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Now, when I see Oliver, I see a lot more than just my old best friend. I see a six-foot, sun-kissed Adonis with arms that should be illegal. The worst part is I have to fight every single blush gracing my cheeks whenever he just smiles at me. I don’t know what he sees, but his smile always says Welcome home when I look, and that might be the scariest thing.
The house is quiet when I walk through. I almost think I’m alone until Ella walks through the living room, not even knowing I’m present, with a grin on her face.
“Oh my god.” I let out a soft whistle, catching my sister’s attention. “What are you grinning about?”
Ella lets out a laugh. “You act like I never smile.”
Now I’m smiling at the memory that Ella was spending the day with Leon and Jaxon. Leon is nowhere in sight, but Ella is back.
“Stop giving me that look!” Ella grabs a glass from the kitchen and pours herself some water.
“What look?” I play innocent, hopping onto the counter. “Give me all the juicy details.”
“No.” She takes a sip. “Don’t be like Mimi about this.”
She must be getting nervous with the way her body is swaying back and forth on her heels.
“I’m not, I promise.”
“Thank you. If you must know, today was fun. Watching Jaxon help Leon ride his bike was fun. There was a lot of banter between us, which felt nice. He always came back at me just as hard.” Ella smiles softly as she tells me more about their bickering. “I think Leon is developing a crush, though.”
That certainly sours the mood. Leon has always been the type to develop feelings quickly, to have a flavor of the month.
“I’m sure it will pass. Leon never likes the same guy for more than a few weeks.”
“I hope so.”
“Oliver actually invited us to a party next week and for me to meet him on the beach again tomorrow. He keeps flirting with me, which is wild, but I like it—not to mention everyone here keeps on just assuming I’m a girl, which is unexpected but so refreshing.”
“You are a girl, Sally—no ifs, ands, or buts.” Ella pivots on her heel with an unreadable expression. Her lips press together tightly like she wants to say something but isn’t sure how to frame the question.
“Yeah.” Now, I’m biting my cheek to hold back the anxiety that’s gnawing in my head.
“What’s your plan with Oliver?”
That’s a loaded question, and I don’t know the answer.
“This isn’t me telling you to tell him about you being trans or anything, obviously,” she says quickly. “It’s just that I don’t want you to get hurt or caught up in a place we’re leaving soon. Have you even tried to find any more letters?”
“No, I haven’t,” I snap. “We’ve only been here for two days, Ella.”
Ella stares at me with wide eyes. I turn away, not wanting to see them. I don’t know what to do right now.
“You don’t need to be snippy with me. I’m just concerned about where your head is at.”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you putting Oliver above the house?” The air is silent, and Ella cocks her brow, waiting for an answer that is never going to be voiced.
I hesitate. “No.” My voice is soft, barely audible, and Ella looks unmoved. Hell, I don’t even believe myself at this point. “I don’t know.”
“Sally.”
“Can we stop?”
She falters before stepping out in front of me. “Sally, we are leaving, going to college. Do you actually think you could handle a long-distance relationship?”
“I don’t know.”
