I Hate You, Fuller James

by Kelly Anne Blount

“I’d disappointed Coach big-time. He didn’t want me to tell anyone about the tutoring, because he was afraid that it could throw the rest of the guys off their game. The bet helped me cover all of that up.

  “Instead of taking it like a man, I bet my friend that I could trick Wren into becoming my girlfriend. He said that would be too easy to pretend, so he and I came up with three stupid steps, proof that we were hanging out, witnessed PDA, and Wren had to come to the first game as my girlfriend, wearing my varsity jacket.”

  The crowd fell silent. I could feel people staring at me, but I didn’t dare take my eyes off Fuller. I was afraid that if I did, I’d either burst into tears or throw up.

  “Once I completed all three steps, the plan was to break up with Wren after the season opener, in the parking lot. If I won, my friend would have to ask her to this dance and give me his Deadpool comic book collection. He’s my little brother’s favorite superhero.”

  I gulped and glanced around me. What is he doing? Is he trying to embarrass me even more? The humiliation was almost too much to handle. I’d already started mentally preparing for my exit. There was a door in the corner of the gym that led to the tennis courts. As long as it wasn’t locked, I could cut through and make it to the parking lot in about thirty seconds.

  “You’re an asshole,” someone shouted from the crowd.

  Surprisingly, a bunch of my classmates nodded in agreement.

  “You’re right. I am an asshole. From the very first day I spent with Wren, something inside me started to change. I realized I was a cocky jerk who belittled people and bossed them around. My behavior was unacceptable. Through tough talk and setting high expectations, Wren showed me that I could not only turn my grades around, but I could also become a better person. On top of that, Wren Carter is the smartest, kindest, and most beautiful person I’ve ever met.”

  A group of girls in the front row let out a collective “Aw.”

  “The second reason I’m dressed like this is because I have another confession. Before I got to know Wren, I made fun of her. I was a bully. I called her by a terrible nickname. I should have known better back in seventh grade, but I didn’t. I thought being popular was more important. Kind of like I thought being the best basketball player in the history of Magnolia Valley was more important than passing my classes. I thought I could ride the ‘Fuller “the Jock” James’ wave this year and skate by without putting in any effort.”

  The crowd booed again.

  “I know, I definitely didn’t have my priorities straight. But, thanks to a bit of luck and a handful of mashed potatoes, I got to know Wren Carter, and you know what? I fell for her, hard. But then I screwed up. I didn’t come clean with her, and she found out about the bet at the game last week.”

  Brandon placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder and whispered, “You okay?”

  I stole a glance at my best friend. “I…I’m not sure.”

  “If you want to leave, just say the word, okay?”

  Nodding, I turned back toward the stage.

  Fuller took a deep breath and exhaled. “After she found out, she wouldn’t talk to me or respond to my text messages, and she even blocked me on Instagram. Not that I blame her. My actions hurt her. Desperate for her forgiveness and willing to do anything to win her back, my little brother and I came up with a plan.”

  Jenna Marie took my hand. My heart pounded so intensely I was sure she could hear it.

  Hudson waved to the crowd in his Deadpool costume. People around us clapped and hollered.

  “Wren told me once that her favorite movies were The Princess Bride and Say Anything. After I made a complete ass of myself, I sat down with my little bro and watched them both. Then, I read the The Princess Bride book. Well, I listened to it, but you get the gist. Tonight, I’m dressed up as Westley. He goes through hell and back for the woman he loves. I’m willing to do the same for Wren.”

  My hand flew to my chest. Love? Did he just say love?

  TyShaun came on stage and handed him an old boom box.

  “In her other favorite movie, there’s a grand sweeping gesture.” He hoisted the boom box up over his head with one hand and gestured toward the DJ with the other. A few seconds later, “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel started blasting out of the massive speakers on either side of the stage.

  Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes, and my breath caught in my chest.

  Marc handed Hudson a huge stack of poster boards. Fuller’s little brother tilted them toward the crowd.

