Page 129 of Grounded
"Tinkering?" I torment for the sake of being annoying.
"You drive me crazy."
"It's what I do best. But no, I was never into fixing things. My dad taught me about tools but not the skill set to use said tools. And with Habitat for Humanity, you didn't need experience. They were amazing and taught you everything you needed to know."
"Think you'll look for a job revolving around construction?"
"Maybe, it all depends on…"
On what Amelia plans on doing.
I'm not an idiot, and I know I can't follow her like a groupie, but I like being around her. I like that we are adjusting to living across the hall from one another.
"Uh, depends on what I can find." I recover well but the suspicion and scrutiny are evident on her face. "Anyway, why were you awake? Plotting how you can get the neighbor to set your house on fire this year?"
"I want to leave, but notthatbad. I would still be devastated if anything happened to the house. Even if your mom changed some things."
"Did she change a lot?"
"I mean." Amelia's lips are pressed together like she didn't intend on saying something uncomplimentary, yet she continues. "Yes. It's crazy how different it is. I understand life goes on but—never mind."
"I'm sorry." I was fixated on the fact when my mom married Bruce, it was her way of wanting a new life. I didn't think she'd change Amelia's memories, too.
"Fuck our parents," I joke while flipping the bird at the dark house.
"Fuck 'em."
There's a moment of silence, and I wonder how long she'll want to stay out here.
"You know, when my dad told me he had a surprise for me when I got home, I thought they were having a baby."
"I'm sure knowing the surprise was me, you'd have wished for the baby, huh?"
She stifles her laugh with a hand over her mouth so the whole neighborhood isn't aware of our existence. Everyone is asleep and dead to the world, and it's like we are infinitely alone in our midnight tryst.
"Now that we resemble two adults who can get along, you're not so bad."
So many unspoken emotions pass over both our faces as she swims closer to me.
"All you had to do was give me a chance, wicked stepsister."
"Theo, I just had the urge to kiss you, can you please not kill the moment?"
"But bickering can be so fun with you."
She groans as she dips below the water. When she reappears and wipes her eyes, I'm nose to nose with her.
"You wanted to kiss me?" I confirm.
"Maybe."
"What are you waiting for?" I mimic the same words she whispered in my ear the night I almost pulled her onto my lap. Except this time, she doesn't hesitate.
She jumps onto my body and wraps her legs around my waist and arms around my neck.
I lower our bodies into the water so only our heads are visible in the dark. She's light as a feather in the water, and my chest feels as weightless.
Fuck, she tastes so good. Her breath is minty, and I'm turned on by the fact she brushed her teeth, as if she predicted something sexual would happen out here.
