"And…" I hesitate. "I believe him. I don't think he'll hurt you, and if I didn't see what happened that night, I would have thought he was perfect." I force a laugh. "Shit, I must have been so annoying."
She surprises me with a hug. "You were. But you were also looking out for me," she says against my chest. "I'm happy you guys talked."
I can't hug her back without soaking her with dishwater, so I rest my chin on her head. "He's pissed at me now, though."
Kennedy pulls away to look at me. "Because you asked him about that girl?"
"That, and also I capsized the boat on purpose, which he hated." I rinse a cup. "There goes all these days of trying to be nice."
"It's not wasted," Kennedy says, loading the dishwasher again. "I bet you two will be friends in the future."
I laugh as I pass her a handful of forks.
"Really," she insists. "I bet a hundred dollars."
"I think we're too different."
"Nah. I think Curtis liked you before that day you two talked and you were super hostile."
It was the final week of the summer holidays when I hung out with Kennedy and her official boyfriend for the first time. I'd occasionally spoken to Curtis at school, but it was different, sitting in Kennedy's bedroom with him. Kennedy forced us all to make polite conversation. It didn't end well.
"I was not… okay, I admit I was a little hostile. But it wasn't long until Curtis was just as bad. Besides, he never liked me. I could tell that I annoyed him during the classes we had together."
"A hundred dollars," Kennedy says with a twitch of her lips.
Before I have the chance to protest, Kennedy changes the topic to whether Erin would freak out if we went out drinking one night. Kennedy and I are both keen on the idea and are certain that Bonnie and Curtis would also be interested.
After a while, Kennedy leaves for the living room to join the cousins. I tell her not to wait up for me — I'm super tired, so I'll watch anime on my laptop or go on my phone. Before I head up the stairs, though, I look through the fridge because sometimes I'm hungry out of boredom, even though I finished dinner less than half an hour ago.
I snack on a handful of grapes while looking through the window above the sink that showcases the front yard. On the lawn are rectangles of yellow light from the windows on the ground floor. Above the rectangle is a stretch of darkness — all the lights on the second floor are off — and then a sliver of light: the light from the attic bedroom, peeking through the curtains.
I can't help thinking of Curtis again. Even though it's easier to hate him, I believed when he said he wouldn't hurt Kennedy. I felt like I could trust him.
And then, I remember with a wince, the way he shivered, crouched over after we'd capsized. He'd looked like a terrified little boy. I was lecturing him on the boat, and yet I was the asshole that capsized the boat and scared him.
I grab a mug, a green tea bag, and turn on the kettle. Once the tea is brewed, I head up to the attic.
Curtis sits in bed wearing pyjamas, a book propped open on his lap. He looks up as I enter the room. "Hi."
"I come bearing a gift," I say, concentrating on the hot mug so I don't spill it. When I'm close enough, I set it on the bedside table, but Curtis puts his book down and reaches for it.
"You don't have to do this," he says.
"Well, I still feel guilty for capsizing the boat," I say, sticking my hands into my pockets.
His brows jump. "Oh. It's fine." He takes a sip and winces at how hot it is.
"We both know that it's not fine. Anyway, you should exploit my guilt. Boss me around. What do you want me to do? I'll do anything you tell me to."
His face changes. "That's okay," he says, putting the mug on the bedside table and picking his book up again.
"Your loss," I say, turning away and grabbing my pyjamas from under my pillow. I strip down to my boxer briefs and pull off my sweatpants. I get on my hands and knees to pull my trunk from under the bed — on one side, I have all my clean clothes, and I dump my dirty clothes on the other side. Tomorrow I'll do a load of laundry.
Only when I stand up do I realise I changed in front of Curtis. I look at him, but his eyes are determinedly on his book, so I doubt he even noticed. It's not as if I'm worried about him judging my body anymore.
In the bathroom, I brush my teeth and wash my face. I notice a blemish forming on my cheek, and wonder if I'm stressed, and apply some pimple cream to it. When Kennedy and I were both going through puberty, and our skin was being ruined by acne and excess oil, Kennedy introduced me to the world of skincare. I've never gone back. Guys might think it's too girly, but I have better skin than all of those guys.
Except for Curtis. His skin is pretty much perfect, which is the most annoying thing in the world, but I guess it's a side effect from his super healthy diet.
