A Summer Like No Other

Chapter 13 - Em

The world spins. And there are happy bubbles everywhere. "It's a blue one," I giggle, pointing to the sky.

Nick laughs. He's got a pretty laugh. A sexy laugh. A laugh I want to hear all the time. Or his voice—his voice is much deeper now than it used to be. And it's a hot voice. A voice that gives me tingles everywhere. "So blue," I say again.

I lean into him. He's warm.

"It's red," he says and kisses the top of my head.

I kick off my shoes and my fingers play drums on his thigh. "It's pretty," I tell him and then tilt my head so I can look at him. "Do you think my real mom's pretty like Amanda? Do you think it's that Claire Carter lady?" The words tumble out of my mouth and they're kind of slurred together. Or maybe they should be slurred together. That's an important question. I shake my head, concentrating on the way his green eyes are almost blue right now. "I didn't want to talk to you." I close my eyes. "I didn't want to see you. Why does your dad have information I don't? What does he know? Why..." I open my eyes again and then shake my head. "I don't want to think about it."

Nick says something but I can't hear him. I love the way my body feels against his, I love the way he smells—the faint cologne he's had since he turned sixteen. I love him. My chest expands and then constricts. I can't say that to him. No, no, no.

"Em," he whispers and his eyes cloud with worry.

I look up in the sky. "I like you," I whisper. "I really really like you." He tenses behind me and I know he's looking for an easy way out. I should feel hurt, or confused, or sad, or disappointed, or angry. But instead, I look at him, daring him to say something.

"We should get going," he says. And random laughter bursts out of me. I was trying to stay serious, I swear. And maybe my laugh sounds wrong, kind of like a sad clown's laugh.

"You don't like to talk about your feelings. You love to show up with one random girl after the other, but did you ever confide in them? Do they know you?" I slap my hand on my mouth. No-Filter-Em: that should be my nickname or my superhero name. No-Filter-Em to the rescue! I giggle at my own joke and sip a bit of my drink, but he gently takes it away. "I talk too much, don't I? It's like I don't have a filter. I mean, it's not that I don't have a filter. I don't want to have one with you. With you, I feel like I can talk about anything and you won't judge me, you won't make fun of me. Well, you might make fun of me. But not in a mean way." My stomach churns and I roll on my side, stretching, trying to make the feeling go away, but it's there and soon I feel like retching. "I think I'm going to get sick."

"Let's get you out of here." Nick jumps to his feet. Nick doesn't need a nickname, he acts like a superhero in my mind most of the times, except with all those girls. I hold on to my stomach. "Take my hand," he says and pulls me up. "The bathroom's over there."

"I won't make it." I moan and wobble to the side. There are only a few people scattered around. And I throw up in the bushes. "Oh my God, everything's spinning."

"You can do this, come on." He wraps an arm around my waist.

"I'm so sorry," I whimper. "I d-d-didn't mean to throw up like this." My steps are hesitant, and my stomach gurgles.

Nick stops suddenly and I'm about to protest that everything spins again, when he gently wipes my mouth with cold water. We're by one of the water fountains that joggers use, and he's wetting one of the napkins from my picnic basket into the splashing water. "You're fine. You'll be fine," he says so tenderly that I want to kiss him. But instead, I mutter, "I really do like you."

He smiles and leads me back to the streets. People pass by us, cars rush by. He drops the basket on the ground and still holding me, he picks up his cell with his other hand. "Hey John, can you come and pick me up? I'm on West Seventy-Seventh Street, by Central Park."

He hangs up quickly and then calls for one of the vendors close by. "I need a water bottle."

"I'm tired," I say and wiggle out of his embrace. "I need to sit." And I do. And I yawn. And I want to sleep so badly.

"Come on, drink some water," Nick says, crouching next to me. People are walking around us. I should get up. But my legs are so tired. I take a sip.

I hold on to his arm, drinking one more gulp.

"I don't know my limits. And that cocktail was good. So. Yums. I never say 'yums.' I usually say 'yummy.' It was yummy yums." This is funny. Yummy yums. I giggle but then sigh. "My stomach's still not happy."

Nick slowly caresses my forehead. And maybe I've closed my eyes for a second. "The car's here," he says. I'm still wobbly when I stand up.

The black sedan pulls in front of us.

And his father opens the door. 

Author's note:

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you're enjoying getting to know Em & Nick! I'll be publishing two new chapters every Friday and would love to hear from you, so don't hesitate to leave a comment. The full novella is already published/available on all e-retailers for only $0.99 in case you don't want to wait for the next chapter :) More information on www.elodienowodazkij.com :)