by Nicole Nwosu
“That’s really good, Sam.”
“Also, I couldn’t stop thinking about what you said about my uncle. That he was worried about me that night.”
“I think that despite your rocky relationship, he cares. It might take some time for him to properly show it, but maybe one day you guys can be in the same room without fighting.”
Sam linked our hands together. “Caleb texted me about your university choice. How do you feel about the change?”
“I’m not scared of it anymore.” My confession filled me with relief.
“I also made a choice a few days ago.” He pulled out his phone, showing me the screen.
The institution’s name was familiar, and my jaw dropped in surprise. “You’re going to this university? It’s not that far from me.”
“About an hour’s drive. Might be less on the motorcycle.”
I was in a daze, maybe because of the way his eyes were on me or at the information on the screen. He’s not going back to England in the fall. “You’re serious?”
“The game plan is to try out for their team.”
“You’re planning on playing soccer too?” I shook his hands eagerly and Sam grew amused at my excitement. “You’re definitely going to get on the team.”
“Hazel—”
“No, you are,” I assured him. “You’re good, and I know you have ways to find training of all sorts during the summer and now. Trust me, you’ll get on.”
Sam’s expression softened. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” When he kissed me, I threaded my fingers in his hair as his grip on my waist tightened. I pulled back first, ready to speak, when out of nowhere, grass was flung in our direction. I was quick to brush it out of my hair, annoyed at the culprit. “Caleb.”
Caleb stood with my camera in one hand and a handful of grass in another, which he also threw at us. “What the hell are you doing?” Sam said, taking more grass out of my hair.
“I don’t have any flowers so grass was the next best thing. Did you ask her yet?”
“Ask her what?”
“To be your girlfriend.” Caleb turned to Jasmine, who held the ball in her hands. “He’s a lost cause sometimes.”
“It was implied,” Sam said.
“Don’t make it implied,” urged Caleb. “Make it happen.”
Jasmine tapped Sam, growing annoyed. “Would you just ask her?”
Sam rolled his eyes at his best friend’s antics, turning to me. “Hazel, would you—”
“Would you what?” Caleb interrupted. “Do me the honor of being my wife? Dude, are you asking for her hand in marriage or starting off your relationship?”
Sam turned back to me with an exasperated sigh. “Would you be my girlfriend?”
We were doing this right and I wasn’t planning on making a wrong choice this time. I nodded and Caleb let out a sound of happiness. “C’mon, Caleb.” Jasmine tossed me the soccer ball.
As they walked to the rec center, Sam said, “Took us long enough.”
My hand was linked with his. “How long?”
“Seconds, minutes, hours?”
“Days.”
“Seventy-two,” he answered, pointing toward the tree. “Right over there. Feels like forever ago.”
He squeezed my hand. “Football?” Sam started to follow Jasmine and Caleb but I pulled him back to me, one hand on his face. “Wha—”
“I’m in love with you.” The surprise was clear in his eyes. And I kissed him once more, moving my hand over his racing heart. He felt the same. There was no doubt. “I just wanted you to know that.”
The smile on his face didn’t waver as he took the ball from my hands and we followed our friends to the rec center to play the game we both loved.
Acknowledgments
I don’t know how I can express my gratitude to all who have contributed to making this possible but I’m going to try.
To my childhood and high school best friends (you know who you are): Our funny moments and our emotional conversations over the years found their way into this novel. Thank you for impacting me and this story in ways you may not even know.
Thank you to my mom, who has endlessly supported me and encouraged my love of reading. Thank you for fueling my passion for words by constantly buying me books over the years.
To my grade twelve AP English teacher, Mrs. DiCostanzo, the advice you have given me over the years will always stay with me, and influenced the development of this story. Thanks for being one of the best teachers I’ve ever had.
A thank you to the numerous people I’ve met through Wattpad, whether briefly or for the long run—you are a supportive community on a platform filled with amazing interactions, each of which makes me happy to be a member of the ever-changing platform. To Danielle, whom I met all those years ago at summer camp, thank you for introducing me to Wattpad at a time when I had yet to know of the many opportunities to come.
A big thank you to those at Wattpad—every editor, illustrator, marketing and promotions team member, and everyone involved in making this, one of my biggest dreams, come true.
To I-Yana Tucker, my talent manager, thank you for never giving up on me, for answering my questions, for the check-in phone calls. I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. A big thank you to all the editors involved: Whitney French, Deanna McFadden, Jen Hale, and Rebecca Mills, who’ve worked on this story to make it the best it could be and one that I love.
Lastly, to the fans who loved Macy, Sam, and the characters in this universe—the gratitude I have for you all is bottomless. From every kind word and piece of fan art to making me laugh over your comments at two o’clock in the morning and motivating messages that led to this point: thank you so much. Without you guys, this would not have been possible.
About the Author
Nicole Nwosu grew up in Toronto, Canada, and first started posting her stories on Wattpad in 2014. Her most popular story The Bad Boy and the Tomboy has accumulated over a hundred million reads on the platform and won a 2015 “Cover-to-Cover” Watty Award. When she’s not writing, Nicole spends her time catching up on binge-worthy TV shows while balancing her studies at Western University.
Copyright
Copyright © 2020 Nicole Nwosu. All rights reserved.
Published in Canada by Wattpad Books, a division of Wattpad Corp.
36 Wellington Street E., Toronto, ON M5E 1C7
www.wattpad.com
No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the express written permission of the copyright holders.
First Wattpad Books edition: October 2020
ISBN 978-1-98936-533-5 (Trade Paper original)
ISBN 978-1-98936-541-0 (eBook edition)
Names, characters, places, and incidents featured in this publication are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), events, institutions, or locales, without satiric intent, is coincidental.
Wattpad, Wattpad Books, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Wattpad Corp. All rights reserved.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication information is available upon request.
Cover design by Jennifer Yoon
Cover title treatment by Ashley Santoro
Cover image © Nikola Stojadinovic via iStock
Typesetting by Sarah Salomon
About the Publisher
About Wattpad Books
Wattpad Books, a division of Wattpad, is the leader in data-backed publishing. Leveraging billions of daily insights from Wattpad’s global community of 80 million book lovers, Wattpad Books combines the best of art and science, using human expertise and story DNA machine learning technology to identify the trends, voices, and stories that are the future
of publishing. By elevating the stories of diverse communities around the world, Wattpad Books is creating new space for writers and fans of every genre.
Wattpad Books
A division of Wattpad Corp.
36 Wellington St. E.
Toronto, ON M5E1C7
www.wattpad.com
