Can You Keep a Secret?

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Lewis flicked back and forth between shirts. It was weeks since the ‘Aidan incident’, as he had dubbed it, and he was getting ready to meet his aunt, uncle and cousin. Jenny hadn’t made an appearance, although Jess had gone back to their parent’s house that weekend so he was sure to get some kind of feedback. He settled on a grey shirt with blue jeans, his trainers a murky white. He flicked his hair out of his eyes, thinking vaguely that he needed to have it cut when his mother shouted for him to come downstairs.

“Uncle Keith!” Lewis shouted, grinning. He slid down the banister and came to a graceful stop in front of his uncle’s family. “Aunt Bel, how have you been?”

“Lewis, what about me?” a fair haired girl chided, grinning at him. “Aren’t you glad to see me?”

“Liz, how could I not be happy to see you?” he grinned back, hugging her tightly. “I’m so glad to see all of you! It’s been one heck of a couple of months here. Mum’s just through there, in the living room. Liz, do you want me to show you around? We could ditch the parentals, get something to eat?”

“Sure! If that’s okay with you guys?” she asked her parents, beaming. They laughed and shooed them out of the door, Belinda calling to Lewis’ mother as they left. “Awesome! So, what do you want to do? Play pranks on people, like we used to? Confuse tourists? Or did you get boring since I last saw you?”

“Actually, I thought we’d play it safe. You know, chill out at the park or something, maybe grab some ice cream? It’s unseasonably warm today.”

“Yeah, the last vestiges of summer as my mum says. She keeps saying that it must have been destiny that we visit today. Not that she’d know what that was like.”

“Aww, you don’t think your parents were destined to be together? I always thought their story was sweet. Gives hope to all of us with divorced parents and that crap. So, how’s your life going? Met that special someone yet?”

“No,” Liz snorted, her laughter bubbling out of her. “My mum’s okay with it and my dad just keeps saying that the first guy that dares touch his little girl…well, they wouldn’t do very well. I…heard what happened with Anne Louise. How’re you coping?”

“It’s easier, being near mum. You know, away from all that messiness. Not that I’m making any progress with the girls around here. I only know two and one’s in a relationship.”

“The other one?” Liz said, interest piquing. “What’s going on with the other one? Ooh, does your mum not approve? Or is she really ugly?”

“Uh, definitely not,” Lewis laughed, tugging on his cousins hair. “How do I explain Jenny? She’s…different. Not like us, just different. But she’s also just out of a relationship with this freakish dude that looks like he could bench-press me.”

“Yikes, okay, off limits then. Jeez, don’t you want a girlfriend again? I hear it’s really bad for guys to go long periods of time without a girlfriend. Something about man points and lack thereof.”

They carried on, chatting and giggling as they entered the park, snagging a picnic bench as people left it. They lowered their voices, not wanting to be overheard by random passer-bys. Lewis felt completely at ease, their conversation leaving serious topics and talking about schoolwork and the rest of Lewis’ family. They were deep in discussion about Miranda’s ever-changing hair colour when Lewis got the feeling that someone was watching him. He glanced up and stopped midsentence as he spotted a familiar head of long brown hair. Their eyes met and he stood up without thinking.

“Lewis? What’s up?” Liz asked, glancing up at the girl. Wow, she thought, taking in the lean figure, that’s a girl who works out. Her jaw dropped when the apparition of beauty started walking over to them, her eyes a glittering green. “Oh, um, hi?”