This Girl: A Novel

real now. I’m not walking away from you again. Ever.”
    Her eyes fill with tears. “Promise?” she whispers.
    “I swear. I love you so much.”
    A tear rolls down her cheek. “Say it again,” she whispers.
    “I love you, Lake.” My eyes scroll over every inch of her face, afraid I’ll miss something if I don’t take every last piece of her in before I go.
    “One more time.”
    Before I love you can come out of my mouth again, the front door swings open and Julia walks outside. “We’re going to have to set some ground rules,” she says. There’s more amusement in her voice than anger or annoyance.
    “Sorry, Julia,” I yell over my shoulder. I turn back to Lake and kiss her one last time, then take a step away from her. “It’s just that I’m madly in love with your daughter!”
    “Yeah.” Julia laughs. “I can see that.”
    I mouth one last I love you before heading across the street.

18.
    the honeymoon
    “AND WE LIVED happily ever after,” she says.
    I laugh, because that couldn’t be further from the truth.
    “Yeah, for like two weeks,” I say. “Until your mother put the brakes on things the night she walked in on us.”
    Lake groans. “Oh, my God, I forgot about that.”
    “Trust me, it’s not something I wish I remembered.”

point of retreat
    “WHERE ARE WE going?”
    I put my seat belt on and lower the volume on the radio. “It’s a surprise.”
    It’s the first night I’ve been able to take her out in public since we officially started dating two weeks ago. I was able to pull out of my contract with the job at the junior high when I was accepted into the Master’s level teaching program. So technically, we’re able to date. I’m not sure how it would look, since I was her teacher just a few weeks ago. But to be honest, I don’t really care. Like I told her, she comes first now.
    “Will. It’s Thursday night. I have a feeling wherever you’re taking me, it’s not that much of a surprise. Are we going to Club N9NE?”
    “Maybe.”
    She smiles. “Are you doing a slam for me?”
    I wink at her. “Maybe.” I reach over and take her hand in mine.
    “We’re leaving early, though. Are you actually taking me out to eat? No grilled cheese tonight?”
    “Maybe,” I say again.
    She rolls her eyes. “Will, this date is going to be my suck for the day if you don’t become a little more talkative.”
    I laugh. “Yes, we’re going to Club N9NE. Yes, we’re going to dinner first. Yes, I wrote a slam for you. Yes, we’re leaving the club early so we can go back to my house and hardcore make out in the dark.”
    “You just became my sweet,” she says.
    •••
    “OUT OF ALL the restaurants in Detroit, you chose a burger joint,” I say, shaking my head. I take her hand and lead her toward the club entrance. I like to give her a hard time, but I love that she chose a burger joint.
    “Bite me. I like burgers.”
    I wrap my arms around her and nip at her neck. “I like you.” I keep my arms wrapped around her and my lips attached to her neck as we walk through the door. She pries my fingers from around her waist and presses her palm against my forehead, pushing me away from her neck. “You need to be a gentleman in public. No more kissing until we’re back in your car.”
    I lead her back to the exit. “Well, in that case, we’re done here. Let’s go.”
    She yanks my hand back. “No way. If you plan on seducing me on your couch later, you have to seduce me with your words, first. You promised a performance tonight and we’re not leaving until I see one.” She walks me toward the booth that Eddie and Gavin saved us seats in. She scoots in beside Eddie and I scoot in beside her.
    “Hey,” Eddie says, eyeing us curiously.
    “Hey,” Lake and I say simultaneously. Eddie’s expression grows even more curious.
    “This is weird,” Eddie finally says.
    Gavin nods. “It is weird. It really is.”
    “What’s so weird?” Lake asks.
    “You two,” Eddie says to Lake. “I know you’ve been dating for a couple of weeks now, but this is the first time I’ve actually seen you with him. Like this, anyway. You know, all in love and stuff. It’s just weird.”
    “Oh, shut up,” Lake says.
    “It’ll take some getting used to. It just seems like you’re doing something wrong. Something illegal,” Eddie says.
    “I’m twenty-one,” I say defensively. “I’m not even a teacher anymore. What’s so weird about it?”
    “I dunno,” she says.