Stage Fright

Chapter 31 ~ Kokomo

Josh

The first thing I see when I wake up is Heather. She's asleep facing away from me, but towards the french-doors in the room. Sunlight rushes through the thin curtains and bounces off of her shoulders. Her black nightgown had thin straps and a lace border, sitting nicely over her back. I didn't believe that she wore those to bed all the time, but I suppose she had probably been avoiding wearing them with me.

She looked so gorgeous, I couldn't even see her face but just to see her laying in bed right next to me was all I wanted. I quietly shuffle over and wrap my arm around her waist drawing her back into my chest. She stirs and looks over her shoulder with a small smile.

"Good morning." I whisper, kissing the side of her neck.

"Hey." She giggles and I smile.

She wraps her hands around my arm and rolls over to look at me face-to-face. I just smile and she leans down and kisses my chest.

"What time is it?" She asks and I check my watch.

"A little after ten." I whisper and she nods.

"So, what do you want to do today?" She asks and I shrug.

"I just want to go down on the beach, soak up the sun a bit. Mom probably has something planned too so maybe we'll talk to her first." I tell her and she smiles with a nod. She gets up from the bed, first placing a kiss on my forehead. My eyes immediately widen once that slip comes all the way into full view again. It looked so good on her and she didn't even know it.

"Okay, which swimsuit should I wear?" She asks and I laugh.

"I don't know." I tell her, laying back with my arms behind my head.

"Well I have this one." She says pulling out a black one-piece. "But I want to tan my stomach so that's out." She says. "Then I have this red one, it's this nice thick material but it's like a tube top, it might not stay up that well without straps." She mumbles. "So I guess by process of elimination......I have to wear this one." She says holding up a deep teal one. It seemed like the smallest of the three, small bottoms and the top was no different. "I'll wear this sundress over it." She says pulling out a white sundress. 

She then disappears into the washroom and I stand up, finding my red swim trunks in my bag. Then I grab a t-shirt and look around for my sandals and sunglasses. The door suddenly opens and Heather emerges dressed in her sundress.

"Bathroom's yours, I finished my morning routine." She says and I smile. 

God she looked amazing, I felt so lucky. This was the first time that there was no hiding, I had to keep reminding myself that she wasn't ashamed of me, that we had to do this for the good of the show. Somehow, the prettiest, smartest, most amazing girl at our high school, wanted to be with me.

"-My dad asked me to bring you these, just as a thank you for having me." I hear from the living room and I furrow my eyebrows, walking out to see Heather passing my mom what looked like a nice box and a package of chocolate.

"How sweet." Mom says. "But honey, you've done so much."

"I know, but dad insisted." Heather smiles. "Josh said you wouldn't want anything but I thought it would be kind to bring you something." She smiles and quietly opens the box and gasps. "I knew you lived on the beach, I thought you might get some use out of a sun-catcher."

"Oh Heather, it's beautiful. Thank you." She says giving Heather a hug and she smiles. "I've actually been looking for one of these and this one's just perfect."

"I'm so glad you like it." Heather says with a big smile. "The chocolates are some of my favourites, they're so nice for a night in watching a rom-com."