Page 64 of Summer, in Between
‘You really did it.’I put my arms around him from behind, my hands looping under his arms and up to grip his shoulders.From where I’m standing, I’m actually looking down on him for a change.I lean forward to kiss his cheek, his stubble against my lips.
‘Not bad for just a fling, hey?’He moves out of reach.
‘You heard that?’
‘I heard.You have a decent set of lungs on you, and your door was wide open.Is that really what you think?’
‘I dunno...’
‘You dunno?She who knows everything?’
‘Umm...’
‘Well, let me make this really simple for you, Cat.For me?Asking you to be my girlfriend?It’s not just a summer thing.Or a fling.’He turns to face me.His jaw clenches, pulse surging in his throat.‘What is it to you?’
‘It’s not a summer thing,’ I croak, my throat thick and to my eternal horror I feel tears lurking.‘It’s a scary as you-know-what thing.It’s a confusing as you-know-what thing.I look at you, I look at me and on paper it doesn’t make sense.’
‘I get it.The smart AF doctor slash lawyer and the dumb arse tradie, but Cat, let’s just go for it.Forget what it looks like on paper.’
‘That’s not what I mean.You’re gorgeous, and I’m...well let’s just say I don’t stop traffic.’
‘I’m not even going to give that one airtime.You’re beautiful to the point of dangerous.Full stop.I know that’s not what’s going on here.’
‘Okay.’My face is hot and I can barely look him in the eye.Out of all the excuses how freakin’ pitiful and pathetic of me to vomit out that tired old cliché straight from the patriarchy rulebook.
‘What doesn’t make sense to you?’His gaze is unwavering, and I know that he deserves a proper answer, but where do I start?
I’m feeling all the stupid feels.It’s a happiness and a certainty and a lightness that could let me float into the stratosphere, but it’s also not.It’s his certainty that throws me because I’ve had that.I’ve had a plan since I don’t know when.Work hard.Get into uni.Move to the city.With him staring at me like this, my whole plan feels wobbly, like its cemented in jelly rather than concrete.He just fits so easily here in my house, with my family, even when he hugs me with that squeeze across my shoulders.He just fits.He’s so Batter’s Cove, but Batter’s is my past.Where do I fit?
He’s still staring at me, waiting for an answer.
‘It’s just a bit overwhelming, sometimes, you know?’
‘I get it, but I don’t want to stop this thing we’ve started.Do you?’
‘Are you freakin’ kidding?This has been the best summer.’
‘And it’s just the start.’He drops his head into my chest, his arms around me.I tilt his head back and kiss him.
‘Woooo, lovers,’ my brother yells as he runs past us down to the living room.We jerk apart and I feel the flush spread across my face.
‘That’s enough, Tommy,’ Mum says as we come down into the living room.‘But seriously, guys, do I need to keep a bucket of water on standby?’