  Fuller began reading them, one at a time. “Wren, I’m sorry. I acted like a complete jerk.”

  Hudson let the first poster fall to the floor of the stage. “A HUGE jerk,” he shouted.

  Several people in the crowd laughed.

  “Correction, Hudson is right. I behaved like a huge jerk.” Fuller nodded at his little brother. “Wren, I didn’t take your feelings into consideration when I made the bet, and by the time I knew I’d done something stupid, I was too scared to come to you with the truth.”

  Hudson let the poster fall.

  “I made the biggest mistake and I regret my actions more than anything.”

  Fuller stared out into the sea of people, and even though I doubted he could make out anyone’s faces due to the spotlight shining brightly on him, it felt like he was looking directly at me. A warm sensation spread through my chest.

  “Wren Carter, I know I don’t deserve you.” Fuller’s voice cracked with emotion. “But I had to get up here and tell you and everyone here tonight that I’m sorry.”

  Hudson let the last poster fall, revealing the final message.

  Gasps and applause broke out from the audience.

  “I have one thing left to say. To be honest, I’ve never said it to anyone before.” Fuller paused, his chest rising and falling. “Wren Carter, I love you.”

  My classmates erupted into wild cheers.

  Heart slamming, I looked at Dae and Brandon. They both gave me a quick nod and genuine smiles. Were they in on all of this? How could they have kept it a secret from me?

  Fuller’s voice drew my attention back toward the stage. “If there’s any way, deep in your heart, that you can forgive me, Wren, I promise, from this point forward, I’ll always be honest with you, no matter what.”

  Girls around me dabbed at their eyes with tissues while some of the guys from the basketball team started chanting, “Wren. Wren. Wren.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat and took a step forward. The crowd went berserk as I continued to make my way toward the stage.

  Fuller squinted and held out his hand, trying to block the bright light. He didn’t have a clue that I was almost to the stage.

  Knees trembling, I climbed the steps. That’s when he turned around, our eyes locking. “You did all this for me?”

  “Yes.” He took my hand in his and pulled me into his arms. “I am so sorry, Wren.”

  The cheers were deafening.

  Fuller took a step back, setting the boom box down and letting the microphone fall to his side. “Wow. You look beautiful.”

  A hush fell over the students in the audience.

  My eyes were glossy and my heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to spring out of my chest. “Did you really mean what you said?”

  “Every single word.”

  As if we were the only two in the gym, I reached up toward Fuller’s face and touched his mask. “I can’t believe you dressed up as Westley.”

  He brought his hand to mine and let it slide down his face, stopping at his shoulder. “Wren, I love you, and I’d do anything for you. Absolutely anything.”

  A murmur of excitement fell over our classmates, who’d crowded around the stage.

  “Will you give me a second chance?” His palms were damp.

  Anxiety coupled with pure bliss coursed throu
gh my body as I looped my hands around his neck. “Fuller James, I’ll give you another chance. But under one condition…”

  I beckoned him closer. As he leaned down, I whispered my terms into his ear.

  He pulled away, lips parted. “Seriously? That’s your condition?”

  I grinned and shrugged. “It’s your call.”

  Fuller leaned down and whispered into my ear, “As you wish.”

  Epilogue

  Wren

  “You ready, guys?” I asked with a smile.

  Fuller and his teammates gave me thumbs-up.

  It was hard to believe it had been a month since the dance. The thought of Fuller dressed up as the main character from The Princess Bride and making a grand gesture like in Say Anything still brought a smile to my face every time I pictured it.

  I picked up a megaphone and held down the button on the handle. “The car wash to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association is officially open!”

  Several cars behind me honked their horns in excitement as I began waving them through to the basketball players.

  I’d divided them up into groups of three. Fuller, TyShaun, and Marc got to work on their first car. The people behind them hopped out of their car and started taking pictures.

  Fuller stopped and spun around. “Yeah, yeah. Enjoy it while you can.”

