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“And yet you still love me,” I challenge, batting my eyelashes dramatically at him.
He bites back a laugh and shakes his head, turning his gaze to the water.
After a long stretch of silence, he finally says, “I can’t believe you’re leaving tomorrow.”
I know exactly how he feels. It seems strange knowing that after spending every day of the last two months practically joined at the hip that it’s going to be months before I see him again.
“See, I knew you loved me,” I tease, not willing to give into the sudden wave of sadness that washes over me.
“Shut up, you know I do.” He chuckles. “But seriously, it’s going to suck here without you.”
“You survived before me,” I remind him.
“Yeah, but that was before I knew you existed.”
“I’ll be back.” I kick my feet back and forth, my toes grazing the water below.
“In nine months.” He lets out a slow breath.
“And here I thought you’d be glad to get rid of me.” I link my arm through his and lay my head against his shoulder – our height difference pronounced even when we’re sitting.
“Maybe just a little,” he smarts, laughing when I pull back and lay a hard smack to his bicep.
“Jerk,” I fake offense, loving the way his crooked smile lights up his face.
“So violent.” He rubs his arm, a trace of amusement still on his lips.
“You asked for it.” I wag my finger at him.
“Perhaps I did.” He chuckles again. “We should probably head back,” he adds, abruptly standing, before turning to help me to my feet. “Kane is probably on his way home by now and my parents will kill me if I’m not there when he gets in,” he says, referring to his older brother who’s been in Europe all summer. “He’s only here for less than a week before he leaves for Northwestern.”
“You think it will be weird? Not having him here anymore?” I ask, making my way toward my clothes that are piled at the bottom of the tree.
“A little. Then again I thought having him gone this summer would be strange but I really haven’t missed him that much. Maybe because I’ve had this crazy blonde keeping me on my toes all summer.”
“I’ll take that compliment.” I laugh, pulling on my cut off jean shorts.
“Good, because I meant it as one.” He grins; watching me get dressed like it’s another day and seeing me in my underwear is nothing out of the ordinary.
Then again, it might actually not be now that I think about it. That’s just the kind of person I am. I’ve been stick thin my entire life and don’t have much of anything to cover up so why should I care anyways.
“Although, I think I’ve probably been pretty close to giving you a heart attack or two this summer if I remember correctly, so maybe it shouldn’t be a compliment,” I say, pulling my tank top over my head.
“That’s probably true,” he agrees, closing the distance between us as I slip on my flip flops. “Maybe I’ll take it back.”
“You wouldn’t,” I scoff, laughing when he drops an arm over my shoulder, leading me toward the field that lines the back of his and my Aunt Carol’s properties.
“I really am going to miss the hell out of you, butter bean.” He uses the nickname he gave me earlier this summer, that carefree grin finally finding its way back onto his handsome face.
I’d be lying if I said that smile doesn’t do something to my insides. It does. But I’ve somewhat learned to compartmentalize the way Kam makes me feel. I can’t deny that there’s something there but I doubt he’d ever see me as anything more than a friend. I mean, trust me when I say he can do way better than a too skinny girl with no boobs, straggly blonde hair, and a slightly unhealthy addiction to anything dangerous.
“I’m going to miss you too,” I finally say after what feels like too long. “Promise you won’t forget about me while I’m gone?” I tease, even though deep down that’s a real fear I have.
“Like that would ever be possible.” He smiles down at me and my stomach does a little flip flop.
This has been the perfect summer spent with the perfect boy. At fifteen, things don’t get much better than this. But now our summer is coming to an end and I think I’m really grasping that this is it. This is our last day together. After today it will be nearly a year before I see him again and the thought weighs a lot heavier on my heart than I’d expected it to.
“You say that now,” I huff, finally commenting.
