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“We’ll discuss this more tomorrow, okay? Same time?”
“Can we do later?” I whisper.
“Of course. Any reason why?”
“I’m going back to class.”
“That’s excellent news. We will have much to cover then. Take care, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Goodbye, Malia.”
“Bye, Doctor.”
He cuts the video feed and my screen goes blank but a moment later my phone lights up with a message from Cove.
It’s a link to a song: ‘Wings’ by someone called Birdy. I don’t know it, so I press play and lose myself in the lyrics and thinking about the boy who sent it, who’s never far from my mind.
Cove makes me laugh, he distracts me when I’m down, asks me about myself, tells me about his studies, his surfing, the antics of the guys on his course. He’s a great friend, and yet I find myself wanting more.
He hasn’t come by my dorm since the night I got back, and although I see him on video chats, I find myself missing his face. I certainly miss his kisses.
And as if sensing that I’m thinking about him, he calls.
“Hey,” I say, a grin stretching wide when I answer the video call.
“Mai-Tai! Looking good today, pretty girl.” My cheeks tint pink and he chuckles. “I wanted to show you the beach today. What do you think?”
“Sounds good.”
Cove’s calls always go like this. He wants to show me his favourite places, or watch a film, play a game, cook and eat together. It’s been the most fun I’ve ever had without going out. Three times a day for a week we’ve video called, and texted non-stop in between.
“Are you up for something a little more adventurous?” I glance nervously at my bedroom door and Cove quickly clarifies. “From the comfort of your own room of course.”
“Of course,” I parrot back, shaking my head at Cove’s ability to normalise how abnormal this whole situation is. Never once has he made me feel weird or crazy for doing what we do.
“In that case, sign me up. The crazier the better.”
“I hoped you’d say that! I’m taking you surfing today.”
Excitement bubbles up, and I laugh. I don’t know how he plans to pull this one off, but I’m keen to see him try.
“You’ve not paid someone to come squirt me with a hose every time you wipe out, have you?”
“Damn! Wish I’d thought of that, give me a minute.”
“Don’t you dare.” My cheeks already hurt from smiling so much as I wipe away a tear.
Last night’s cook together date was brilliant. He had all the ingredients delivered to my door and somehow wrangled it so that I had the dorm kitchen to myself while we cooked together over video chat and then we ate together once I was back in my room. We finished the night playing twenty questions and watching another episode of Stranger Things. My dinner came out a lot better than his because he was too busy being silly, trying to make me laugh. Don’t ask me how you burn gnocchi, but he did. Still, it was a valiant effort, even if he did need to order a pizza later.
“So how are we doing this?” I ask.
“Well, you’re fine as you are but if you wanted to slip into something a little more beach appropriate, I wouldn’t say no.”
“Get lost.” I laugh, though I’m secretly thrilled that he wants to see me in a bikini. No one has ever liked me in that way before. I’ve never felt desired before.
“Right, now this is going to sound totally weird, but can you grab your surfboard and put it in your bed so that the fins overhang the edge.”
