Foolish Summer | ✔

10 • S T E P H E N • 🎈

That guy, Theo, was still with Waverly the next day. I knew that because he was in the pool, floating on an inflatable lounger, when I stepped out onto my balcony. Kinda ruined my afternoon cereal. What was he still doing there? What were they doing all night. Together.

He couldn't see me, not with trees separating our backyards, but from my vantage point I could see him and most of the backyard.

I'd deny it if anyone ever asked, but I spent a good chunk of time last night wondering if he was her boyfriend. All I knew was that they apparently weren't related.

She would've said something if she had a boyfriend, though. Right? Unless it was a friend's with benefits, open relationship type of thing. Waverly didn't seem like that type.

But what did I really know about her?

Waverly came out a few minutes later. I'm ashamed to admit how long I was staring at her in her bright green bikini. I knew she had a body, I just hadn't paid much attention to it. But now it was hard to look away.

Her hair was up, the first time I'd ever seen it like that. It showed off her face more, which was a nice trade off.

It also showed off her tattoo. At least I thought it was a tattoo. She jumped in the pool too fast for me to get a good look, but I'm about ninety percent sure I saw something on her back.

Maybe it was a trick of the light. Or maybe Waverly had a secret wild side. I wanted to find out. She'd never give me the chance, though. Not with her mom's job on the line.

Unless it was an innocent group activity. Not even my mom could be mad at us for chilling with friends. I took my soggy cereal back inside, grabbing my phone off it's charger. Our moms wouldn't be back until tomorrow morning. That was more than enough time to have a small-ish get together.

I could invite Waverly. Theo, too, I guess. Then I could talk to her without the threat of her mom being fired because of it. Because it was a party and would've been rude if I, the host, ignored a guest.

All it took was one message to Devon and our entire school knew about the party five minutes later.

• • •

I rang the doorbell, waited, then rang it again for good measure.

When the door opened Waverly was on the other side of it. It had been a few hours since I saw her in the pool.

She had changed out of the bikini, now in shorts and a tank top with cherries on it, the frames of her glasses were red. Her hair was down but a lot shorter than it usually was, stopping at her ears instead if just past her shoulders. It was something my mom referred to as shrinkage which she always complained about.

"Of course," she said, looking up at me as she crossed her arms over her chest. "As soon as I sit down ready to read someone has to interrupt me."

She tried to sound annoyed. It wasn't working. She was happy to see me.

"Maybe you should get one of those 'Do not disturb' signs for the door."

"Would that work on you?"

I pretended to think about it. "No."

She smiled. I smiled.

Then Theo appeared in nothing but a towel that was wrapped around his waist. He was practically on her back. Standing so close to her like personal space was a concept he'd never heard of. And he wasn't wearing pants. And Waverly didn't seem to care.

"I thought you were the pizza man," he said, sounding genuinely upset to see it was just pizza-less me.

The feeling was mutual.