Free Stepping to a New Day by Beverly Jenkins

dad didn’t offer to do anything and left the table to head for the flat screen in the den.
    Eli and Sam moved into the living room.
    As they took out their history assignments, he gave a quick look around to make sure they were not overheard and asked quietly, “Are you ever going to tell them you didn’t apply to KU?”
    She chuckled. “Maybe after I graduate from Columbia. Have you talked to your dad about letting you move back to California?”
    â€œNo, because he’ll probably tell me no. I’m waiting on my friend Geoff to call me back. He’s going to ask his mom if I can live with them until I finish school.” Eli’s mom and Geoff’s mom had been good friends. If she said yes, he’d have a better chance of getting his dad to agree. Eli enjoyed living in Henry Adams. He liked the people, the friends he’d made and the maturity he’d found, but he wasn’t a small-town kid and he was feeling stifled by the slow pace and having nothing to do but go to school and hang out at work. He missed the energy of California, the people, his friends, surfing, the music. And like Sam, he wanted out, but unlike her, he didn’t have the grades to get him into a big college—his own fault—so he had no golden ticket. “Maybe I’ll have some leverage if I win the art competition.”
    â€œMaybe.”
    â€œNo matter what happens though I’ll do my best to come and see you at Columbia.” She went so still in response, he paused. “What’s the matter?”
    She shook her head. “Nothing. Let’s get started.”
    He reached out and gently turned her chin so he could look into her eyes. “Talk to me, please. Is something wrong?”
    For a moment their gazes held. She backed out of his hold and stared off for a moment. “Do you really want the truth?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œOkay. It’s like this. I don’t want a boyfriend back home when I leave in August.”
    That confused him. “What do you mean?”
    â€œYou and I have had a good time together but you don’t love me, Eli. You never have. And please don’t lie to me and say that you do.”
    He blinked.
    â€œI knew going in that you still had a thing for Crystal and it was okay, but when I leave I’ll be stepping into a new life with new friends and maybe eventually somebody who’ll be all mine and I’ll be all theirs.”
    â€œWow,” he said softly. He hadn’t seen that coming. At all.
    She reached out and cupped his cheek. “You’re a pretty amazing guy and you’ve been really sweet to me, but we don’t have a future so there’s no sense in pretending that we do.”
    â€œSo is this goodbye?”
    â€œI still want to go to the graduation dance together, if you do. I still want to go to the Friday night movies and do all the other fun stuff we’ve been doing, but as friends.”
    He studied her and realized he’d really screwed this up. All this time he’d been basically playing her but she’d played him, too. He felt like such a fool he wanted to rewind time and start over with this incredible girl because she’d deserved better. “I’m sorry, Sam.”
    â€œMe, too.”
    Damn!
    â€œDo you still want to work on this assignment?” she asked quietly.
    In truth, he wanted to slink home with his tail between his legs. “Yeah. What’s the first question?”
    Later, lying in bed in the dark, Eli thought back on Sam’s startling confession. He felt an inch high. What might have happened had he dealt with her like a real girlfriend and not as a placeholder for Crystal? Would she have been so quick to dis their relationship? Would she have been sad about their being separated by so many miles? As it stood she’d been pretty matter-of-fact about the whole thing and his ego felt stomped on. No more than he deserved. Treating her the