Watergem

Chapter 4

"Well, I guess we better go get your stuff."

We both leave the café and get in the car. There are so many questions I want to ask her, but I know there wouldn't be many answers. She shows me the directions to my grandpas house. I vaguely remember where it was, it was hard to go back there. So many memories and knowing that he's not going to be there made it worse.

It feels nice to finally have someone to talk to though, I'm usually alone.

She stares out the window, looking at the trees passing by and I can't help but smile. She's beautiful without even trying.

"Umm, it's just up here..." She says.

I pull in the long driveway. It was just like it was when I was little. We drive past trees lining the driveway. I stop the car and we both get out. Plants were growing everywhere and moss covered the stairs up to the wooden door. Stella pulls the house keys out of her pocket and unlocks the door. She walks in first. Everything was exactly how it was when I was here before the funeral, no government official has come in and disrupted my childhood home.

I walk up to a shelf full of photos and pick up a picture of my grandpa and I fishing. I was only 12, and a small pathetic smile makes its way to my face.

"He loved you, Brandon," Stella said as she put her hand on my back and rubbed it.

"Did he ever talk about me?"

"Yeah, I guess he did..." She mumbles.

"What? What did he say?"

"Umm... he said that he missed you a lot. But you never came to see him, too caught up at work I guess."

"I wish I could see him again. Just once."

I try to push back my tears, determined not to cry in front of her, but they build up and make my vision go blurry. Stella keeps her hand on my back to comfort me, and leans her head on my shoulder. Her touch makes me shiver, in the best way possible. I've never felt that before. I straighten up and clear my throat.

"Let's umm... Go get your stuff," I breathe out.

We walk to the back end of the house. Most of her stuff is already packed into boxes. Stella stops at the door and sighs. I lean on the door frame behind her and smile. There were a fair few boxes to be carried to the car.

"Brandon, I'm gonna need your hel-" She turns around and lands straight on to my chest.

"Yeah?" I whisper.

"Sorry...." She breathes out, her word trailing into a laugh. We stand still and close together, letting out small chuckles.

My arms rest on the frame of the door, on either side of her head. Without really intending to, my hand descends upon her cheek and I caress it with whatever gentleness I have. Her breath hitches, and I realise I've been holding mine in too.

Our faces are close together, so painfully close. 4 inches fills the space in between, the space I feel the urge to get rid of.

She's small, the top of her head just reaching below my nose, and I know what I want to happen. I want to pull her chin up, closer to my mouth. I want to move my face down and meet her halfway. I want us to have this extraordinary moment where our lips finally touch, where all years of innocent childhood is washed away, and where two teenagers can feel connected. So I do it.

But I only get halfway through my extensive list of desires before a loud and rather inelegant thud is heard.

Stella and I both jerk away and the first thought that comes to mind is that it's Nick and Jason, coming to take me away from my little (and almost) romantic rendezvous.