31. Summer 18
Rebecca has been glued to my side all day. Ever since I told her what happened with Andrew, she’s been peppering me with questions. “What are you going to say when you see him again?” I don’t know. “Do you think you guys will finally start dating?” I don’t know. “What will you do about leaving for school tomorrow?” I don’t know.
It’s been exhausting and terrifying to realize with each question that I have absolutely no answers for her. I can’t be frustrated with her though because I know her great interest in my love life is only because she wants me to be happy.
My phone buzzes in my back pocket, pulling my attention away from my conversation with Rebecca for a moment.
Andrew
Where are you?
His text has no significance. He’s not flirting or professing his love to me, but still, it makes my heart flutter. I curse my heart a little for being so easily moved.
“Is that Andrew?” Rebecca asks, leaning over to my side of the car and peering over at my phone.
I quickly push her back to her rightful place in the driver’s seat. “You’re driving! Watch the road, not my phone please.”
She pouts. “I just want to know what’s going on! Will you read it to me?”
I roll my eyes because the text is so completely insignificant, but I grant her wish anyway and read it aloud.
“Aww he wants to know where you are! Tell him we will be home in three minutes, and you two can meet up to talk then. You have to promise to fill me in on every word he says to you if he asks to speak to you alone. I won’t be able to bear not knowing!” Her excitement is contagious, and I give myself a moment to appreciate all the support she gives me. I don’t know what I’d do without Rebecca as my hype girl.
I laugh as I text him back.
Me
We are headed home from the grocery store. We will be back in 2 mins
Andrew
Oh perfect! I want to talk with you
Rebecca interrupts again as she makes a left turn onto our street. “What’d he say?”
“He just said he wants to talk.”
Rebecca stares me down. “That’s all he said?”
“Pretty much.”
“Well then, what else did he say?” she prods.
“Nothing!”
Her lips form a straight line. “Fine, but you have to promise to fill me in on everything else.”
I shake my head at her, but I’m smiling as I do it. “Alright, I promise. You know I can’t keep things from you anyway.”
“You didn’t tell me what happened last night,” she reminds me.
“I wouldn’t call waiting twenty minutes while we make pancakes keeping things from you.” I scoff.
When we pull into the driveway, I notice Andrew sitting on the porch steps. Is he waiting for me? Suddenly I feel nervous. Should I be nervous? Oh God. What if he thinks this was all just a mistake? What if he wants to take back the things he said and did? Oh, I don’t think my heart could take it.
Andrew smiles and waves from the porch as the two of us get out of the car. I immediately feel my nervousness begin to subside. Maybe everything will be okay.
His dimple begins to show on his right cheek as he continues smiling at me. “Mom’s pretty pissed you haven’t started packing yet, Rebecca. If I were you, I’d get it done now before she gets home.” Andrew warns with urgency. “I can keep Emma company for a little bit. I promise” he adds, giving Rebecca a look that I know is twin code for something. It’s probably please leave us alone because she tilts her head in his direction as if to concede but rolls her eyes while doing it.
I laugh under my breath as I watch the two wordlessly interact. It’s kind of fun to be wanted so much by both of them.
Rebecca hustles inside with the baking supplies as Andrew places one of his hands on my lower back, setting that singular spot, and in turn my entire spine, aflame.
He leans in to whisper in my ear. “I was hoping to talk a little about last night. I can’t stop thinking about it.”
I blush. Out of context, it might sound like more happened than we did last night. Even so, a lot did happen. I feel like the whole course of our relationship is going to take a turn at this point.
We walk around the house, heading down toward the beach. The shore can easily be followed for a solid mile before the cliffs briefly interrupt the rocky water’s edge, but that should be plenty long enough for us to discuss everything.
We take a few steps in silence, and I look to him for guidance. He’s the one who texted me he wanted to talk, so he should be the one to start our conversation.
I watch him swallow as if he’s gathering courage, and the nerves from earlier quickly rush back. I catch myself gulping too.
He finally turns to me, carefully taking in my facial features, trying to read me. He smiles softly. “I just wanted to talk about last night and make sure we are on the same page before I get my hopes up.”
I nod, eyes wide, anticipation buzzing around inside of me like a fly stuck in the house. “Okay, what page are you on?” I ask cautiously.
He smirks. “I think it’s pretty obvious what page I’m on, but I don’t want to be misreading you too.”
I sigh. “I don’t think you misread anything. I had a lot of fun last night. My only regret is not having more time with you this morning.”
He stops abruptly and turns to me. I wince, instantly regretting my words. Oh my gosh! I literally stopped him in his tracks. How did I manage to read him so wrong? My stomach cartwheels.
Then he’s moving toward me, sweeping a finger along the curve of my jaw and to my chin. He tilts my face up toward him as he softly says, “Me too. There’s something I wanted to do.”