  I stifled a giggle. I’d given Fuller one condition at the dance last month. That he go through with his end of the bet by wearing the mesh wrestling singlet, but he had to do it outside of school and while doing a good deed. He insisted on hosting a car wash to raise money for people with dementia and their caregivers. The money would be donated in Gramps’s name.

  Of course, he’d agreed. But I’d tossed in a pair of sweatpants and a jacket to throw over the singlet. After all, it left very little to the imagination and, with the chilly buckets of water and the temperature hovering around forty-five degrees, I didn’t want him to come down with pneumonia.

  As Fuller and the rest of the guys got to work, I stopped by the driver’s side of each vehicle in line to collect the $5.00 car wash fee.

  A few leaves clung to the trees surrounding the parking lot, but most had fallen. Normally, winter kind of bummed me out, but not this year. This year, I had a whole different outlook. Chilly mornings would be spent holding hands with Fuller on the way to class and late Friday nights would be reserved for eating popcorn and Nerds after his basketball games.

  Smiling, I walked up to the side of a blue truck.

  “We’d like to donate an extra fifty dollars,” my dad said with a smile. He handed me the money.

  “Thanks, Dad.” I shoved the money into a plastic container. “I really appreciate you coming out.”

  “We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Gramps added with a grin. “Great seeing these young men do something good for the community.”

  “Definitely. After the car wash, are we still on for watching the game?” I asked.

  Gramps gave me a thumbs-up. “I’ll pop the popcorn.”

  “Is it okay if Fuller and his little brother Hudson come watch with us?”

  “That sounds like a lot of fun. He’s a good ball player.” Gramps tilted his head to the side. “Though…that’s an awfully strange outfit he’s wearing.”

  I let out a chuckle. “It sure is, isn’t it, Gramps?”

  He nodded.

  My dad smiled. “Thanks for putting this all together, sweetheart. We are so proud of you and Fuller.”

  For the first time in ages, he looked well rested. After Gramps’s fall, my parents had a serious discussion. In the end, they decided that it would be smart to have some extra help around the house in order to keep Gramps safe. A certified nursing assistant now came to our house from ten at night until ten the next morning, five days a week. Even though it’d only been a month, it had already made a lot of difference in our lives, and best of all, Gramps was safer than ever.

  “Thanks, Dad.” I glanced up. “Looks like it’s your turn. See you guys later today.” I stepped back and tapped on the cab.

  As Dad drove up, I waved the next car forward. Jenna Marie sat in the driver’s seat. A girl with curly red hair sat next to her.

  Jenna Marie rolled down her window and grinned. “Hey, Wren. Everything looks great.”

  “Aw, thanks.” I reached forward and accepted a five-dollar bill from her.

  “This is Anna. I wanted to introduce you two. She’s going to the STEM Academy Camp over winter break, too.”

  “Hey, good to meet you,” Anna said. “Do you know what dorm you’re going to be in?”

  “Jasper Hall. How about you?” I asked.

  “Same,” she replied with a smile. “It’ll be nice to see a familiar face.”

  “Definitely.”

  Three of the guys finished up and tapped the side of the car. “We’re ready.”

  “Looks like you all are up.” I pointed to the farthest car-washing station to the right. “Thanks again for stopping by.”

  “No problem. I’m just so glad everything worked out.” Jenna Marie smiled before putting her car back into drive and heading toward the guys.

  I took a step back. I’d hoped the event would be popular, but I had no idea it would bring in this many people. The line of vehicles stretched from outside the gymnasium, where we had the hoses hooked up, to the entrance of the school.

  Halfway through the line was a raised truck covered from wheel to wheel in dried-up mud. I chuckled. That was going to take the guys forever to clean.

  We’d gotten the okay from Principal Davis to host the car wash at school. He loved when our students performed community service. Not only did the kids benefit, but our school did as well. He’d shown up in a Magnolia Valley High School track suit and had agreed to sit on a donated dunk tank. For five dollars, you could throw three balls and try to knock him into the water. Coach and a few other teachers had signed up as well.

