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“I am.” I stand up on tiptoes and kiss him, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Do you have any plans for the rest of the summer?”
“Come on, Anna. You know I don’t.” He looks away, and I can’t help but smile at his bad mood.
“Good. Because I’ve changed my mind. I want to come back with you, if that’s still okay?”
I suck my bottom lip behind my teeth and study the confusion that first crosses his face, followed by the realisation of what my words mean. His face lights up, and the look of happiness seems to feed something in my chest. He picks me up and swings me around. “God, I love you, Anna Rose. We’re going to have the best time, I promise.”
Chapter Twelve
The alarm blares, and I groan, coming around.
The summer is over, and the reality of life with Jeremy outside Cornwall is now here.
It has been a perfect summer, or at least perfect in my mind. However, my mum seems less impressed with my decisions, and Sammy didn’t return my call when I got back on Friday.
Being in my mum’s bad books wasn’t something I was familiar with, and it made me feel funny, like something was off balance in the world, but I didn’t know how to make it right. Justifying my decision to her didn’t feel necessary — she knew my intent when she left, and she went along with it.
Sammy, I can understand. I blew her off, and I did feel bad.
“Are you up, Anna? First day, don’t be late!” Mum never has to remind me to get up for school, and I wonder if she’s just exerting her mum power over me now I’m back.
“I’m up. Jeremy’s picking me up, so we have time.”
Just thinking about him brings a smile to my face, and I happily throw back the covers and set about getting ready.
Forty-five minutes later, the doorbell rings.
“I’ll get it!” I call as I race down the stairs. I throw open the door and jump into his arms.
“Wow, hello to you, too.” He kisses me quickly and puts me back down. “It’s the first day of school. You shouldn’t be that excited.”
“It’s not school I’m pleased about. Let me grab my bag.” I head to the kitchen and grab my rucksack from the table. “I’ll see you later, Mum.”
“Are you coming home after school? Dinner?” she calls from her studio.
“Um, I’m not sure. I’ll text you.” I head back out to Jeremy and shut the door. “Come on.”
He smiles and leads us to his car, opens the door for me, and I jump in and take a breath.
This is really happening.
We park in the student area, and I sit for a second in the car as I see a few of his friends approach as he gets out. For a moment, the thought that all of our time together this summer might have been just a dream and we’ll crash back to Earth the moment he’s with his friends hits and sends a tremor through me. But he comes around to my side of the car, helps me out, smiles, and kisses me on the forehead before putting his arm around me and escorting me into school.
I smile boldly, proud and confident to have Jeremy next to me. And the looks of confusion on the faces of his friends stoke that feeling to a burning flame inside my heart.
“You’re smiling,” I comment.
“I’m happy.”
“You never smiled at school before. I always noticed that.”
“I didn’t have you before.”
Nobody approaches us, but everyone watches. As we walk into the common room, the looks and stares from the girls are borderline comical. Out of everyone here and anyone he could have chosen, he chose me, and not out of pity or necessity for his grades, but because he wanted me.
My insecurity that our romance might falter doesn’t disappear, but with every day it gets easier to push to the back of my mind. We’re not just a summer fling. He hasn’t got bored or changed his mind now he’s back to real life.
Jeremy did everything he could to ensure I didn’t feel like that.
