Hate to Say I Told You So

Chapter Sixteen

I tried the same trick the next morning. I sat in the same arch, pulled out my book, and started to read. Ross wrote in his notebook again, but after a minute he put it away and I felt him looking at me. Ross reached over and took my book from my hands, still staring. I stared back.

He wore his leather jacket. My heart, stomach, everything, started doing back flips. I tried not to let how he affected me show, but I felt my brain go fuzzy, and I wasn't so sure I could come up with a comprehensive answer to a question. A slight smirk smeared across his face.

"What?" I asked

"Meet me at the playground in the park after school today." With a wink, he left, my insides still doing back flips. He had taken my book with him.

The day couldn't have passed any slower. Even English dragged by. Ross sat next to me and just stared at me the whole period. It took every ounce of my strength not to touch him. As he left, he dropped the book he had taken on my desk, running his hand over the cover, not looking at me at all. He acted like such a weird kid. At lunch, I just got a wink and a Cheshire cat grin before he went to the corner with his notebook. I thought I could feel him watching me as I read. Every time we locked eyes, he just sent me a smirk and started writing, even faster than the last.

After the bell rang, I ran to the park. When I saw Ross wasn't there yet, I sat in a swing to wait. After a moment a twig snapped behind me, followed by footsteps on the packed sand. I turned just as Ross tried to give me a breath by my ear and he almost got my mouth. He laughed, soft and light, and started pushing the swing.

"Hi," I said, smiling as his hand pressed into my back to keep me going.

"Hello," It gave me hope that his voice sounded light and happy. "I got your note. That's sort of why I asked you to talk with me."

"I'm sorry I overreacted at the dance." I said.

"You're sorry? I'm the one who acted like a creep and should grovel at your feet for mercy."

"It's not too late." I teased.

The swing stopped and Ross squatted down in front of me, hands on my knees, pale eyes looking pathetic under his long, dark and thick lashes.

"Isabelle Bryant. I am so sorry for acting like such a jerk at the dance. I let my hormones get the best of me." He leaned in a little closer to my face. "It's all true, though. Belle, I still like you. More than you think." Ross gave me a real kiss on the cheek. I closed my eyes and leaned into him. He rested his forehead on my shoulder, and I found myself cradling my cheek against his head. I liked this a lot. I didn't want this moment to end up the last time we stood like this. I wanted it to end up the first of many. Ross and I stayed like that for a minute before Ross took a deep breath and stepped back a bit, seeming to not want to walk away.

"Now what did you want to tell me?"

"I'll tell you my family crap if you tell me yours."

He sat in the swing next to me and grabbed the chain of mine so we swung in tandem. His voice came out in a rush. "My dad left when I turned three and Heather turned four. I guess we were both attempts to save an already doomed marriage. He moved to a town on the east side of the state. I've seen him on and off since then. Last year he served my mom with divorce papers, out of the blue, and I haven't seen him since then, if I'm honest. With the costs of everything, she couldn't afford for us to live in the city anymore, so we moved. This is where she grew up before moving to the city for college and meeting my dad. The house we live in now, we bought from my grandmother, who moved into a condo. That's why I walked you home all the time; I could spend time with you, and visit her at all in one trip. The end." He let me go, and jumped off the swing. He turned towards me and held out his hands, "Your turn."