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When I arrived for the ga up and ht Jessie in the number seven jersey I became mesmerized as I watched him throw to Cooper so I was easily startled when Payton walked up behind ht He’s already in love with you, so there’s nothing to be gained by taking this any further besides a waste of your tiy Dane’s party is the perfect place for it happen because everyone will be there"
I thought of his words of love for me and I wanted to run to him as I recalled his plea for me to choose him I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him as I lied to my best friend "I’ll think about it"
"If you don’t decide to punk hiht, maybe you should tell him how much you love him because it is so terribly clear"
"I wish I could," I confessed in asped and slapped my hand over my mouth I wanted to eat the words, shove them back inside the moment they escaped, but it was too late The wicked trixter had tricked rief, Claire Did you really think you could fool a to decide if I should pretend I was trying to punk her or own the crazy, beautiful love I had for Jessie I decided to go with my heart "I didn’t mean to fall for him, Payton It just sort of happened as I spent ti about who he is"
Payton looked at me like she wasn’t quite sure what to think of ht at Dane’s party"
"Are you sure you want to jump head first into that?" she questioned
"Payton, he pulled me into the closet in the school library and kissed me until I was senseless He asked me to choose him over Forbes He told me he had fallen in love with me"
"What if he’s playing you to get at Forbes?" she suggested
"He’s not I would know if he was"
When the teaan to walk toward h I didn’t see hi I quickly told Payton to put me up in a shoulder stand to prevent the aardness of kissing him in front of Jessie After I went up, Forbes turned and joined the rest of the teah of relief
As I stood on Payton’s shoulders holding one side of the sign,up at me I mouthed the words, "Good luck," to him
He smiled and h the sign, tearing it to shreds
East Franklin scored only ame when Jessie threw for sixty yards to Cooper in the end zone He did it again in the first quarter, then a third before half-ti in a touchdown before the end of the last quarter and Dane ainst Nortonville
While Coach gathered the teaame talk, Payton and I took the opportunity to hurry to ed into a casual black dress and sandals, then brushed my hair before I braided the front and secured it with a bobby pin aboveit loosely, then freshenedmyself with my favorite body spray
Payton whistled atto take Jessie’s breath away"
I did a spin around for Payton "Do you really think I look okay?"
She nodded and raised her eyebrows "I think you look awesome and I know Jessie will, too Do you want me to drive so you can leave with him and not have your car stuck at Dane’s?"
"That would be so perfect if you don’t mind"
She looked sad, but happy at the same time "I don’t mind I want you to be happy and if it’s Jessie that does that, then I want you to be with him"
Even if I hadn’t admitted it to myself, I desperately wanted Payton’s approval and I couldn’t have been happier when she gave htly and said, "Thank you, Payton You’re support means the world tofor et your happily ever after on"
When we arrived, I was nervous and excited at the same time about the decision I had made We walked into the foyer and saw kids all over the house dancing to loudbeer from plastic cups and I knew Mrs Wicka on in her house right now
I searched the crowd for Jessie, but couldn’t see hie and I pulled it out to find a text fro for h the front door I saw Jessie waiting for me in his truck in front of Dane’s house and I ran and juetaway driver?"