“Have you seen my family? I’ve kept track of Nate’s swim lessons and the due date of bills since I was in sixth grade. Before then, things were always late, and lights always shut off.”
“I didn’t realize.” Leo’s expression changed to something more somber.
“I got tired of waking up without running water so…” I refocused my attention on the food options because talking about my responsibilities back home was the last thing I wanted to do on a date. Leo sensed as much because he stayed silent for a moment until the server came around to take our order. When she placed our drinks in front of us, Leo resumed the conversation as if we hadn’t experienced a lull.
“What do you do for you?” he asked, leaning across the table so I could hear him better.
I took a sip of my iced tea. “What do you mean, for me?”
“Outside of your family stuff. Everyone should have something.” His expression turned regretful when I gave him a blank look. “I’m not judging if you don’t. Just curious. Maybe I’m a little worried too.”
“I was swimming for myself,” I came up with. “Our lessons.”
Leo shook his head. “No, you were swimming for the charity event. For your family.”
“It’s for me too,” I said the lie under my breath. Even if Leo didn’t hear the words, he could see how I avoided his gaze by staring at the people on the street.
“There’s got to be one thing you do that doesn’t benefit anyone besides yourself. You deserve it. I don’t like the idea of you giving so much to your folks. It feels…wrong. Sorry. Am I overstepping? You can tell me to shut up.”
“No, no.” I shook my head. “You’re not overstepping. I’ve heard similar things before but I don’t know. It’s hard to change once I started.”
Leo nodded, understanding. “One step at a time. What’s one thing you like to be selfish about?”
I twisted my mouth to the side, thinking for a moment. Well, there was my script. My silly writings and drawings that no one but Claire knew about. My work felt childish when I thought about sharing it. Leo watched me, expectantly. I traced the sweat running down my glass and shrugged.
“Nothing of interest,” I said.
“You’re holding out on me.” He smiled, understanding in his eyes. “Fine. I’ll go first.”
“You’ll go first?”
“If we’re ever going to stop romanticizing each other, we’ll have to learn how to be embarrassed. We can’t have a relationship built on fantasy. Trust me, I’ve fantasized… a lot”
“Right.” My cheeks blushed. I wiped my hands on the skirt of my dress. “That’s surprisingly mature of you.”
“Honestly, I’m kind of taking a page out of your book. You’ve inspired me this summer.” He smiled when I snorted in disbelief. “One day, you’re going to get used to compliments. I plan on giving them out more often just to watch you advert your eyes. You get flustered anytime I say something nice.”
“I’m not flustered.” I played with my empty straw wrapper.
“You’re fidgeting,” he pointed out, and I immediately released the wrapper from my fingers. “Never thought you’d get this nervous.”
“I’m not nervous. Just fidgety.”
He laughed. “Are you sure about that?”
“Well…fine, maybe a little,” I admitted and quickly added, “Anyway, you were going to lead by example and share something you do for yourself.”
“Right.” He cleared his throat. “Let’s keep this between us.”
“Of course.”
“I… Uh, I run away every few weeks.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Ever since I got a car, I’ve run away to the town I grew up in. Merritt Island,” he shared. “Hit every spot that means something to me. Each time I’m there, I tell myself I’m going to stay. That I’ll never have to swim again because in that town no one cares.”
“You want to quit?” My eyes widened at the thought.
