Last Chance Summer (5 page)
Read Last Chance Summer Online
Authors: Kels Barnholdt
Chapter Eight
“Would you relax?” Arielle says to me as I twirl my hair around my finger. “I have no idea why you’re freaking out so bad.”
I sigh and stare at the road straight ahead.
Arielle and I are on our way to Syracuse. It’s been six-and-a-half weeks since I came home from South Carolina. Six-and-a half weeks since I met Alex. And six-and-a-half weeks since I had to leave him.
Now the day I’d been waiting for was finally here. Alex was finally at Syracuse University, and I was finally on my way to see him. Six weeks of non-stop texting, non-stop phone calls, and non-stop Skype dates.
I’d been waiting for this for what felt like forever, but now that the day was actually here, I couldn’t help but feel really nervous. It had been weeks since I had seen him. What if he suddenly realized I was way too hideous looking for him to be seen with?
What if he realized he didn’t like me as much as he thought?
The possibilities were endless, and I’d been up all night worrying about them.
Now, I shake my head and turn my attention to Arielle. “I don’t know why I’m freaking out. I think it’s just because it’s been so long. What if he doesn’t feel the same way once he sees me again?”
Arielle sighs and squints her eyes a little to see the road. “Look,” she assures me,
“I’ve known Alex since I was a little kid, and I swear I’ve never seen him act this way about a girl before.”
I bite my lip. “Really?”
“Really. He really likes you, Morgan. Don’t be insecure about it. The kid spent the last month and a half calling you every night and texting you all day long.”
I can’t help but smile because she’s right. Not once has Alex made me feel like he doesn’t like me, or that I have any reason to worry. I breathe in deeply and force myself to relax.
“You’re right,” I say, “this is going to be great.”
Arielle pulls up in front of Alex’s dorm and looks at me. “It definitely is. Now pull yourself together.”
I smile and look down at my outfit. “Do I look okay?”
I’m wearing a pair of skinny jeans and an oversized gray sweater layered over a white tank top. It’s really simple, but cute. I didn’t want to look like I was trying too hard.
Arielle looks me up and down. “You look perfect.”
I smile at her. “Thanks driving me, and for being such a good friend the past few weeks.”
She pulls me in for a hug. “I should be thanking you. You have no idea how much you’ve been there for me with all the family stuff.”
“You still haven’t talked to your dad?” I ask her.
She shakes her head. “Nope. But I’m starting to be okay with it.”
I open my mouth to say something, but she cuts me off. “You better get going. I think someone’s waiting for you.”
I turn to follow her gaze and see Alex waiting by the door to his dorm. My heart starts beating fast at the sight of him. This is it.
“Talk later?” I ask Arielle.
She grins. “Definitely. I’ll see you in a few days.”
I nod and grab my bag out of the backseat, then step out of the car.
As I approach Alex, I’m instantly reminded of how good-looking he is and I feel butterflies start to flutter around in my stomach. As I get closer, a smile spreads across his face, and I run the last few feet and straight into his arms.
I don’t let go for what feels like forever and when I finally do pull back he’s still holding my hands in his.
I look up into his eyes. “So,” I say, “I almost forgot how good-looking you are.”
He smirks. “Oh, yeah?”
I nod. “Mmm hmm.”
He leans in close to me and his lips are so close to mine that I feel like if I don’t kiss him soon I might go crazy. “Well,” he says softly. “I could never forget how beautiful you are.” And then he kisses me.
It’s better than I remember. My knees go a little bit weak as he pulls back.
“Now that,” he says, pushing a piece of my hair behind my ear, “was worth the wait.”
“Definitely,” I agree.
“I have something for you,” Alex announces, pulling an orange envelope out of the Syracuse University sweatshirt he’s wearing.
“Oh!” I exclaim. “What is it?” I go to reach for the envelope, but he holds it up and out of my reach.
I shake my head. “Damn you tall basketball people.”
He laughs and lowers his hands. “These,” he tells me, “are season tickets to all my games.”
I gasp and grab them from him. “They are not!”
“They are,” he assures me. “They give them to all the players for family and stuff. I thought my girlfriend would want to come to all of my games.”
I stop and look up at him. “Your girlfriend, huh?”
He smiles. “Yup.”
“I don’t know,” I tell him, pretending to think about it, “how is a girl supposed to deal with having a boyfriend who’s a famous basketball player? All those groupies throwing themselves at you and all.”
He grins and pulls me close to him. “Easy. You just remember one thing.”
“Oh yeah?” I ask. “And what’s that?”
He leans in and kisses me intensely again.
Then he pulls back and looks at me. “That I’m your guy.”
And he is.
THE END
Don’t miss Kels Barnholdt’s other novellas, WHAT’S MEANT TO BE and HOW
TO HEAL A BROKEN HEART, available now!