Under the Lights by Abbi Glines Read Free Book Online Page A

The tan color of his skin made me think of beaches and sunshine and not Lawton, Alabama. He turned to me, and I quickly moved my eyes back to the notebook on my desk.
    â€œYou must be Willa Ames,” his deep voice said, drawing my attention back to him.
    â€œYes,” I replied, wishing I knew who he was. I searched his face to see if I recognized him. Everyone had changed so much over the past six years I had a hard time remembering them all.
    â€œYou don’t remember me, do you? But then I was about seven inches shorter and less muscle or no muscle the last time we saw each other.”
    I forced a smile. I felt awkward not remembering who he was, but then would he have recognized me if he didn’t have the knowledge that the new girl was Willa Ames? I wouldn’t beat myself up about it. Although I had gone to school witha lot or most of these kids, I’d not run in their social circles. My only friends had been Gunner and Brady. I didn’t get invited to birthday parties as a child, or any party for that matter. I was the Lawtons’ help’s granddaughter, who had been brought into this world by a “slutty” teenage mother.
    He grinned and dimples appeared. Not expected on a guy his size. “Asa . . . Griffith,” he said, adding his last name as an afterthought. This was the party guy whose name I had heard before. Digging in my memory, I tried to think of a boy’s face that might resemble the much more mature one in front of me now. Had he come to play with Gunner often as a child? I couldn’t remember all the friends Gunner had over.
    He chuckled this time. “Don’t guess I made an impression on you back in the day, but then you’d always been Gunner’s. We didn’t get to see you much when we came over after Nash called you hot once. Gunner got all pissy, and that was the last time we ever played with you.”
    That struck a memory.
    â€œY’all have changed with puberty” was the only comment I had to that.
    His dimples deepened, clearly flirting at this point. “And so have you.”
    I wasn’t going to try and decipher what he meant by that. I just smiled and turned back to the notebook in front of me.
    â€œYou coming to my birthday party Saturday night? I’ll be the big one eight.”
    Was this an invite? I glanced back over at him. “I wasn’t aware I was invited.”
    He continued to grin. “I’m officially inviting you. I just figured Gunner or Brady already had.”
    Should I agree to this? The last time I partied . . . I didn’t want to think about that right now. It was different. Everything about that night had been different. This was a birthday party with football players. I could do this and not feel guilty. Couldn’t I?
    â€œThat frown concerns me. I’m not a bad guy. Promise,” Asa added as I realized he was watching me and I hadn’t responded to his invitation. Which was rude.
    â€œI’m sorry. I was just thinking about my schedule. But yes, I’d like to come. Thank you for inviting me.” I sounded entirely too formal. Trying not to wince at my own ridiculous response, I once again stared down at my notebook.
    â€œI think I make you nervous, Willa Ames. I like that.” He sounded amused, and I didn’t look back at him.
    â€œWill Gunner be walking you to your next class like he did this one, or can I have that honor?” He was mimicking my formal tone, and I bit back a smile. I think I liked Asa Griffith.
    â€œI’d like that,” I replied, letting the smile touch mylips. It felt good to want to smile again. I was doing it more and more since my arrival in Lawton. A few months ago I thought I’d never smile again.
    But with that thought the reality of what I’d seen, what I’d done, and all I’d lost came back to me. The darkness I carried like bricks on my back weighed me down, and I once again