Page 7 (2/2)

"You have to have one ready!"

"Jeez, Will! I barely heard of this gao Give me a second to think of one"

I reach over and squeeze her hand "I’ on to her hand, but for soo It’s so natural, like we didn’t even conteers when she continues with her turn, unfazed I like how arilled cheese sandwiches to a restaurant I like girls who don’t s every now and then I like that we’re holding hands

We play a few ive Caulder a run for his money The half-hour drive to the club seems like it takes fiveinto the parking lot I pull into a space and reach over with ine so that I don’t have to lance over at her "Last one," I say "Would you rather be back in Texas right now? Or here?"

She looks down at our fingers that are interlocked and grazes her thuative one In fact, it almost seems just the opposite when her lips crack a smile and she looks back up Just when she opens her n on the building behind me and her smile fades

"Uh, Will?" she says hesitantly "I don’t dance" She pulls her hand froins to open her door, so I do the same

"Uh, neither do I"

We both exit the vehicle, but the fact that she didn’t answer that last question isn’t lost on rab her hand e meet at the front of the car and I lead her inside When alk through the doors I ulars here and I’ I can at least find a secluded area in order for us to have some privacy I spot an empty booth in the back of the rooet the full experience without the constant interruption of conversation from other people

"It’s quieter back here," I say She’s looking around with curiosity in her eyes She asks about the younger audience when she notices pretty quickly that this isn’t a regular club-going crowd She’s observant

"Well, tonight it’s not a club," I say She scoots into the booth first and I slide in right next to her "It’s slaht Every Thursday they shut the club down and people coaze from the table of kids and looks at me, the curiosity still present in her eyes "And what’s a slam?"

I pause for a second and smile at her "It’s poetry," I say "It’s what I’hter, but it doesn’t come She looks directly at me, almost like she didn’t understand what I said

I start to repeat myself when she interrupts "Poetry, huh?" She continues to s way Almost like she’s iet it from other authors?"

I lean back in et up there and pour their hearts out just using their words and theto hear any Dickinson or Frost here"

When I look at her again, she actually looks intrigued Poetry has always been such a huge part of my life; I orried she wouldn’t understand it Not only does she understand it, she seems excited about it

I explain the rules to her regarding the competition She asks a lot of questions, which putsto her, I decide to grab us drinks before the sac co to drink?"

"Sure," she says "I’ll take soh at her joke, but she doesn’t

"Chocolate milk? Really?"

"With ice," she says, matter-of-fact

"Okay One chocolate ht up"

I exit the booth and walk over to the bar to order our drinks, then turn around and lean against the bar and watch her This feeling I get when I’ of feeling Somehow, she’s the first person in the last two years of ives me any sense of hope about the future

I realize as I’e ht be based on what Vaughn’s reactions were in the past It’s not fair to Lake to assume she would be turned off by the siame we played on the drive here It’s not fair to Lake that I assuhn didn’t It’s also unfair of me to assuuardian

This girl isn’t anything like Vaughn

This girl isn’t anything like any girl I’ve known This girl is

"She’s cute" Gavin’s voice jerks ainst the bar next tome watch Lake "What’s her name?" He turns around and orders two drinks from the waitress

"Layken," I say "And yeah She is cute"

"How long have you guys been dating?" he asks, turning back to me