“How’s Miles feeling?”
“You know Miles. He doesn’t care about anything except polo. I’m not sure he’s done any revision.” I laugh, even though he’s going to get into serious trouble if he doesn’t pass. The exams we took at the beginning of summer determined which subjects we could take in senior year and where we would go to university.
The reason I’ve been working so hard is that I only want to be a vet and study at the Royal Veterinary School in London.
“D’you want to go to the waterfall today?”
Again, I want to scream to the heavens with frustration but instead reply, “I can’t. Miles has his first match with England today. I have to be at Foxleigh Park by three.” Fuck, fuck,fuck. “Why don’t you come? It’ll be fun.”
But as predicted, she shakes her head. “No thanks, but we have all summer to hang out.”
The disappointment vanishes slightly. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, let’s go to the waterfall tomorrow. It’s going to be a scorcher.”
Spending the day at the waterfall is the best idea she’s ever had.
“Does that mean you plan to wear your tiniest bikini?” My eyes fall to her mouth as it purses. “That blue one you put on Instagram?”
“Maybe. Have to wait and see, won’t you?”
My brow rises. Fuck, she looked incredible. Standing by the pool, book in hand and boobs high and round, pushed together from the way her hand was shielding her face from the sun. It never occurred to me I was a boobs guy until I saw hers. “That was a hot one, Stor.”
I love the way her cheeks flush whenever I pay her a compliment. She’s so fucking pretty. I wish we could stay here all day, all night,allsummer. Just her and me.
“Yeah?”
“Yes. It’s a plan. You, me, the bikini, and the waterfall.”
“Didn’t realize you liked that bikini so much.”
“Oh, yeah.”
Except then I remember fucking Sam Pelling liked it. A peach, the cherries, and a tongue, like he’s such a knob he can’t even spell out words. I was so annoyed that I offered to play one-on-one with Miles, and he bumped me so hard I fell off.
My only consolation was that when I checked it later, the comment had been deleted. It’s what made me think they might be seeing each other. That, and because I know he’s always liked her.
Sprite drops the ball in Story’s lap, and she throws it, but it goes five meters, if that.
“Pathetic. Guess we’re working on your throwing arm this summer too.”
Leaning over, she squeezes my bicep, but it could quite as easily be my dick for the effect it has. “So I canhave guns like this?”
Sitting tall, I flex them at her. All the hours I spent in the school gym this year are now paid in full.
“Impressive.” Her head drops on my shoulder. “I do miss you, Hen. I wish we weren’t so far away from each other during term time.”
“Me too, but we have all summer to be together. And now we’re going into sixth form, I can come home more. Plus, once I’m seventeen, I’ll have my car.”
I hope she gets what I’m trying to say. That I like her and want to spend all the time I have with her.
“That would be cool, and I can come and visit you at Wellington too.” Lying down, she props herself up with her elbow facing me, and I follow. Sprite decides he’s had enough chasing the ball and lies at our feet. “Let’s make a plan. We’re sixteen now. Our exams are done, we have no obligations whatsoever.” She reaches out and hooks her little finger around mine. “We need to make this summer count.”
Her ponytail flops over her shoulder. Taking hold of the end, I run it between my fingers and move it back, watching her lashes flutter against her cheeks. Her attention darts between my eyes and my lips, and it’s a movement I mirror.No, that’s a lie.I’m not looking at her eyes because I can’t stop staring at her lips.
She’s not wearing any of that shiny stuff I usually hate, mostly because it tastes weird, and I get covered in it too.
No, she’s just natural and perfect. She’s Story.
