before yesterday

chapter 4

[vote or I'll eat you]
Kennedy
I hear my phone buzzing while we are splashing around in the water. That means we have to go, the guest is coming. It's the same every year, the guest is a boring man or woman who comes to stay for the summer. They stay in my room while I stay in the guest bedroom which doesn't make sense. I show them around the first few days but after that we basically ignore each other. I'm hoping that happens again so I don't have to spend time with another bore.

Xander begs me to stay for ten more minutes but I don't give in because if i'm late my mother will kill me. I have to be there in fifteen minutes. I get out of the water and realize i'm naked. I gasp and Xander just laughs at me. "Look away while I change please." I say as I feel my face turning pink. "Finee" Xander says but I know he's going to look anyway.

I dry off using Xander's shirt and then I put on my clothes. I can feel Xander's eyes on me as I change. When I turn around Xander pretends he wasn't watching and I roll my eyes.

I get on my bike while I wait for Xander. My mom texts me:
mom: Kennedy Claire Walsh where are you?
me: at the lake with Xander, coming soon
mom: Quickly.

"She's mad already" I say

Xander runs over and gets on his bike. "Race ya" he yells. "it's on" I yell back. I start pedaling and pass him easily, i'm better at biking than he is. Especially because my bike is the right size and his is too small. "YESS" I scream when I reach the house. "gosh Kennedy that hurt" he says pretending to cry and wiping the fake tears away.

"Kennedy come here" I hear my mom demand. Xander laughs when he sees me tense up. My mom smiles at Xander and invites him inside, he thanks her and walks past us into the house. "Kennedy thank you for making it on time but tell me where you're going next time, I know you will never get in trouble with Xander around but I was worried about you."

"Sorry mom," I say quietly. Her eyes soften and she says "it's okay dear, I love you." My mom is sweet but sometimes she's a little strict.

I walk into the house. I know Xander's in the kitchen, he always is. I see him eating a mango at the table and I sit down next to him. He sets down his phone after I see him texting his dad. Xander's mom passed away when she was giving birth to his  brother and him. He and his brother lived but unfortunately she didn't make it.

Xander's dad works from home, he is an author and he is a very good writer. He is very famous and he has to leave the house often. Xander is with his twin brother Atticus are alone a lot, they're really close but they are also very different.

Atticus is the hot "fuck boy" at our high school while Xander is the perfect kid who gets good grades, football team captain (go Millers) and everyone likes him. I will never understand how they get along so well.

I lay my head down on the table to cure the headache I got from thinking about the summer guest. Xander puts his hand on my back to comfort me. "thanks Xander," I say softly. "Love you Kennedy," he says matching my tone.

"Xander, are you my boyfriend?" I ask without thinking. I instantly regret it. I look up and he smiles at me. "Well we do act like a couple and everyone always assumes we are," he says still smiling. He finishes his mango and throws away the excess fruit. "Do you want me to be your boyfriend?," he asks. I don't know what to say and I don't answer him. He smiles again and says "you don't have to make the decision now you know, we can talk about it later." I nod feeling silly.