Page 10 of When We Were Young

He rolls his eyes at me but chuckles.

Then we both go quiet.

His face turns serious, and he holds my gaze.

“Everything. I want to know everything about you, Lizette.”

Chapter Five

Holden

Twenty Questions is my new favorite game, if it helps me learn everything I can about Lizette.

“Favorite color?”

“Purple. Any shade. You?”

She’s sitting opposite me, cross-legged between two rows full of books.

“I knew you’d be a purple.” She scrunches her face at me, and it’s adorable. “Mine is orange.”

“Orange? That’s different,” she says.

“Not really. It’s an underrated color. It adds to everything but never gets the credit. Think about sunshine with hints of orange coming off the sun, making it feel warm and comforting. Or when you’re hiking somewhere beautiful like Red Rocks, Colorado, and there are rich shades of orange in the rock, amplifying the beauty. My favorite, of course, is in the sunset.”

She narrows her eyes at me but says nothing for a few seconds. I can almost see the wheels in her brilliant mind turning.

“I can’t tell if you’re screwing with me, like it’s one of those things men say to sound charming, or if you’re really serious.”

I chuckle. I’ve learned that Lizette is a very literal person, and it’s one of the things I enjoy about her.

“I’m serious. I’m not one of those guys who’s gonna say stuff to impress you. I don’t have game like that.” I wink at her, and her pretty cheeks turn a faint shade of pink. “I am what I am, and I think people should always tell others the truth. That’s how I feel, anyway. So, yeah, it’s all true. The peach and orange colors of a sunset are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

I pause for a second as it strikes me that’s no longer completely true. I allow my eyes to roam over her face.

“Well, one of the most beautiful things…”

Her eyes widen, and she sucks in a shallow breath. The intensity of her gaze holds me hostage for several long seconds. Then, as if the moment never happened, she drops her gaze and clears her throat.

“I’ll never look at a sunset again without appreciating the shades of orange and thinking of you.”

I smile. The idea of her thinking about me when we aren’t together pleases me, even if she’s teasing.

“Favorite cereal?” The words rush out of her mouth, probably to distract me from what she just said.

“Hmm. That’s a tough one. I think maybe Happios because they’re heart healthy.”

Something pinches inside my chest at my own words.

“Mine’s Pirate Crunch with those crunchy gold balls.”

I grimace. “That’s so sugary that it can’t be good for you.”

She tilts her head back against the wall and closes her eyes. “I don’t care. I love them.”

A pretty smile spreads across her face.

I hear her words, but they’re distant, and my heart rate kicks up.