Moore to Lose by Julie A. Richman

slightly and he did the same in acknowledgement. His kiss was soft at first, fingers threaded through her long curls. He pulled away and looked at her smiling, “You good?” She nodded again, returning his smile and this time their kiss was deep, passionate, ghost exorcising. They were all alone, together, on a crowded football field. As he drew her to him with his arm around her waist, Mia could feel how hard he was through his robe and her hands, which were resting on his biceps, went around his neck.
    Feeling Tom placing his cap on her head, Mia began to laugh. She loved that she was wearing the cap he wore when he received his MFA. He beamed at her reaction and kissed her again, smiling down at her.
    “Ready to go face the music?” His right eyebrow raised slightly.
    “As ready as I’ll ever be.” Mia had a look of horror on her face.
    Tom placed his arm around her shoulder again as they made their way toward where they had left Rob and Joni. This time Mia reciprocated by placing her arm around Tom’s waist. Although a little afraid of Rob’s reaction to their pairing, Mia felt good. Her heart felt good. Tom made her feel alive again. He was exciting. He was fun. He was interesting. He was sexy. He was handsome. He was real. He wasn’t just a memory. And it was good to feel alive again. It was good to feel wanted.
    Rob was not smiling, but Joni looked rather amused. “Surprise!” Mia announced, hoping to break the tension.
    “How long has this been going on?” His eyes were trained on Tom.
    “Well, nothing’s really been going on.” Mia tried to diffuse the tension resulting from Rob’s intensity.
    Tom stepped in. “It’s been mostly a discussion up until now. But now with the school year officially over … ,” his voice trailed off.
    “Mind if I steal her a sec?” Rob mirrored Tom’s words from earlier.
    As Mia walked off with Rob, she turned to Tom and Joni with a “rut-roh” look on her face and wide, expressive eyes.
    When they were out of earshot, Rob stopped walking and looked at Mia. “You know what a player he is, Mia. This does not end well for you. That chapter’s already been written.”
    “Rob, I have no illusions that this is anything but a fun time with a really hot, smart older man. I know his track record. I know he can’t keep his dick in his pants. I know I’m not going to be the one to change him. I know men like him don’t change. I know all that.”
    “Then why are you setting yourself up to be hurt?” Rob searched Mia’s eyes.
    “I like him. I enjoy spending time with him. I’m incredibly attracted to him. He makes me feel good.” Mia listed her reasons, “And he makes you-know-who go away. I need him to go away, Rob. I need loving him so much to be a memory, not my reality.” Mia could feel the sting of tears at just the mention of Schooner.
    Rob wrapped Mia up in his arms, swaying with her. Pushing her hair behind her ear he whispered. “I want you to be happy, Silver. You deserve abundant happiness. If he hurts you, I will fuck up his pretty face.”
    Mia pulled her face away, smiling. “I’ll give you the razor blade.”
    “Deal,” they laughed.
    “I love you, Rob Ryan. You made what I thought was going to be a shitty year a really good year. Thank you.”
    “You did the same and more for me, Silver.” They started to walk back. “And I will fuck up his face if he messes with my best friend.”
    As they walked back toward Tom and Joni, Mia realized, on the last day of her sophomore year, that in the year that had passed since that devastating last day of her freshman year, she had successfully written a new chapter with a new cast of characters. And although she loved them, there was still a piece of her that yearned to turn the pages back to a previous chapter and feel his lips in her hair and hear him call her “Baby Girl.”

Chapter Sixteen
    It was 11:45 P.M. on the night of July 11th when the phone rang. Mia sprung across the living room of