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“For Mia’s sake. It’d break her heart if I cut our dad from my life.”
I look out the window, mulling over this new information. My chest is heavy now. I’m sad and angry that Keanu grew up with a man like that. Then something occurs to me, making me even tenser. “Oh my God. He punished you when you got caught cheating, didn’t he?”
“Yes,” he grits out.
“What did he do?”
“I’d rather not talk about it.”
It was probably bad. I wonder if he only punished Keanu with words or if it was also physical.
“And you thought I had snitched on you. No wonder you were out for revenge.”
“I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions and ruined graduation for you.”
“Yeah, that sucked, but I forgive you.”
“You do?” He looks at me.
“Why do you sound so surprised? We’ve both done things we regret. Besides, you had a valid reason to believe I told the principal I saw you cheat. I was a bitch to you.”
He grins. “I wouldn’t call you a bitch.”
“Keanu… be so for real right now. I was a major bitch. I’m totally owning that.”
“Fine. And I admit I was a total jerk to you and Bobbi, and I regret that very much.”
I nod. “Good. Now we can let go of the past and move on. Who knows? Maybe once this is all over, we can be friends.”
There’s a pang in my chest when I say that. Is that what I truly want from Keanu? Friendship?
“Yeah… I’d like that,” he replies after a moment, and the ache in my chest intensifies. “But do you think the benefits could remain on the table?”
That disappointment joins the ache. I’m not sure why I’m surprised. He’s a guy. We already hooked up. It’s hard to put that detail back in the box and pretend it never happened.
“I guess, but we’ll have to think about our exit strategy.”
“Exit strategy? I don’t follow.”
“For all intents and purposes, we’re dating, remember? Eventually, we’ll have to break up.”
He doesn’t reply, and when I glance at him, I find him clenching his jaw. “What if we don’t break up?”
“What?” I squeak.
He glances at me again. “What if we remain a couple? Would that be so terrible?”
My heart is hammering so loud, I can almost hear it. “But… you just said you wanted to be friends with benefits.”
“Isn’t that the same as dating?”
“No, it isn’t the same thing.” I look out the window again and realize we’re at the restaurant already.
Keanu stops the car at the valet line and asks, “Are you mad at me?”
Yes, I am mad. But I can’t tell him that because then I’d have to explain why, and for that, I’d have to be real about my feelings.
“No, of course not. Just anxious about dinner with your father,” I lie.
