, except for air hockey."

"What about the date?"

"What?"

"Am I acing it? I said I would ace it."

I paused for a moment. My smile stretched to a grin. "Don't worry. You're acing it."