“They told me - though that’s putting it politely - that I needed to choose. Them or you.”
“What did you do?” I whisper. Because I know who he chose. He’s here, isn’t he?
“I told them there was no contest. It’s them. Always would be.” Confusion, hurt and disappointment stab through me. “Bros before hoes and all that. So they dragged me out to celebrate. I think they planned to make sure I was too wasted to try to sneak back to you.” He grins proudly before his face falls and darkens. “They always underestimate me. They all do.”
“But you were wasted,” I point out.
“Never too wasted to find you, sis,” he says, and damn it sounds like a promise that makes my heart soar.
“Eat up,” I instruct, struggling to hide my smile. “You’ve got coffee to finish before I make a start on your coke float,” I threaten with a smile.
We fall into an easy silence, picking food from each other’s plates and feeding each other tidbits. It’s honestly the most relaxed and happy I’ve felt in a long time. The easy camaraderie between us reminds me of Smalls back home.
Eventually we get to talking about our lives, our upbringings and our families. Before it all gets too heavy though, Kalen changes the subject and declares it’s time for a language lesson. He wants to teach me British slang and swear words and insists that I teach him Australian.
We probably spend another hour messing around, calling each other ‘dickweasle’ (my favourite, I’m going to have to start using that) and ‘fuckstick’, which Kalen declares is his favourite word in the world and plans to use it on everyone as soon as he gets back to school.
As expected, once Kalen sobers up, he changes. He’s embarrassed and unwilling to talk about anything serious, but he keeps me laughing until the server who’s been glaring at us for hours, stomps over and demands that we leave. Kalen pays the check, kisses her on the cheek and slips a fifty into her apron pocket. She blinks in astonishment, shakes her head and almost cracks a smile. Joke’s on her; Kalen’s made a right mess spilling his float on the window and it’s going to be a bitch to clean.
The ride back to school is uneventful and I manage to chain the bike up and put the helmet back where I found it. For a second I think it moved from where I left it, but I quickly dismiss the thought. Kalen probably knocked it when he was climbing off.
“Come on,” Kalen grins, grabbing my hand and taking off at speed through the trees.
“Kalen, wait! Where are we going?”
“I know a place! You’re going to love it!”
“Kalen, we start school in a couple of hours, we should get some sleep.” Doing this on a school night was such a badidea. Shit how much coffee did he drink? I suddenly remember Sawyer telling me that Kalen has ADHD and I want to kill myself for being so stupid! Shit, is he going to be okay? Suddenly I’m too scared to leave him alone, and so I stop trying to fight him and let him tug me wherever he wants. He grins at me over his shoulder when he feels my resistance crumble.
He leads me to a clearing through the trees that opens up around a vast lake. The early morning sunlight glimmers on the water and it is beautiful. That is, until Kalen starts to strip off. Then two things distract me: his body and the fact that he’s crazy!
“Kalen, what the hell are you doing?”
“Swimming!” He grins at me. He’s stripped down to his boxers already and it’s freezing. Not that it, you know,affectshim at all. I blink and he’s naked. Beautiful, athletic and -
“You’re stark bollock naked,” I gasp, trying out some of the new British slang he taught me. He howls with laughter - must be my accent - and climbs up onto the wooden post on the end of the lake’s small jetty.
“Join me.”
“What?”
“Last one in the water’s a rotten egg!” he cries, before diving gracefully into the lake so smoothly he barely creates a ripple. Ugh, swim team show off!
I debate joining him but it really is freezing. Why does wild shit never involve fluffy socks and cute oversized jumpers? Can I take a rain-check on getting naked al fresco until it’s summer?
“Amelie, get in!” he orders me when he pops up halfway across the lake. Whoa, he’s got some lungs on him. Naughty thoughts about how useful it can be to hold your breath for long periods of time, pop into my mind.
“No way! It’s freezing!” I call back, shaking my head to clear it of images of Kalen between my thighs.
“It’s invigorating, refreshing, stimulating!” he laughs, splashing.
“Ugh, please don’t say that word to me.” I pull a face and he laughs again.
“What? Stimulating? I find you very...stimulating, Amelie,” he says, starting to swim back to the shore.
“Stop it!”
“I’ll stop if you come in,” he teases in a sing-song voice.
