The In Between

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

 

Tara

Justin. Westcroft. Likes. Me.

It must show in my face, my step, but Mom just handed me a plate of scrambled eggs and told me to strip my bed like this is just any old morning and nothing has changed.

Meg, on the other hand, is sniffing around like some incredibly annoying tween spy.

“What’s with the skirt?” she asks suspiciously, eyeing my denim mini.

“Nothing,” I reply dismissively. 

“Where are you going?” she presses. 

“I’m going to drop by the Kickers game after I get done at the newpaper.” I shrug as if I’m not quite sure.

“Justin,” Meg sing-songs like she’s about to break out with Justin and Tara sitting in a tree, K-i-s-s-i-n-g. “I knew it!”

I feel my face redden and my lips curl into a stupid smile before I force them back down. Just hearing Meg say Justin’s name sends a current of tingly pleasure up and down my spine. I have to control my desire to insert his name into every sentence. It feels like an eternity since I saw him even though it was less than twelve hours ago. I have spent every second since we parted reliving every single word, every single kiss. Just thinking about him brings back that drowning, swoony feeling that makes me weak in the knees. I can’t wait to see him again to be sure it wasn’t all in my imagination.

“I think it’s nice that you two are spending more time together.” My mom gets it this time, I think. But she doesn’t say anything. “Just get home in time to eat with your sister.”

After Mom leaves, Meg looks at me.

“I’m not an idiot, you know. I know you like him.”

I stand up to clear my plate so she can’t see my face.  

“Don’t you have to get to camp?” I taunt her, changing the subject. “Isn’t there some macaroni with your name on it?”

When she’s gone I pick up my phone.

“Where have you been?” Gabby asks as soon as she answers the phone. “You’ve gone totally AWOL.”

“Sorry. Listen, something happened.”

“Are you okay?”

“More than okay.”

Gabby listens closely to every detail of my last twenty-four hours with Justin without interrupting to ask a single question.

“Well?” I ask finally. 

“Just be careful,” she says softly.

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

I hang up and shake off Gabby’s warning. Being careful is the last thing in the world I want now; I’ve been careful my entire life. And Justin would never do anything to hurt me. 

* * *

The fact checking was getting easier. After I whizzed through four obits, Mr. Bellows led me to the features department to fact check restaurant listings. After the twentieth call confirming addresses and phone numbers, I hang up to find Mr. Bellows standing over my intern cubicle to check in.