Mack
mack
. . .
F riday night rolls around, and I’m hyped. More hyped than before a big game, which is saying something. Tonight, I’m taking Betty Paige out again, but this time, we’re making a whole night of it—pizza, movies, and then the arcade with our friends. It’s going to be a good night; I can feel it. And if I get to kiss her again? Even better. I haven’t kissed her since the night in the kitchen, and I’ve been itching to do it. All week, we’ve danced around each other, sneaking glances when her parents aren’t looking. As my luck would have it, we’ve had zero alone time. I’ve even gotten up in the middle of the night, hoping she’d get up too, but nope.
I pick her up—well, technically, Liam drives us, but I do knock on her door to make this seem like it’s a date, date. I’m tempted to beg my dad to come home so I can properly date Betty Paige, but I don’t want to put him in a position to have to choose between me and Amelie. She’s little and needs him a lot more than I do right now. Plus, I like living with Liam and Josie. They treat me like I’m their son and never make me feel like I’m a guest in their home. Same with Grandma Bianca.
At one of my games, a parent from the other team said something about me, and before Josie could say something back, Grandma Bianca gave the other lady the what-for with the same colorful language she uses when the referees make stupid calls against Noah’s football team. Of course, it doesn’t help that Josie and Betty Paige encourage Grandma’s behavior, but the team secretly likes it. Grandma’s a firecracker, and we all love her.
As soon as we get to the pizza place, our friends are already there. Chase is with a girl named Olivia, whom he’s been texting nonstop for a week. Sean has his arm around Brielle, a girl from our school who’s in a couple of my classes. The group dynamic is new, but it feels natural.
Betty Paige slides into the booth beside me, close enough that our thighs touch. My brain short-circuits for a second, but I play it cool. I drape an arm casually along the back of the booth, not quite touching her shoulders but close enough that I could if I worked up the nerve.
We order a giant pepperoni pizza to share. Between Chase and Sean, it doesn’t last long. Betty Paige and I take our time, our fingers brushing as we both reach for the same slice at the same time. She smirks at me, taking a bite of the piece she won in our silent standoff. I don’t mind. I’d let her win every time.
After pizza, Betty Paige and I head to the movie theater while Chase and Sean take their dates bowling. I pay for our tickets, and she grabs my hand like it’s the most natural thing in the world as we walk inside. We load up on popcorn and candy before heading into the dark theater. This time, I don’t hesitate when she picks seats in the back. I sit beside her, leaning in just a little as the previews start.
The movie itself? No clue what it’s about. Five minutes in, Betty Paige shifts toward me, and my arm instinctively wraps around her. She tilts her face up, her brown eyes meeting mine, and before I can overthink it, I close the gap between us.
Her lips are soft, warm, and perfect against mine. The kiss starts slow, hesitant, but when her hand slides up my chest and grips the front of my shirt, I deepen it. My heart is pounding so loud I’m sure she can hear it. We forget about the movie, lost in the way our mouths move together, the way she sighs softly when I run my fingers through her hair.
A loud explosion from the screen startles us apart. She giggles, pressing her forehead to mine. “We should probably watch at least some of this,” she whispers.
I nod, but I don’t move my arm from around her. We half-watch, half-steal glances at each other for the rest of the movie, and by the time the credits roll, I know I’m a goner for this girl.
After the movie, we meet up with Chase, Olivia, Sean, and Brielle at the arcade. The place is packed, neon lights flashing, the sounds of video games and pinball machines filling the air. Betty Paige laces her fingers through mine, and I don’t let go.
We start at the basketball shootout. She challenges me, and I pretend to go easy on her until she starts sinking shot after shot. I should’ve known better—she’s a cheerleader and has better aim than half our basketball team. She beats me by three points, flashing me a victorious grin. “Loser buys the next round of tokens,” she teases.
I hold my hands up in surrender. “Fair enough.”
We move on to the racing games, air hockey, and Skee-ball, laughing the whole time. Every now and then, we steal a quick kiss when our friends aren’t looking. It’s thrilling—knowing we shouldn’t be sneaking off, but doing it anyway.
At one point, we slip away to a quieter corner of the arcade, near an old claw machine that probably hasn’t paid out a prize in years. She leans against it, her eyes shining in the dim glow of the machine’s lights. “This is the best date ever,” she says.
“Maybe we can make it better?”
Her eyes widen. “How?”
I shrug. “Will you be my girlfriend?”
“Yeah.”
I rest my hands on her hips, stepping closer. “Yeah?”
She nods, biting her bottom lip.
I don’t wait for an invitation. I kiss her again, slower this time, taking my time to memorize the way she feels pressed against me, the way she tilts her head just right to fit perfectly with mine. When we finally break apart, my heart is still racing.
“We should get back before they notice we’re gone,” she whispers, though she makes no move to step away.
I grin. “Or we could let them wonder.”
She laughs, but we head back anyway, with her hand in mine.
Betty Paige is mine now, and I am hers. None of my friends will ask her out. Not if they value our friendship. And Monday, when we get to school, I’ll hold her hand as we walk down the hall and I won’t be afraid to kiss her at her locker or mine. The home stuff, we’ll have to figure out.
Chase raises an eyebrow when he sees us, but he doesn’t say anything. Sean, on the other hand, smirks. “Hope you guys didn’t get lost,” he teases.
Betty Paige rolls her eyes but squeezes my hand. I squeeze back.
Yeah, tonight was perfect. And I already know there’s going to be a next time.