The Trees Smell Like Lemons

10. Salt taste of the sea

She kept glancing at him from the corner of her eye. Was it possible to be this nervous?

Just keep it casual, Bea thought to herself.

Adam had met Bea promptly at the school gates, as promised. They were walking down the high street, in no particular direction it appeared to Bea, but Adam seemed to know where he was going. She cast about for an interesting topic of conversation.

"What do you think about the school?" she asked, and immediately felt lame. She wished she were the type of girl who could always come up with something smart or witty to say.

"It's not bad. I can think of one or two good things." Adam glanced at Bea as he said this, and she blushed.

Is he flirting with me?

"The course structure is really good and there's a good selection of extracurricular activities that I can try out. That sort of thing always looks good on college applications."

Probably not.\

"I was on the football team last year and also part of the photography society," Bea said.

"Was? Do you not still do those things?" Adam asked.

Bea shifted uncomfortably. It was never easy bringing up Sara, especially to people she'd just met. For once, she just wanted to pretend everything was normal. That she wasn't just the girl whose sister had died.

"Oh.. I just got really busy with schoolwork and exams. I might start that up again after the holidays," Bea half smiled.

"I know that feeling well. It's hard to juggle so many commitments," Adam smiled back reassuringly.

Bea's heart twisted. She felt guilty lying to him.

"Where are we going anyway?" Bea asked, quickly changing the topic.

"Do you remember the café we went to when we first met?"

"Yes, but that's on the other side of town. It'll take us at least half an hour to walk there." Bea slowed down. "My Mum let me borrow her car to drive to school today. We can go back and get it."

"No," Adam said quickly, "it's such a nice day, seems a shame to waste it stuck inside a car."

Bea raised her eyebrows. "A boy who appreciates nature. What a rare find."

"Stick with me and you'll realise there's a lot of things I appreciate," Adam replied.

Bea's heart fluttered against her ribcage.

They arrived at the café, but this time Adam paused to talk to a pretty woman whose nametag read 'Kim'. She looked to be in her early forties. Bea remembered him saying Kim was his manager, she had let Adam have the attic to paint. Bea watched him leaning casually against the counter and felt her pulse quicken.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Adam asked over his shoulder.

Bea jumped slightly, feeling like she'd been caught doing something wrong. She shook her head.

Adam ordered a latte for himself and Bea sat down to wait, feeling like a third wheel as Kim laughed loudly at something Adam said. After Adam got his coffee, he motioned for her to follow him.

"I thought you said you didn't like that stuff." Bea gestured to Adam's drink.

"Kim always insists on making me one. I think she hopes I'll love it as much as she does one day," Adam shrugged.