The End Is Only the Beginning

09. Friends?

09. Friends?

"Tell me about him."

Grayson was sat on my bed, in my room when I arrived home that evening.

"Tell you about who?" I asked, playing dumb. It had now been three days since mine and Aaron's second kiss.

My older brother lay back on my bed, resting on my pillow like he belonged there. "You know exactly who, so don't act like you don't," he replied, crossing his arms behind his head. I stared at him for a few seconds, hoping he'd get bored and change the subject; of course, I had no luck.

I needed to shower and was currently wearing saltwater-damp swimming shorts. I sat on my desk chair. "His names Aaron," I told Grayson, smiling as I said his name.

Grayson raised his eyebrows and I could tell that he was trying not to smile. "So there's definitely a someone," he confirmed with a nod. "Does he go to your school? Is he going to be your second boyfriend?" Grayson continued to ask with a grin, "spill."

"No, he doesn't go to my school, he's from New York. And I highly doubt we'll reach the boyfriend-status, he's only here for the summer."

"Long-distance relationship?"

"Not happening," I answered quickly. Aaron didn't seem like the kind of guy who would be into that, there was no point in getting my hopes up even the slightest.

Grayson sat up again, inching himself to the edge of my bed. "How long have you known him? I want to know everything about the guy who's stolen my brothers heart."

I felt my cheeks redden. This was all too real. "For almost three weeks." He's only got two weeks left in Florida. "He's nice, and down to earth." I felt like a girl in a movie, gushing to my girl-friends about my latest crush. "He plays football, so he's really athletic. Plus, he always listens to what I've got to say, even when I'm speaking complete rubbish."

Grayson was grinning now, and I blushed harder.

"You're completely gone for him, aren't you?" he asked, smiling at me. "What does he look like?"

"He's a little shorter than me, only by an inch or so." I had easily surpassed 6ft, maybe 6ft2. "He's got brown hair, and hazel eyes-," 'hazel' alone doesn't do them justice. They have golden specs, and sometimes look entirely golden depending on the light, "-he said his mom's Mexican."

"Have you got any pictures?"

My phone was in my hand. I unlocked it and pulled up the picture of Aaron and I staring into the camera. Just looking at this picture rebooted my attraction for him. He seemed so carefree in that moment, laughing into the air.

Grayson stood up to look at the photo, grinning again. "He's hot, but if he breaks your heart just let me know," he added, and then he finally left my room.

--

Friday had come and gone.

I had managed to avoid Lindy and Noelle after English class. At lunch I had attended try-outs for the running team- the results would be published on Monday- which had gotten me out of sitting with them; I'd like to postpone the backlash for as long as possible please...or at least for the weekend.

Now it was eleven o'clock on Saturday morning, and I'd just woken up.

Evan was also in our bedroom. He was sat on the top bunk of his bed reading an exercise book – he probably had overdue homework. "Sleeping beauty awakes," he announced when he saw me looking at him. "Rise and shine, sunshine, it's practically lunch."