Chapter 15
15
Aunt Melinda sat beside me, offering me a mug of tea. “Ava, since you’re staying here with us this summer, I feel like we must have a talk. There are things we can agree on. I’m not here to be a buzzkill, but to find an agreement that fits all of us, Mason included. This way, we can all respect one another’s boundaries and know what is allowed and what’s not.”
I nodded and tried to swallow the lump forming in my throat. I hated these talks. And so far, I’d never had those with anyone other than my parents. It felt weird to have my aunt playing parent, even though I understood why she was doing it, and I respected her for it. Didn’t mean I liked where I knew this was going.
“Let’s start with curfew,” she said. “How about eleven on the weekdays and one o’clock on the weekends? School is off, but you have a job now, so you gotta be responsible. I trust you to be smart. If you’re running late one night, let us know, and we’ll deal with it. What do you think?”
“Sounds fair. I’m not a party person. In the past, curfew hasn’t really been an issue.”
“New town, new friends. You never know how your life can change once you find yourself in a brand-new environment. I’m happy we’re on the same page here. What about boys?”
“What about boys?” I repeated.
“Ava, I saw the way Joseph looked at you. And how you looked at him. You guys have some intense chemistry going on for two people who’ve just met.”
I said nothing, avoiding her gaze and tracing the stitches on the comforter with my fingertip.
“I’m sure you two will see each other a lot in the next three months, so we should come up with rules.”
“Okay.”
“First, no boy sleeping over without asking first. And not on weekdays.”
“I’m not—I don’t?—”
She raised a hand. “Let me finish, then we’ll discuss it. No parading without clothes in the house. If you have sex, because I know at some point it might happen, I prefer it takes place under our roof than in a shady and unsafe back alley somewhere. As long as it’s respectful and you’re not doing anything you’re not comfortable with. If you have a sleepover elsewhere, you tell us first.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks. I swallowed hard. Could my aunt sense the discomfort in me?
“Noted,” I said, my voice so low I wondered if she could hear me.
“Also. Condoms, contraception, safety. Let me know if you have questions,” Aunt Melinda said. “I wouldn’t be a great aunt if I didn’t make sure you were informed about these things. You’re seventeen.”
“Mom had that talk with me when I turned fifteen. If it can reassure you, I’ve never been reckless, and I won’t start now. I swear. And I promise to not jump into things I’m not ready for. I never did it, and I don’t think I’m quite there right now. Even if I was, I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Sometimes, when you like someone, one thing leads to another, and it happens before you know it. I just wanna make sure you know what to expect. An hour of fun comes with great responsibilities. If you can’t accept these risks and be an adult about it, it means you’re not ready.”
“For your information, I’m already on the pill because I have bad cramps. One less thing to worry about,” I said, trying to ease her worries.
“Ava, I trust you. Never doubt it. Neither the condom nor the pill is a foolproof method. But it helps decrease the chances of an unplanned pregnancy or diseases. When you combine both, that’s when you’re most protected.”
“Got it.”
“Do you have questions? Comments? Things you wanna discuss?”
I shook my head. “No. Not at the moment.”
Aunt Melinda grabbed my hand between hers after she placed her mug on the floor. “I’m happy you’re here with us. And I hope I didn’t scare you with the birds and the bees talk. All Mason and I want is for you to be safe and feel free to be able to talk to us about anything bothering you.”
“You’re doing a great job so far.”
She blinked the moisture in her eyes. “Thanks. It means a lot.”
We hugged for the longest time.
“What did you think of Joseph?” I asked once we returned to our previous positions.
“What did I think? He’s a nice young man. Polite, funny, kindhearted. We both liked him very much. I’m relieved you’re making friends. I wouldn’t want you to spend all summer on your own, only working and being home alone. Not that I don’t enjoy your presence, but you’re young. You should have fun with people your age.”
I brought my mug to my lips.
“Thank you. For everything. We should do this more often. Girl chat.”
“I’d like that. Now go to bed. You have a full day tomorrow and a busy weekend ahead of you. Goodnight, Ava.”
“Night.”
She closed the door after her, and alone in the dark, I dreamed about my summer here in Feather Lake. Was Iris onto something when she said Ryder had a crush on me? No, she wasn’t. It made no sense. My thoughts drifted to Joseph when images of Ryder polluted my dream feed. My subconscious and I needed to have a talk because this was not okay. With my eyes closed, I prayed for Joseph’s face to make an appearance. Aquamarine-green eyes battled with sky-blue irises as I relived my night in my mind. And I chose to zoom in on the ones that were loaded with unabashed happiness.