So High School (Chris Evans) 18+

6

Then

"Well this is gonna be awkward if I get my brother".  Scott says as we sit on the floor of Libby's room and play Mystery Date, for a laugh. Deep down I'm hoping that I get 'Tyler' because the delusional part of me will see it as fate. 

Chris and Scott came over to hang out with Cody, but in the end the younger Evans got bored and came to sit with us. I like Scott, he's a little cutie who unfortunately lets his older brother lead him on. He thinks he's the coolest person on the planet, and it's pretty sweet. As Libby and Cody have sometimes ditched me over the last week, I've ended up just being by myself or going out with my parents - or, very recently, I've been with Chris...

Just yesterday I spent the day listening to music in my room, with the window open. I heard him call across from his window and we ended up sitting there for ages talking until he came over, ensuring that he was gone before everyone else came back. 

"It's not really fair that they've left you Tam, you're supposed to be spending the summer with them aren't you?" He said as we sat on the floor, him flipping through one of my magazines, probably trying to understand teenage girls. 

I shrugged it off. "I'm ok". 

"Well you can come over to ours if you want? My mom doesn't mind". 

I was grateful to actually have an invite from what I've now dubbed my summer crush. I haven't taken him up on the offer yet. He'll probably think twice if he catches me playing Mystery Date, maybe even more so if I end up with the 'Tyler' card. 

"Ew I know right". Libby now agrees with Scott as they look at me. 

I blink and then realise that I should probably agree. "Oh, yeah! Yuck! I mean, who wants to get Chris's card anyway, not me..." I know I've totally overplayed it but I don't care, they seem to accept this and we begin. I can hear Chris's laugh from Cody's room and it makes me lose focus for a little while, that is until Libby snaps her fingers in front of my face. 

"Hey! Tam! Your go". 

"Ah, right..." 

You want him to look at you more in the way that he already does. Sneak under your window at night just to talk to you more, like in the movies. 

"I mean, this guy isn't that bad looking..." Scott now produces his card with his chosen date with a grin. "I can live with that". 

Libby finally looks at her date and sighs with relief, getting the card that's her favourite - then they look at me. 

Please be the Tyler card

Please be the Tyler card

Please be the Tyler card...

I turn the card over and low and behold it's fate. Both Libby and Scott now start laughing as I groan and pretend to just hate the choice when secretly I love it. After my cousin puts the game away and heads downstairs to get some snacks with Scott, I secretly take the Tyler card and put it into my bag. I can always play dumb and say it got lost. 

I go downstairs to join them, now seeing my parents hard at work in the kitchen along with my Aunt and Uncle, as well as Chris's mum. "That's a lot of food". I note. 

"We thought about having a barbeque tonight, so we invited Lisa and the boys over, Shanna's gonna join when her friend has gone home" my Aunt explains. Shanna being Chris's younger sister. 

"Ah, cool" I nod and begin to help, Chris and Cody now coming downstairs for a drink. I meet his eyes for a moment but quickly have to look away before anyone notices us staring. He comes and starts helping me cut up some things for the salad, fingers lightly tracing mine as he reaches for the knife next to me. I try to hide my smile but it's hard, especially when I know he's secretly stealing a glance at me from time to time. 

Shanna joins us an hour later as we all sit in the garden (or back yard as they call it - I don't really get why but whatever) and eat, Lisa chatting away to my parents and asking me questions about what I'll study at college when I get home. 

I can still feel Chris watching me from time to time, and in the end I get up to take my plate in. I can sense someone behind me and look back at him as he puts his glass down onto the counter. I don't say a word but instead walk into the hallway and around the corner, knowing that he'll follow. 

And he does...

"You have no idea how much I wanna kiss you". He says, looking back to make sure no one else has come back inside. 

I nod. "Go on then", feeling my stomach doing flips in anticipation and excitement. 

He moves in, lips brushing over mine before I feel his hands rest on my hips. I have absolutely no idea what to with mine but by the time I've realised that I should probably drape them around his neck, he pulls away. "We should probably get back out there". 

"Yeah..." I say, not really wanting to. "You go first, I'll be there in a minute". 

He looks like he doesn't want to leave either and lingers for a moment. "Hey Tam...when Cody and Libby next go out and leave you, come over to mine..." 

"Ok..." I pretty much squeak and for the first time since my arrival, hope that my cousins are ditching me tomorrow. 

Of course it's typical that they spend the next few days with me, my opportunity finally arising on Friday night. 

**

Now

Chris heads over to where I'm sitting a couple of hours later, and I look up from my phone. Daniel's been messaging me asking how everything went and wanting to see some pictures, so I sent him a few. 

"I've gotta head off". He tells me as I now get up and we embrace. 

"It was good to see you again". I say as we pull away. 

He looks at me. "I've got your number, you've got mine - at least this time I'm not gonna lose you again". He pauses. "I mean, contact. Lose contact". 

Shit. 

"I'll text you when I get home, just to let you know that, I'm there?"

That was a poor excuse. 

"Ok...well, I guess I'll be seeing you soon - Thanksgiving?" 

"Yeah. I'll see you then". I smile and letting him give me one last kiss on the cheek, I watch him navigate his way out through everyone. 

I sit back down and drink the last of my wine, Libby coming over and flopping down next to me, breathless from dancing. "You ok?" She asks. 

"Yeah". I lie. "I'm fine".