Dating the Dead • lrh

11. plant

Someone's giving me a handjob.

I let out a moan I didn't know I was holding. I heard my name over and over. A sting spread from my cheeks, making my eyelids flutter.

"Luke! Wake up!" Shelby's voice became clearer.

I groaned out a question. "What time is it?"

"Quarter to five. Come on we're gonna miss it," she said, opening the door. Harper was already outside, holding up a huge basket and a flashlight.

I got out of the car and felt the need to pee. "Hey Shelby, where can I take a leak?"

"We're in a farm, so pick a spot away from me."

A sigh escaped my lips when I'm certain I didn't have an actual boner. I don't know what I'd do if that happens. It would probably be a disaster.

I approached Shelby with my hands open side by side like a kid begging for food but in fact I'm just asking for something to wash them with.

"Do you have a-" Shelby didn't wait for me to finish and poured hand sanitizer on my palms. "Thanks."

"No problem," she said, chucking the bottle of sanitizer in her bag. "Let's go, Harper's already ahead of us." She pointed a flashlight and started walking.

We wound through evenly spaced trees. I continued to follow Shelby who seemed to know where we're heading. If it weren't for my mum knowing who I'm with, I already panicked. This looked like a good place to hide a body.

My eyes wandered from the canopy where faint light was slowly breaking through to Shelby's back. With my phone's flashlight, I stared at her ponytail, swaying. I caught a glimpse of her hair curling near her nape, just above her camera strap.

One moment, I was thinking how soft her brown locks would feel under my touch. The next was thinking how stupid I was to pay attention to that more than the root sticking out from the ground.

I heard a faint shutter sound underneath Shelby's laughter. "Why are you making out with the ground?" She said, helping me to my feet.

"Shut up." While I dusted my pants off, she wiped the dirt from my face with a silly grin. "Um, thanks," I tried to look away because I could feel the heat rise up to my cheeks.

She held my face with her hand. "Stay still, I'm trying to help you."

"I'm good, now." I tried to break away but her grip tightened.

"Normally, we plant apples. I don't know where you got the idea that you can harvest your good looks," she said, still having a crazy smirk. She let go of me once she thought I'm clean enough.

I picked up my phone from the ground and stuffed it in my pocket. I'll inspect it later. As I started walking, Shelby grabbed me by the wrist.

"I'm not going to trip again." I wiggled my arm but this girl has a death grip.

Her pace quickened and was already dragging me. "No, but you walk too slowly. We're going to miss it."

I hope it's just her grip cutting my circulation because my pulse felt like it's going to explode.

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