  A broad smile stretched across my face. Amazed at how quickly everything came together and the people who helped to make it happen, I beamed with joy.

  I had to give the basketball team huge props. The players had done a great job hyping up the fundraiser. They’d made signs, told hundreds of classmates about the event, and they were even raffling off a signed basketball.

  But, without a doubt, Fuller had done the most to advertise the car wash. Using his good news of receiving a scholarship offer from the UGA Coach, he’d made calls to appear on the local news and radio stations; plus, he’d recruited the JV boys’ and girls’ basketball teams to set up a bake sale and run the school’s gigantic popcorn maker. They had coffee and lemonade available as well. Everything you could want on a Saturday morning.

  The cheerleaders had gotten on board, too. They lined the street outside school, waving their pom-poms and encouraging people to stop.

  After I’d collected money from all the cars in line, I fished my phone out of my pocket, ready to snap some pictures of the event. That’s strange, I missed a text from Fuller. He must have sent it right before the car wash opened. I tapped on the message.

  Fuller: Hey, Wren.

  Fuller: Just wanted to say…

  Fuller: I love you <3

  Warmth radiated through my chest as I typed out my reply.

  Me: I love you too, Fuller James.

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  Acknowledgments

  In elementary school, I devoured books. Everything from The Boxcar Children to Goosebumps to Jurassic Park. My parents constantly took me to the library, where I could find new books and worlds to get lost in. When I wasn’t reading, I was coming up with my own stories. Exciting adventures that took place in the Amazon, a thriller that sent the main characters racing across a farm and taking refuge in a silo, and a historical thriller featuring swashbu
ckling pirates.

  My love for reading and writing has continued to grow. It has also made my dreams come true. Publishing books for readers to fall in love with brings so much happiness to my heart, it’s unreal!

  Becoming an author and publishing books is something I couldn’t have accomplished without loads of amazing people who have helped me along the way.

  I Hate You, Fuller James came to life thanks to my wonderful agents, Jennifer Wills and Nicole Resciniti. Their unwavering support in my journey is beyond appreciated. A massive THANK-YOU is owed to the best editor on the planet, Stacy Abrams! With her guidance, my manuscript transformed into something that I am so proud of, it makes me want to cry. I’m also incredibly grateful for Lynn Rush. My critique partner, agency sister, co-writer (on different projects), and friend, Lynn played a massive part in helping me shape this book. Another thank-you to my friends Ali Novak, Alex Evansley, and Kristi McManus. They’re always there to bounce ideas off and help along the way. They are the greatest!

  Mad love for the rest of my #WattFam as well. We’ve all come so far and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us next! To the Sprinters United (Writing) crew, thank you for all of the motivation. I wrote this book in record time thanks to your help! Thanks to two of my biggest cheerleaders, Fiona Simpson and Andrew Cole-Bulgin! To my mom and dad as well as my mother-in-law and father-in-law, thank you! You all serve as such wonderful role models! Because of you, I work hard and find joy in life.

  Thank you to the entire team at Entangled, led by the brilliant Liz Pelletier. I know that my books are in the best hands in the business. I love working with everyone and I’m excited for my future with this amazing publisher!

  Lee Roy, you are such a caring husband and wonderful dad to our sweet Bells. Thank you for supporting me on my journey of becoming an author. Accomplishing my goals with you and our little family by my side is simply the best!

  To my darling Bella Rose, this book came to life shortly after I found out that I was pregnant with you. For the first three months of your life, you kept me company as I wrote this story. Curled up on the couch with your fur siblings, typing away, with steaming cups of peppermint tea, I knew that I had a partner in this journey. Your first birthday will come shortly after this book is published. I hope that as you grow up, it brings you pride that your mommy loves you with her whole heart and has shown you that it is possible to live your dreams!