LOUIS
"There's Emma!"
Lottie waves to a girl. Her car window is tinted, so Emma can't see in, though Lottie continues grinning, excitement never easing up.
"This place is so..."
"Remote?" Fizzy suggests, nose in a graphic novel. "It gets worse every year."
I snort. "I was gonna say recognisable, but you're not wrong."
Our grandparents own a summer property in a small, remote town. The properties surrounding my grandparents' overlook a pond. I remember swimming in it in my younger years, remember teenagers keeping an eye on us even when it wasn't requested.
"When you were younger," Dad says, "you could never wait to come back. Every summer you were ecstatic."
I stopped coming at 13. My reasons weren't great, but since our mum passed away in December, it seems only right to spend my summer at our grandparents' and not in London.
"I remember," I say. "Isn't it mainly teenagers running around, though?"
"No," Lottie says. "There are several people your age. Zayn still comes every year."
Zayn. My very reason to not come back at 14.
"Oh."
Perhaps Niall and June are around as well. Niall had a sweet, innocent crush on June at only 12 years old and was rendered a blushing mess whenever they interacted.
"Here we are," Dad says, stopping and urging us out. "Your grandparents can't wait to see you."
It's mutual. We've not seen them since April. It's early June now, meaning I'm very nearly tearing up upon getting hugged.
"We're so happy you wanted to come," Nan says, kissing my cheek. "Your room is upstairs. Same as when you were young."
My room is cosy and mine. The twins are sharing, as are Lottie and Fizzy. It's an entire summer, so privacy is required on my part, just as it is in my apartment in London. I'm not a teenager anymore, but I've got nearly as many urges now—21 is a contrast in many ways, just not when it comes to that.
My curtains are open and invites in a warm summer sun. I step near enough to look out and catch movement in a window opposite mine. A guy is removing his shirt, back towards me as I catch myself staring at some very yummy muscles, only to move away when he turns around and sees me.
"Fuck me."
My sister is nearly knocked over as I rush out of my room to get away from my own embarrassment.
"What's going on?"
"I was just caught staring into some guy's room."
"The one across yours?"
"Yeah."
"That's Harry. He started coming as soon as you stopped."
"I see."
"You're not on your own in staring. He's very pretty."
I snort. "He's not your age."
"Doesn't mean I'm wrong."
I suppose I can't very well argue. The momentary peek prior to running away was certainly enough to pique my interest.
"Aren't you meeting your friends?"
"I'm going in just a minute."
We separate as Lottie continues on to get ready. The twins want ice cream and want me to come, so I put on my Vans and accept Daisy's hand as it escapes into mine.
