I shiver at the sweetness, the intimacy of the moment. “I like when you call me that,” I admit for the first time. I’ve never commented on the nickname before. It was all that remained of our friendship for a while, the sole reminder of what we were. I was worried addressing it might make it disappear along with everything else we used to be.

“Yeah?” He murmurs the word against my neck.

“Why do you call me that?”

“Cassias are flowers.”

“I know. I just…”

He didn’t answer my question, but I’m not sure how else to ask.

Holden sighs. “I wanted to have a name no one else called you.”

I’m not sure what to say to that, so I kiss him instead. Holden’s hand slides under my skirt. There’s no uncertainty. No hesitation, on my part or his. His hand returns to the spot between my legs, rubbing my clit for a minute before he guides his dick inside. The stretch as I slide down is nothing but pleasure.

He feels bigger from this angle. Pushes deeper. We fall into an effortless rhythm.

Moans fall out of my mouth as the pleasure sparks and spreads.

“Quiet, flower,” he says. “Or else the whole school will hear how much you love taking me like this.”

The taunt of the forbidden, delivered in Holden’s husky voice, is all it takes. I come quickly, Holden groaning when I contract around him. He comes right after, our bodies totally in sync.

I don’t move off him right away, wanting to live in this moment a little longer.

Our breathing slows and evens. Holden’s hands are on my waist, covering the strip of skin between my skirt and sweater.

“Subpar, right?” he whispers.

I roll my eyes, but I’m smiling too. I move off him, grabbing my underwear and tights to get redressed. Holden tosses the condom and fixes his shorts. Tugging them down was as undressed as he got.

As far from subpar as the sex was, I wish I’d been able to explore his body more.

We’re both silent as we walk back into the gym, but it’s a comfortable one. The kind when you’re around someone who already knows everything important. I’m not sure that’s entirely accurate when it comes to me and Holden, but that’s how it feels.

“Give me a sec,” he says as I pick up my abandoned backpack. “I’ll walk out with you.”

I nod, watching as he retrieves the balls on the court and returns them to the rack. He grabs his backpack and gym bag off the bleachers and then returns to my side.

“Sydney asked me to come over tonight,” I tell him. “There’s a movie she wants to watch, and your dad is going out with some friends before he…”

“Before he leaves again.” The words are flat.

“Yeah.”