Parfait

41: Sweet 'n' Sour

Besides riding my skateboard to the skate park, I never had any intentions of actually doing anything with it when we get there. Olivia is on the big ramp, once again, trying out new tricks now that the park is empty. It's noon, after all. No one in their right mind would be running under the sun.

Well, except for Olivia. She has been doing it for years. My theory is she has went through so many sunstrokes that she's immune now.

Despite having spent most of our lives under the warm sun, Kal and I don't have such defensive mechanisms, so we opt for the shade of the willow tree instead. His back is against the tree's trunk while I'm resting against that and his chest. His left arm is around my shoulders. His fingers are tracing patterns on my undefined bicep, and I swear this must be what it feels like to be struck by voltage. It's as if little jolts of electricity are dancing on my skin.

And yet, I still think of Jason. I keep wishing Gabriel would text me and say he was sleeping until late and his parents didn't know he was there because he was curled under the sheets. Kind of like it happened with Alex. Even though he wasn't actually there and he lied about it and I could totally say so to his grandma if he angers me any more.

"He's going to be okay," Kal says as he squeezes my arm. "You have nothing to worry about."

"You don't," I mumble. "You don't like Jason anyway."

Kal leans forward so he can look at me. "I don't hate him, though. I don't want him dead."

I squint at him. "You're not convincing."

Kal lets out a sigh. "He calls me by my full name!"

I slap my palm against my mouth. "Oh my God! That means you don't like me either!"

Kal squeezes his eyes shut for a moment. "I don't. You get a pass because I like you."

My stupid lips stretch so much I feel like I'm Venom. Stupid hormones. I bet my blood consists solely of herythrocyte and oxytocin. 

Quick, Summer, think of something that will even out the blush you probably already have, again.

"Well, right back at you, Kallisthenis," I say, not dropping my smile.

"Thanks, Winter," he says with a grin. "By the way, you looked really hot in those Powerpuff Girls Pjs."

My smile drops for a second, and then it comes back bigger. "Not hotter than you in my Avengers T-shirt."

Kal chuckles before covering his face with one hand. His fingers are stretched, so not much is hidden, in fact. "I kept delaying giving it back so you would ask for it."

If I could smile any wider, I would. "And why did you want me to ask for it?"

Kal drops his hand, revealing his (very pretty) and redenned face. "Because then I'd say Sure, come by and I'll give it to you and then maybe we'd hang out. You know, alone, and not while working."