Summer of Us

Chapter 6

"That's insane," Monty says from my side. He's smoothing his hair back, and looking up at the moon.

"What is?" I ask, and I'm drunk. Really drunk. He must be too, because his voice is louder than normal and he's bopping back and forth to some mute tune. Monty only ever dances when he's drunk.

"That you're leaving tomorrow!" he says, shoving my knee in a playful way. But it's not just playful. I get this odd thought that I want him to leave his hand there, and never take it off my skin again. "Who the hell is going to hang out with me all the time?"

"It'll be alright," I insist, watching his fingers trace along his jawline. Each are long and knobby and are no longer holding the cigarette he'd come out here to smoke. That's why we're still out here, isn't it? And so we don't wake up the rest of the house, because everyone else is asleep. "Maybe you'll make new friends when you're at your uncle's place. And Star will still be around."

"Ok but Star and I aren't tight," he says, and we both laugh at the way he says "tight." "We only really hang out because of you and CJ."

CJ? That can't be right. He must mean Trent.

"It'll be fine," I repeat, feeling abnormally warm. It's the middle of the night, and yet it feels like the sun is out and shining only on my chest, which is on fire. "You might even find a girl out there."

He giggles like it's the silliest thing he's ever heard. "You're such a hopeless romantic."

"What? You could. Isn't that how all coming of age stories go?" Mom's planetarium at the end of the steps is gorgeous, blooming flowers with colors that are probably only found in lush places like the rain forest. I didn't even know succulents could grow flowers like that. "The main character breaks free from their norm and goes on this subtle emotional journey and finds love?"

Monty stares at me blankly, eyes half-shut, then begins to laugh again. "What makes you think I'm the main character in any story?"

"You know you're more important than you think, Eaves. You've got a big heart, and you deserve the world."

He swallows and watches me, closely. I want him to reach out and touch me, or at least sit closer, but he does neither. "You called me Eaves."

"I did?" Maybe he's just saying that to throw me. I'm sure I said Monty.

He clears his throat, looking down at his hands, which are clasped together between his split open legs. "If anyone's the main character, it's you Aves. You have given me the world. You gave everything to a kid who's never had shit. You'll never know how much it all means to me. How much you mean to me." His eyes lift to mine once more. "I love you."

"I love you too," I say automatically, even though this is monumental. Out of all the time I've known him, Monty's never said those words, to me or anyone else. He's always given affection sparingly, as he was never given much of it growing up, and the most I've ever seen him give at once was helping Stace up and holding her as she cried after a bike accident. She was all skinned knees and shaking, and he had talked low and soothingly, wiping away her tears.

"It's not the same, Aves," he's saying. "Not the way that you mean."

At lasts, my heart rejoices, because he leans forward and kisses me. I expect it to taste like cigarettes and alcohol, but it doesn't. It tastes like everything I've ever wanted in my whole life, and receiving it all at once.

A hand is placed on my hip, and he pulls me closer. My knees split around him, and without breaking away from my mouth he yanks me right onto his lap. Every nerve ending in my skin ignites where he touches, and when his lips open against mine I follow suit eagerly. His fingers slide up my ankle, my thigh ...