Free Perfectly Hopeless by Holly Hood Page B

day.”
     
    Maven nodded. It was hard to accept that anyone other than her family was willing to stand up for her, willing to be part of the gossip that seemed to always swirl around her.
     
    “ You ready to paint?” Henri said, kissing her cheek. He grinned, ignoring the shocked stares. Ignoring the whispers and every other detail, none of it mattered to him.
     
    “ Yes.” For once she didn’t drop her gaze to the ground. She looked the girls straight in the eye. She wasn’t going to back down. She was going to make them. They quickly dropped their stares, turning back to their projects leaving Maven and Henri to enjoy the day without judgment for once.
     

 
     
    Feelings
     
     
     
    Maven and Henri as well as the rest of the volunteers packed it up and called it a night. Every decoration now was wearing a fresh coat of black, turquoise or white paint—the colors of the hop this year.
     
    Colors that were beautiful to Maven, even before it was all set up. Ms. Lisa even admitted that this year she was hoping to string lights from the willows.
     
    “ Tired?” Henri asked Maven. He smiled at the soft shake of her head. She had worked harder than anyone else, doing each and everything asked of her.
     
    “ What about you?”
     
    Henri considered being honest. Truthfully he was worn out from standing all day painting huge backdrops. His entire body hurt, more than usual even. But instead he just said, “Just fine. Nothing sleep won’t cure.”
     
    Maven slipped her fingers in between his. “Thanks again for today. You saved me.”
     
    Henri shrugged, humble like usual. “Don’t exaggerate.”
     
    “ I’m not. That was a really nice thing you did for me.” She brushed some messy hair behind her ear. Her fingers flecked with teal paint. “It was sweet.”
     
    Henri looked away. It was hard to know what to say next. She wasn’t letting him off the hook for doing such a kind deed, but the deed was nothing more than who he was. It didn’t feel like anything other than that. He didn’t like to see anyone hurt. It hurt more to watch someone miserable when you knew you could make them feel better. Maybe one day that would be his one true flaw he thought to himself. He always regretted it later because a lot of the time people didn’t appreciate it. But Maven was different, he knew she did.
     
    Henri looked at her. “Do you want me to walk you home?” The night was over, people were settling into their homes for the night. The stars were bright overhead guiding them down the cobblestone. Tiny bugs buzzing and whirring around.
     
    Maven ignored his question, taking off across the stones and quickly she was disappearing down the hill, the last bit of her dress vanishing. Henri laughed, the girl never wanted to go home it seemed.
     
    He let out a ragged breath of air, tired from the jog. She was sitting on the dock, her shoes besides her. The moonlight reflecting off the water as she stared at it, her feet skimming the surface as she watched rings spilled outward where her toes touched.
     
    “ I take it you don’t want to go home.” Henri sat down beside her. He too was barefoot, his shoes behind them a few feet. He was more aggressive with the water kicking it off into the distance time and time again.
     
    “ No, I don’t.” She gripped the dock with her hands, watching their feet gliding through the water together.
     
    “ Why’s that?” Henri asked, slowing his movement, enjoying the cool feel against his skin.
     
    “ Because I enjoy your company.” Maven grinned, leaning into him. She scooted closer, her eyes glistening against the moonlight.
     
    Henri searched her eyes. “Is that so?”
     
    “ It is.” She leaned in, snagging the back of his head with her hand, their foreheads meeting up. Henri lifted his head, catching her lips that were so eagerly heading for his. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her lips. The gentle way she slipped her fingertips through his