Beside You

Nearly Summer

   Hadley

Two days of unusually high spirits, followed by two exams and a Saturday full of studying later James shows up on Sunday to help us set up for the following Thursday. We got lucky with the weather, it's not raining but it also isn't too hot. Perks of living in Canada, I guess. It's almost summer and still doesn't get much warmer than 25 degrees.

James gets to our house around eleven o'clock. We already have the tents out of storage, we just need to set them up. I'm still somewhat unsure of why he was so eager to come over and help. Although he is very nice with a generally quiet personality, he has been known to be a bit of a player-- at least by Preston standards. He's usually seen with three or four different girls throughout the course of each school year. I can't actually remember seeing him with any girls this school year though, not even at homecoming or prom. 

Setting up the tents is always a bit of a struggle. They are huge, and quite heavy as well. The metal frames have to be put up first, and then the heavy tarp-like shell goes on over top. The four of us each grab a corner of the metal structures to stretch them out into position. I'm too short to be much help with the next part, as I am too short. The tarp needs to be put over the frame and it's difficult for me to throw it over. The guys throw it over and I put the pegs in the ground in order to make sure that the tents are secure. 

When we're done the two tents are all ready for all the people coming over on Thursday. They're on opposite sides of the clearing, with the large bonfire pit in the middle. The fire pit has  A couple hundred metres away from the clearing there is a manmade pond, but it isn't one of the ones with frogs and fish. It is filled with clear water and it's great for swimming in. 

Once we've finished setting up we go inside to study. Well, Mitchell and Grayson both have their Gym exam on Monday, so I doubt that they are actually studying. James and I go upstairs to my room to study for our Biology exam. He's been having the most trouble with the genetics unit.

After I explain alleles and meiosis to him a few times he seems to understand a lot better. We each start studying quietly and independently. I'm working on the evolution unit, as it's the first one we studied, and I remember it the least. We've been quiet for a few moments, just lost in our studying, when James startles me by beginning to speak.

"Hey Hadley?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you about something?"

"Yeah, of course."

"It's not exactly Biology related."

"Okay.."

"I'm not quite sure how to say this." he seems extremely nervous. "I've always found you extremely interesting, but first you were with Brody and then I thought that you and Ryder were a couple-"

"I have no idea where everyone gets that idea. We're just friends."

"Wait, let me finish. This isn't easy for me to say, and you're interrupting isn't helping." he jokes.

"Sorry. Go on."

"Anyways, so I had always thought that you and Ryder were a couple, or at least destined to become a couple, so I always stayed out of the way. But then when I heard about what happened at prom and the way you told him you only wanted to be friends, well it gave me courage to pursue my feelings for you." He pauses before continuing, "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think you're a really awesome girl, and I was wondering if you would like to go out with me." 

To say that I am shocked is an understatement. He really came out of nowhere with this. "You can think about it if you need to. I understand how crazy this probably seems."

"It isn't all that crazy."

He looks hopeful. "Does that mean you will go out with me?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

He leans in and kisses me, and just like that I have a boyfriend again.

~*~

I spend the whole next day studying for the Biology exam. I get to school on Tuesday 20 minutes before the start of the exam. James' locker is only a couple away from mine so I spend the time studying with him off of my cue cards. Ella came over and joined us about halfway through as she also has the Biology exam. No one has questioned James and I, people are just assuming that we've been studying together. We decided not to tell anyone that we're dating now since there is so much going on at school as it is. We're going to wait until after finals, probably at the party. 

I'm feeling pretty good about this exam, I've done a lot of studying. Once the announcement comes on telling everyone to proceed to their exam rooms, that's when I start to get stressed out. 

~*~

I'm pretty sure that the exam goes well. On Wednesday I have my Yearbook exam. It's super easy, we just have to do a pretend page layout and label a diagram that shows all of the photoshop tools. 

The next day is complete and utter torture. It's my Functions exam. I wish that I could have studied with Ryder, but things have become awkward between us again lately. I also knew that if I had studied with him my relationship with James would have come out and I didn't want to face that alone. 

When we walk into the school Mr. Carroll is handing out the yearbooks. It brings a bit of excitement to my morning. Even though I was in charge of making essentially the whole thing,  I still instantly flip through the entire book to see everything. When I've finished I put the yearbook in my locker with my last few things and grab my pencil case for the exam.

Once the announcement starts again I head over to my classroom to start the Functions exam. It's seven pages long, and the questions get gradually harder. I get through the first couple of pages rather quickly, and then begin to slow down. By the time I get to the last page I have no idea what I am doing. Some people have already handed in their exams and left. I end up leaving the last question partially blank but I still think that I did okay overall. 

I go to my locker and grab the few things I have left. It's time to enjoy this party, and then summer.