Never Getting Back Together

FIFTEEN

I sprint through the parking lot. My shimmery, gold sandals slap against the asphalt. Raindrops speckle my face as I dodge people fleeing the storm. My arms pump, and my skin chafes against my wet tote bag. The wind whooshes past my ears, but I can still hear Ty's sneakers squeaking on the blacktop behind me.

Not today, Satan, I think. No way am I letting Ty sweet-talk Old Man Jenkins into voting for his dumb movie.

I dig deep, sprinting with all I've got. I haven't run like this since I was a child, and for some reason, I remember it being much more enjoyable. My lungs burn, straining for oxygen, and my head throbs with the pounding of my heart.

I squint through the rain coming down in earnest now, making my dress stick to my legs. Old Man Jenkins is halfway across the street. Dang. That is one fast old dude.

Ty's stride is a lot longer than mine, and despite all my effort, he's easily keeping up with me. I run harder, muscles screaming from exertion. But from the corner of my eye, I see him start to pull ahead.

Linda Blair has nothing on me. If I thought I was possessed earlier, I'm certain of it now. I swear, I have absolutely no control over my elbow as it flings itself outward, colliding into Ty's arm hard enough to make him stumble.

"Quinn!" He shouts after me as I dash down the sidewalk, kicking up a spray of water. Ty hasn't given up, though. I hadn't heard any rumors about him joining the track team out at UCLA, but I'm starting to wonder because he quickly catches up to me.

Too bad for him, this demon has a firm hold on me. My elbow nails him again, nearly knocking him into the slick cobblestone street.

"Quinn, stop! I can't push you back. You're a girl."

"Well, it sucks to suck!" I yell as I sprint into the road.

Ty must have the tenacity of a honey badger because he closes the gap between us again. I attempt to throw another elbow, but he dodges it this time. I overbalance, tripping as my shoes skid on the wet stones. My tote bag flies off my arm, sending flyers scattering over the sodden street. The clipboard slides out of my grip as I crash into Ty like a defensive tackle taking down a quarterback.

Ty takes the brunt of the fall, landing on his back and elbows. He lets out an oof as the air is knocked from his lungs. I land on top of him, arms and legs wrapped around his body like a spider monkey. I scramble to push myself off, but my hand slips on the stones, and I fall against him. Our heads smash into each other with a loud thunk. The heel of my palm burns where it skidded against the street.

"Ouch." Ty rubs his knuckles against his forehead, struggling to sit up. "For the record, this is all your fault. But are you okay?" His eyes rove over my face and the skin of my arms as though checking for damage.

I'm suddenly very aware of my wet dress, clinging to every curve of my body. Judging by the way Ty's gaze keeps drifting downward, so is he. I feel exposed, like he can see every inch of me. Like he can see right through me. Our chests rise and fall together as we try to catch our breath.

"I'm, uh...I'm fine. Great." I grapple to a standing position, tugging on my waterlogged skirt with one hand and reaching down to help Ty with the other.

He examines my outstretched palm like he thinks it's some kind of trap. Finally, his fingers close around mine, and I pull him to his feet.

"You're a hazard to the entire town." Ty shakes his head at me, but there's a spark of amusement in his eyes. Drops of water cling to his eyelashes. I'm finding it overwhelmingly difficult to look away from them. I try to think of some witty comeback, but I've got nothing.

We stand in the rain, staring at each other. The adrenaline from our footrace is thrumming through my system, and the rush of emotions that always fills me when I'm this close to Ty is a live wire. The air around us is charged with the electricity of it. It's heartache, and possibility, and attraction like I've never experienced with anyone else. But the hurt and confusion are there too. It's all so much to feel at once; it doesn't seem possible to contain it all inside me.

Ty's hand twitches at his side like he wants to reach for me, but a car horn blares, echoing through the town square. We spring apart like middle schoolers caught making out under the bleachers.

"Unless you two are reenacting that scene from The Notebook, can we move this show indoors? People are trying to drive here," Betty yells from the window of her Prius, idling in the road.

"Coming," I call, glancing back at Ty. He rakes his fingers through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes. I try really hard not to think about how much I want to run my own fingers through that hair. It's a good thing it's raining because, apparently, I need a cold shower.

I clear my throat. "Do you want a ride?" I nod toward Betty's Prius.

"I'm good to walk. I'm just going to the restaurant." Ty shoves his hands in his pocket, eyes dropping to the ground like he feels as uncomfortable as I do. "Thanks, though."

I'm oddly disappointed, like he's rejecting me and not a car ride. "You bet." I force a smile." I'll see you tomorrow, then."

For some reason, it feels weird to just turn and walk away. Hugging him goodbye is so deeply ingrained in my DNA that it's become routine, but there's no way I'm about to do that. All the rain must have water-logged my brain because the best thing I can come up with is holding my hand out for a high five.

Ty glances from my face to my palm. A smirk curls the edge of his lips. "Yeah. See you then." He slaps my hand, trying and failing to hide a chuckle.

Ugh. If being the most awkward human on the planet was an Olympic sport, I'd be a gold medalist. I turn on my heel and pluck my clipboard out of a puddle. Inky water runs in rivulets over the pages, making it impossible to read. Freaking fantastic.

Without looking back at Ty, I dash across the road and tug open the door of Betty's car, jumping into the backseat.

"Someone had better call Guinness because I'm pretty sure you two just set the world record for the lamest high five in history." Betty's eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror. "What was up with that?"

I groan, burying my face in my hands. "I have no idea."

Liv turns around in the passenger seat and pats my shoulder. "Yeah, it's a total mystery. You know, since the two of you clearly don't have feelings for each other anymore."

I glare at her through my fingers. I'd need a freaking roadmap to navigate my feelings for Ty, but I'm too cold and wet to pretend they don't exist right now.