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I laughed. “So it all worked out?”
“Yeah, I think so. I worry about people using her, but even at fourteen, she’s an excellent judge of character. She can look after herself.”
He spoke about his sister with such pride, it made me like him more. It was rare to find someone our age who would so openly admit to being close to his family.
We spent some more time talking about our families and friends, and I was happy to have the time to get to know him. Of course, there was still so much to learn about each other, but our time together was always going to be short. A week had already passed, and we’d only just started to connect.
You still have three weeks. Three whole weeks of spending time together.
We stayed in the coffee shop for an hour before starting the walk home. I was comfortable enough to reach for Jesse’s hand – a huge step for me – and when he looked down at me, I momentarily wondered if it was the wrong thing to do. But then he smiled. My heart gave a little jolt of joy. I felt it every time his lips curved upwards, and most especially when his eyes met mine. It was like a little ball of feelings growing between us, passing back and forth whenever we looked at each other.
How is that even possible? He’s only been in my life for seven days. Seven. We’ve been alone together three times, and we’re still learning the basics about each other. How can it feel this special so soon?
“Thanks for coming out with me,” he said, as we headed towards home. “I know with college, and Christmas and everything, it’ll be difficult but I hope we can do this again before I have to go home.”
“I think we can find some time. I don’t want to take you away from Hunter too much, though. I know you don’t get to see him much anymore.”
“No,” he sighed. “I don’t. That’s the worst thing about living in L.A. Don’t tell him I said this, but … I do miss him.”
“You must have made some new friends since you moved, though. What about the footballer Willow was talking about? What was his name again?”
“McCoy. He’s not really a friend. I’m good friends with his girlfriend, Leah, but him … he’s more of a work colleague than anything. There are a couple of other guys on the team I hang out with. It’s not the same as being around someone you’ve known your whole life, though.”
I nodded. “I know what you mean. That’s the good thing about being a twin. You’ve always got a best friend close by. At least for now, until we go to university. I think she plans to study abroad for a while.”
Jesse looked surprised. “What about Elliott?”
“Their relationship is solid. I think it can survive a year apart.”
“A year is a long time to be away from someone you love.”
“Yeah. But when two people love each other … they’ll figure out a way to make it work.”
Another look passed between us, and I gazed up at him with uncertainty. I hadn’t meant to imply that maybe we should consider a long distance relationship based on the one cup of coffee we had together. Although I was sure that was how it sounded.
“I think you’re right,” he said, stopping me as we turned on to my street. “And now I need to quit showing off my dorky romantic side, so you’ll think I’m cool again!”
“I like the dorky, romantic side,” I laughed. “And as for cool, well, I live here, in murky London. Compared to me, you’ll always be cool.”
Jesse pulled me into him, just like he had the night before, and my legs began to shake. “I think you’re pretty cool.”
“Thank you, but I’m really not.”
He shrugged. “I guess I’ll have to find a way to convince you.”
My heart started to beat faster as he put his hand to my cheek. It made me feel so safe when he did that. Like he was telling me there was nowhere else he wanted to be, and nothing could ever hurt me while he was around. Very slowly, he began to lean towards me. I so badly wanted him to kiss me, I could practically taste him, but panic surged through me and I pulled away.
He froze, his hand still in the air where, just a second before, it had been stroking my cheek. It would have been funny if I hadn’t been so embarrassed for freaking out.
“I’m sorry,” he said, stepping back. “Too fast.”
I shook my head. “No. It’s not. I just … Jesse, when I said guys don’t normally notice me, I wasn’t lying.”
I didn’t want to have to say it out loud. My name’s Isabelle, I’m seventeen years old and nobody has kissed me before. Ever. If that didn’t make him see how lame I was, nothing would. Jesse’s eyes widened as understanding seeped into his brain.
“Wow,” he said, staring at me as if I’d just told him I was from Mars. I thought he would be s
urprised, not horrified. I glared at him because there weren’t enough words to explain how much of an idiot his look made me feel. I turned to walk away, but he sped around in front of me, blocking my way.
