The Girl Next Door

Summertime Sadness

The morning sun was shining over my face as the sound of waves hitting against the shore hummed in the distance. I woke with a start. I took a good look around me- and I realised I was home, lying in my bed.

Then I remembered mine and Harry’s trip here. My uncle waited for us at the airport. He let us stay with him and my cousins, and gave us my room to use. Which meant I shared a room with Harry. Which meant-

“Good morning, princess,” a husky morning voice whispered next to me.

-which meant he was here. And we shared a bed. Peachy.

“If I’m the princess you’re a toad.”

“The toad ends up being price,”

“Not in this fairy tale.” He grinned at me with his sleepy green eyes. His bedhead looked like a bird’s nest. On top of everything, he was shirtless. About half a dozen new tattoos stood out from his fairly pale British complexion.

“Been busy?” I stared at the giant butterfly on his stomach. “Maybe taken the ‘Spread your wings my little butterfly.’ thing to literally?” Instead of an answer he covered his chest with a sheet.

After breakfast we went to the beach. The sand part of the beach was way too crowded, so we walked to the piers. I laid my ‘Hajduk Split- 1911 (It’s a football club. Look it up.)’ towel on the edge and sat, letting the sun melt with my skin and the wind play with my hair.    

Harry had fallen asleep while tanning, which gave me the perfect chance to write the words ‘Butterfly Boy’ on his back with sunscreen. In an hour or so it’ll be the only part of his back left un-sunburned.

I took out a book and started reading. Just when Silena Beauregard admitted to be a spy for Kronos’ army in ‘The Last Olympian’, I heard a rustle next to me and in a matter of five seconds I was being thrown in the sea. I took my revenge, though. He wasn’t dry for much longer.

He had forced and underwater kiss- just to remind me we were still on duty-, but I almost drowned him. Which wasn’t that bad, though. He started hyperventilating, and I would’ve taken him seriously if it wasn’t for the writing on his back. Now everyone at the beach was literally laughing at him behind his back. After an entire day at the beach we went on a stroll through town. Harry stopped a few times to ‘admire’ the city’s landmarks. I would just roll my eyes and hope he’d get lost in one of the mobs of tourists.

That’s how we spent the first week and a half or so- beach, walk through town, watching movies and TV shows.

Ending June, we took my grandma’s car and went to my old beach house on the island.

Our daily activities hadn’t changed.

Then on day, when I’ve already finished watching every TV show and movie I had on my laptop and USB stick, I decided to go for a hike.

I packed my backpack with a book, an energy bar and a water bottle. I put my shades on and earphones in and went to the door.

“Where are you going?” Harry asked from the couch.

“I was just going for a hike.”

His face immediately brightened, “I’ll go with you.” He jumped from the couch and put a white t-shirt over his chest.

“Uhm…” I wanted to say no way in hell, but I just couldn’t. “Sure.” he smiled like a little kid who just saw a big birthday cake with his name on it.

He kissed me on the cheek and opened the door for me, “You’re the best.”

“I know.”

We walked for about a mile and a half until we reached a bypass that lead across the island. I took a turn for the left and Harry followed. We climbed for about fifteen minutes in silence- which was completely fine with me.

“Thank you for bringing me here. It’s so different from back home.- I just needed a break,” he said.

I hit a pebble with my foot and shot it flying for a few feet. “You’re welcome,” I muttered disinterestedly.

We hiked uphill for a few more miles. As we got higher and higher, the houses thinned and soon we were surrounded only by trees and flowers. The road was slightly yellowish-red from wildflower pollen and ruddle. I didn’t even realise how late has it gotten until I saw the sun set on the right and the distant city behind us slowly starting to glisten with street lights. We settled against a still blooming tamaris tree.

I closed my eyes, and just for a second, it felt like the past year hasn’t even happened.

“This is the place, isn’t it?” he asked, gazing at the stars.

“What place?”

“Remember when we went on our first ‘date’ and told me about that special place.- Where the stars are so bright you don’t need any other light to see.”

“I-I remember,” my voice was rasping.

“Thanks for showing me this. It’s amazing.”

In a really weird twisted way, I felt like I trusted Harry more than anyone right now. At least I trusted him enough to show him this, my favourite part of the world. After everything we’ve been through, I could trust him. But I wasn’t sure if I wanted to.

His emerald green eyes locked with mine, mirroring the stars. He flashed me that minor troublemaker smile with the corner of his lip and the dimples. The summer breeze was playing with his hair which was now lifted up, like a slightly curly quiff.

It took me a while to realise how dangerously close he was getting to me in every moment. I felt a queasy, unknown feeling in my stomach. The skin on my neck trembled on the touch of his warm hands, and I was sure he could feel the blood rushing through my veins on over-drive. He was so close now, I could feel his fruity breath on my face. My eyes closed as his soft lips intertwined with mine and kissed. And, for once, I wasn’t anxious to let go.