Not Another Summer Love Story

Chapter 6 - The Sullivan House

"Don't think you're getting away with not spilling every single detail about your conversation with Alastair."

Maisie's arm swung, happily linked in mine as we meandered down the dark streets of Sandy Cove. The neighborhoods were quietened, the only thing interrupting the gloomy atmosphere was the happy flash of Christmas lights dotting every other front garden we passed. One thing I loved about Australia was the summery December, the outdoor displays of festive spirit encouraged with the warm weather.

Maisie had missed the point. We'd left the bar at ten, and for the few more hours we'd remained I'd been adamant not to interact with any of the boys. Well, besides Daniel. Until now, I thought Maisie had not noticed my strange interaction with Logan. But, stupidly, I hadn't considered her making a fuss of my interactions with Alastair instead. It made perfect sense, she'd probably heard from Daniel that we'd hung out earlier, and then I went to talk with him alone in the hallway.

"Well, I do have something to tell you," I said. Her lips lit up in a wide grin at my words. "But its not what you think."

"Spill."

"Alastair made it clear he wanted to... you know, be more than friends," I explained awkwardly. It wasn't often that I had anything like this to report to her. "And I said something stupid, asking him what I could do to make him stop pestering. Because, as I'm sure you were expecting, he ambushed my reading spot."

The glare I gave her and the accusation in my last words didn't diminish her curiosity. She gestured me for me to keep going, frustrated that I'd paused to display my annoyance.

"He came up with this condition," I went on. I frowned as I tried to think of a way of phrasing the deal so it didn't sound as absurd as it was. The alcohol tonight didn't help, my thoughts were a little cloudy. "I had to give dating a try with someone."

"Are you serious?!" Maisie unlinked her arm so she could clap her hands in glee, like a cartoon villain who just discovered a way to implement their master plan. "Seriously? Val this is awesome, how did he convince you? I am so envious of him right now."

"You're not pissed?" I questioned, hesitantly hopeful.

"Why would I be pissed? I mean, I'd hoped you were going to tell me you were in love with Alastair and about to elope with him or something. But this is seriously the next best option."

"You've been trying to get me to date, like, my whole life though," I reminded her. "And you haven't been successful since we were twelve."

"Exactly, you're too used to my suggestions. You needed a fresh face," she wiggled her eyebrows, linking her arm back in mine. We were two blocks from my house, where we'd decided to stay tonight. Maisie was the only one I ever had back at mine, nobody else was aware how lonely my household was.

"I don't really know why I agreed," I admitted. "Nothing's changed, Maisie, I still don't think it will go anywhere. I just figured, like you said the other night, I'm eighteen now. I owe it to myself to give it a shot, you know?"

"Val, that's the wisest thing you have ever said," she told me gallantly. "So who have you got your eye on?"

"You mean, who did Alastair insist I put my eye on?" I corrected. "You're going to flip if I tell you."

"Its Logan isn't it?" Her blue eyes flashed red and green in reflection to the decorated house we were passing.

"How did you guess that?" I asked suspiciously. Surely it wasn't that obvious to everyone that I should be trying to date Logan.

"I saw you talking with him," she said. "You haven't already been implementing this plan without me, have you? Oh wait, you wanted a nice outfit... that must have been part of it, right? I can't believe you didn't tell me then!"