Bastiana has a loving family, two amazing best friends, and a secret.
Over summer vacation, Bastiana and her besties do their best to focus on their bucket list in order to distract them from all the secrets they're keeping from one another. When a...
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As we walk down the block back to Bastiana's apartment, I can't help watching her out of the corner of my eye. She looks so small and perfect in my hoodie.
I wonder what she'd look like in my hoodie and nothing else.
The thought comes suddenly into my mind and I feel my face heat up. I shouldn't be thinking about her like this. I shouldn't be picturing her smooth legs, bare underneath my hoodie. Or what she'd look like laying in my bed...
No.
I shake my head to dispel the intoxicating images from my mind and clear my throat.
"So," I start and Bastiana turns her head to look up at me. "You and the guys got any big plans for this summer?" I ask her.
"Yeah, actually." She smiles brightly. "We made a bucket list!" She laughs.
"A bucket list?" My eyebrows raise in surprise. That's new for them.
"Yeah. Since I'll be gone for most of August, I wanted to make sure we made the most of our summer before I go." By the time she finishes her voice sounds sad.
"When do you leave for camp?" I ask. "Riggy told me you're going to be a wilderness counselor."
"I leave early in the morning on August 4th and I won't be back until really late on the 31st." She sighs. "But yeah. I'll be a wilderness counselor. There's two two-week sessions and we get to pick a silly nickname for each group of campers to call us." She giggles at that.
"Like a wilderness name?" I ask and she nods up at me. "Like, Dances with Pinecones?"
"No, you dork." She laughs and shakes her head. "Like, Thistle or Wildflower. Something outdoorsy."
I smile down at her and another name comes into my mind.
"Those are pretty good, but what about... Sunflower?" I suggest, thinking about the blue shirt with the tiny sunflower on it that she wears all the time.
"Hm." She tilts her head and considers it for a minute. "I like it. Maybe." She shrugs as we walk up to her front door.
"Cool." I say softly. "Well, I guess... I should go now." I shove my hands in my pockets and shift from foot to foot. I want to hug her, but I'm not sure how to initiate it without making it weird, and I don't know if she'd hug me back.
"Yeah. Me too. Um, thanks for walking me home." She says.
"Yeah, no problem." I stand there awkwardly for a few more seconds. "Right, um okay. Bye." I turn to walk to my truck but her quiet voice stops me.
"Jaxon?"
I immediately turn around and take a step towards her. "Yeah, Bastiana?"
"Um," She looks down and shifts uncomfortably. "Will you - I mean... Can I hug you goodnight?" she asks softly.