Here comes the tingling again. I can’t even breathe as I watch him carefully, waiting for what I think, and hope is going to happen.
He leans in, and my heart is pounding a million miles per minute. I’ve lost all control of my body.
I close my eyes as he gets closer and begin leaning in too. I feel his warm breath brush across my lips just before we are interrupted yet again by the ringing of a phone. Andrew stops, leaning his forehead against mine.
He sighs in defeat and mutters under his breath, “Damn it!”
I laugh a little to mask my disappointment. I look at him, wondering if he’s going to answer his phone now that we’ve been interrupted.
“I’m so sorry, Em. I want this moment to be perfect. I know I’ve waited a long time for this. I have to do this right. You deserve the world and then some.” He pulls away from me and reaches down for his phone. “It’s probably my mom. I better answer.” When he looks down at it, he affirms, “Yup, it’s Mom.”
He turns away from me as he takes the call, and I try not to be disappointed. At least I know for sure he wants to kiss me. That’s something! As if that wasn’t enough, he had to go and melt my heart by telling me he wanted it to be perfect for my sake.
I pull out my phone to check the notifications, trying not to eavesdrop on his conversation. What could Mrs. Martin possibly need right now that had to interrupt this moment?
There are five texts from Rebecca. I breathe out a puff of air through my nose as I find myself both surprised and not at all surprised by the notifications. On the one hand, I thought she would leave me alone with Andrew, but on the other hand, I know better than that.
Rebecca
I hope everything is going well!
I’m dying here wondering what you two are “talking” about
OMG you two are totally not even talking huh?
Get some girl! Except that’s my twin brother… so that’s weird but I guess I can get over it for you because I love you 3
Hurry up and get back so you can fill me in!!!
I glance up at Andrew. He’s still on the phone, his brows furrowed and his light smile from earlier completely replaced by a prominent frown. I guess he’s probably just as disappointed as I am to be interrupted. That makes me feel a little better.
I take this opportunity to respond to Rebecca quickly. I know she will appreciate it. Plus, this way, she can’t say I kept anything from her this time.
Me
Rebecca I’m dying! He tried to kiss me again but your mom called and interrupted us… AGAIN!
Her response pops up instantly.
Rebecca
Noooooo! I’m sorry! I tried to tell her it could wait. I thought I convinced her. This is all my fault
No it’s not lol! Everything will be fine. We still have time
Not now you won’t
What do you mean?
Before Rebecca has a chance to respond, Andrew comes back over to me, resting his hand on my lower back. I take a second to appreciate the warmth of his soft touch before he speaks.
“Em, I’m sorry, but we have to head back. My mom is freaking out about dinner tonight since it’s our last family dinner for a while. She needs me to come help her cook.”
I nod, acting agreeable rather than bummed out like I feel right now. “No problem. I understand. I didn’t know you cooked though,” I point out.
He shakes his head, and a laugh slips out. “I don’t. I have no idea why she insists I need to be home to help out with this, but we better hurry because she sounded on the verge of a meltdown.”
I jut my lower lip out a little. “Aww, your mom is going to miss you two! She’s going to have an empty nest for the first time. I’m sure it’s really hard to lose both of you at once.”
He squints at me a little as we briskly walk back. “She’s hardly losing us. We will be back in a few months for Thanksgiving and then Christmas, spring break, and obviously next summer.”
I tilt my head at him. “That’s not the same as having you around every day.”
“I know,” he finally acknowledges. “I’m sure it will be hard for her. That’s why I’m going back now instead of saying ‘screw that’ and staying here with you to finish what we tried to start.”
I chuckle. It’s odd how I went from being so disappointed to now feeling giddy and happy again. I guess just knowing we are close, and knowing Andrew is so set on making sure things happen between us, makes me feel like everything is going to be okay.
When we reach the Martin residence he turns to me. “This is going to happen, Em. I promise!”
I nod, giving him a hopeful smile. “I can’t wait.”
He wraps me up in his arms quickly, and I can sense his hesitation before he lets me go. He slowly slides his hands down my arms and takes me in with admiration as he pulls away.
He nods and says, “Yes, this is going to happen.” This time he is talking more to himself than anyone.
He finally turns away and begins jogging up the stairs on the back deck. “I’ll see you later tonight!”
“Definitely! Rebecca and I still have cookies to bake, and she wants to do something fun for our last night,” I respond right before he walks inside.
The giddy feeling falters a little as I walk back toward my house. We didn’t get to talk about anything. I don’t know if we are going to be boyfriend and girlfriend now or how we will approach going off to school six hours away from each other, all things Rebecca had asked me about earlier. I do know he likes me and wants to kiss me and is determined to make that happen. Plus, we still have time to talk tonight, so I’m sure everything will be fine.
I shrug off the unsure feelings and allow myself to just sit in the joy for now.