honey » david dobrik au

twenty three

For the next two days, I avoided David like the plague. Everywhere I went, I ensured I was with either Ester or Ben. I wouldn't even let Ester go to the bathroom alone at her house; I made up some excuse that I kept seeing a bug, and I couldn't handle it on my own.

I couldn't handle even looking at him, and I hated it. I was so awkward and shy and scared of rejection; telling someone I loved them was a major step for me, especially someone like David, who was better than me in every way possible and probably had hundreds of girls telling him they loved him every day.

I just wasn't good enough, and I couldn't handle it. I couldn't even imagine the heartbreak I'd feel when David sat me down and told me that I was a good person and he really liked me but it was just going too fast and he should've never committed to a relationship. That wasn't my idea of a fun conversation, so instead I chose to just never talk to David again.

That didn't stop him from trying. He finally got me alone at a football game on Friday night. I had done everything right. I convinced Dad to let me and Ester sit on the sidelines instead of in the student section so we wouldn't have to interact with everyone. We went everywhere together so he couldn't catch me slipping.

It was after the game that he got me. Ester and I had both downed slush puppies before the game even started, and we basically had to pee the entire time, but we didn't want to miss anything. In the rush of the crowd trying to leave, I lost Ester, and within seconds, I ended up behind the concession stand with David.

"Jesus, Honey Badger," he seemed out of breath. "You couldn't try any harder to avoid me, could you?"

"Evidently, I could have since you're in front of me right now," I awkwardly replied, avoiding eye contact at all costs. Now was not the time for the talk. I couldn't be crying in the car on the way home with my dad. "Ester's gonna come look for me."

"No, she's not. I saw her leaving," he smirked triumphantly. He grabbed my face in his hands and asked, "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"You know why."

"I actually don't," he sighed. "Did you not mean what you said?"

"I meant it," I said, but my voice was shaking. I didn't seem confident in my answer. I repeated, "I meant it."

"Say it again," he practically begged, the hands resting on my cheeks forcing me to look up at him.

I listened. I said, "I love you."

"Again."

"I love you."

His face broke out into a grin as he leaned down to kiss me, more intense than any of our other kisses. He backed us up until we hit the building, and I gasped into his mouth. He smiled and told me, "I love you, Honey Badger."

"Not my name."

"Don't care."

"Holy shit."

The whole world stopped.

My heart climbed up in my throat and choked me. Everything in my body went numb for a second as I turned my head to see who had just caught us.

We were at least a little bit lucky. It wasn't Ben or Ester or my dad that caught us. It was Corinna. We could work with that. We could fix that.

"I just came back here to smoke before I had to go home," the shocked smile was permanently etched on Corinna's face. "I so fucking knew it!"

"Corinna," I sighed, finally finding the courage to push David away from me. "I—it's not—um..."

"I knew you were staring at her all those times in the cafeteria," Corinna cockily smirked. "You are a sneaky little devil, Mr. Dobrik. Ben is going to fucking kill you."

"I know," David laughed, his eyes traveling to meet mine. "But ain't she pretty."

It would've been the sweetest thing he'd ever said if I wasn't about to pee my pants.

"I'm not gonna tell anyone, Honey. You can relax," Corinna told me, and I breathed a sigh of relief. She frowned, "I can't believe you even think I'd betray you like that! I thought we were friends!"

"We are," I smiled. "It's just... we're kind of in a mess. We're in a mess, for sure."

"Yeah, I can tell. You're hooking up with David behind the concession stand while your dad yells at the team in the locker room. Does Ester know?"

"No."

"Yikes," Corinna raised her eyebrows. "You really are in a mess."

"You should go, baby, before someone comes to look for you," he kissed me on the forehead, backing up so I had space to leave. "I'll explain and text you later."

"Okay. Bye."

I waved awkwardly and then started to walk away, completely uncomfortable. David snagged my arm before I moved too far. He singsonged, "I love you."

It felt good to know he would say it, even in front of Corinna. I smiled and said, "I love you too."

As I was walking away, I heard Corinna say love, David? you are out of your fucking mind if you think that's gonna work out for you.

She was right, and I hated it. David and I had no chance, or at least that's the way it seemed. We were hopeless.

I sat outside the locker room for the next twenty minutes until players started filing out, Ben and Todd coming out last. Ben glanced down at me and said, "You didn't go with Ester?"

"No? I'm going home. I'm tired."

"I'm going to Todd's."

"Okay?"

"So you can go in. Dad's the only one in there. He'll take you home."

"Okay. Bye."

He didn't respond.

I waited for Dad for another fifteen minutes while he fumbled around the locker room, straightening things up and getting all of his playbooks and movies and stuff together. I sat quietly while he rambled to himself about how the defense sucked and how he was going to quit and go to an actually good school. He said that at every school we went to, but eventually every school we went to was the best. Dad was just like that. I didn't know how he did it, but he did.

"Are you ready, Honey bear?" he asked once all of his stuff was gathered, and I nodded. He drove us home, asking me what I thought of the game and how I thought he could improve. I told him to kick Ben off the team. He gave me a look. I laughed. He said, "Ben's the only reason I haven't killed all these kids yet. How was your day at school? Make any new friends?"

"Nope," I frowned. "Some kids put dog shit in Alex's locker. I don't know who it was, but I feel really bad. I'm gonna make him some cookies for Monday."

"You are so sweet," Dad smiled proudly. "Are you dating that boy? You know, your mom's mom might be crazy, but she was making some good points. You do seem different. Happier."

"I'm not dating anyone," I lied through my teeth. "I just... feel okay in Vernon Hills. I have two, real friends. I'm not dating anyone."

I hated lying. I was doing it a whole lot more recently, and I had a feeling that the web of lies I had built was about to snap.

Ummmmm they are so sweet. They have my heart. They actually could shoot me.

Xoxo abby