No Pressure: Chapter 9

Chapter 9

With Denner: Day 101

The world stayed messy when Denner and I woke up. 

We still had to go to school.

Dorothy had returned, but I could see she’d put on layers of makeup to hide the black-blue-purple bruise on her face. She glared at us, but Denner would reach for my hand.

He seemed worried I’d do something stupid. I really couldn’t imagine why. 

Jenn and Ayn, when they saw us holding hands, each made these horrible simpering nostalgic faces. I glared at them.

They smiled sweetly at me, which looked downright dangerous on Ayn’s face. 

Carl just clapped me on the back and whispered in my ear, “You look good together.” His eyes looked a little misty when he stepped back and mimed taking pictures of us.

Moritz smiled and said, “I look forward to seeing deine neue adventures.”

Every evening, we laid down on a blanket in Denner’s backyard and named constellations. I told him everything I knew how to about me.

After a few weeks, I’d fulfilled my 60 things that Denner didn’t know. 

I finally got my first proper kiss, warm lips against my own. 

He tasted bittersweet, like strawberries and lemons.

It was the beginning of, as Moritz put it, new adventures. 

We fought. No couple is perfect, much less a high-school couple with too many feelings and not enough communication. But we learned, we laughed, and we pretended to know what we were doing. 

One warm spring evening, months later, Denner and I were sitting on his porch. It was one of those moments where the silence was comfortable, like a well-worn coat. My head was on his shoulder, our fingers intertwined.

Two shadows came walking down the street, sun to their backs.

I stiffened when they came within eyeshot.

My parents, both looking tired and nervous. 

Denner lifted his head sleepily. His eyes immediately became more alert when he spotted them.

He squeezed my hand.

They came up the porch steps, but stopped midway.

“Jaimie,” my father said hoarsely.

“Father,” I said coldly. 

Mother began to cry.

Father bowed his head and put his arm around Mother.

“We understand why you left our home. But it’s left everything so empty for us both.”

“We love you,” Mother whispered. “We’re sorry. Please forgive us. Please come home.”

I stood, still holding Denner’s hand. “Maybe someday,” I said.

They nodded.

Denner and I went inside.

It wasn’t repaired. But it was healing.

And I was willing to help fix it.

The End

I hope you loved this book, as it is very close to my heart. I put traits I have into my characters. 

Also, I’m hoping to make this a trilogy, so please be patient with “No Limits.”

Thank you!