Loose Change~ Montgomery De La Cruz / Zach Dempsey/Scott Reed

Part 3 Chapter 3b

tw: mentions of sexual assault

Ophelia remembered clearly the first time Montgomery walked her home. After they had followed each other on Instagram, and after she was sure he never meant to ignore her, they talked a lot. A lot online and a lot at school. Between classes. Occasional at lunch. They talked so much at school that Zach got suspicious of them. And he's the one that told on her.

*****

It had been Montgomery's idea to walk her home. Zach had gone to football practice, but Montgomery was willing to skip.

"I normally wait for Zach," she remembered telling him.

Montgomery just said, "Well, maybe I can be the one to walk you home today. That way we can talk some more."

He wanted to talk to her alone.

Ophelia was hesitant, because she didn't know if Zach would get mad that she left without him.

But then Montgomery smiled at her, and she could never say 'no' to that smile...

"Okay," she said, "Just today."

Montgomery walked closely next to her. They talked about school, and other mundane things. He cracked a lot of jokes, and he kept making her laugh. He was so good at making her laugh.

When they reached her neighborhood, she stopped a few houses away. "I'm right there."

Montgomery nodded. "Okay, yeah. The rich people houses." She laughed again. He asked, "Um, I'll see you tomorrow?"

Ophelia smiled. "Well, I'm not gonna skip."

Montgomery smiled back at her. "Of course you wouldn't."

They stood for a moment, just smiling at each other. Ophelia bit her lip to keep herself from laughing. She was just overwhelmed with happiness that they were together.

"I better get going..." she said.

If she didn't leave, she'd want to stand there all day.

"Yeah," he agreed.

But her feet didn't move. Neither did his. They were completely enthralled with each other in that moment.

She snapped out of it when he stepped closer. The tip of his feet almost touching hers.

"Can I kiss you goodbye?"

What a bold question from a bold boy. He was handsome enough to get away with that boldness.

She chuckled. "No, you can't."

He wanted her to say yes. But he wasn't mad she said no. He couldn't be mad around her. Not in that moment.

So he smiled, knowing what his smile did to her. "Why not?"

She said confidently, "Because you're not my boyfriend."

Ophelia wore a collard shirt under her beige sweater. He reached out, and touched the collar, flattening it for her.

"What if I wanted to be your boyfriend?"

Her breath caught in her throat, and she could hear her own heart pick up in pace, pounding in her ear.

"Oh...." she had no idea what to say.

But she did want him to kiss her. But she wouldn't tell him that. She had only ever kissed that one boy after Winter Ball. She had no idea how to kiss. Montgomery seemed to have lots of girlfriends. He knew better than her. She didn't want to embarrass herself.