Sixteen
Amelia
The wet fabric clings to my skin uncomfortably.
Inside the apartment, the sound of the storm lashes outside the window, unapologetic with its ferocity and timing.
I remove my hoodie, and underneath my T-shirt is still dry. Will shakes his head, running his fingers through his soaked hair, attempting to dry it off. Unable to turn away, my gaze falls upon his hair, a wild mess, to the small pout on his lips while he tries to control it somewhat.
Placing his hands on the bottom of his sweater, he pulls it up above his torso, his t-shirt beneath caught in the fabric, revealing his perfectly sculpted six-pack. Biting my lip, I’m unaware of how sexy he is beneath until he notices my stare, prompting me to act quickly by diverting my eyes to the floor.
“I’m going to get changed,” he informs me. “You sure you don’t want to get changed, you know, since you have a knack for borrowing from my wardrobe?”
I shake my head, pressing my lips together. “I’m not that wet.”
“Hmm… that’s a shame,” he mumbles with a smirk before walking off to his bedroom.
The second he’s out of sight, I release the breath I’ve been holding in until my phone begins to ring inside the back pocket of my jeans. I pull it out to see Mom’s name flash on the screen.
“Hey, Mom, what’s up?”
“Just checking in on you. I heard about a wild storm hitting the city and knew you were visiting today.”
“Oh yeah, we just…” I clear my throat, wincing at the mention of we and not wanting to raise any questions. “I meant, I just got caught in it but sitting inside a café now till it passes. Everyone on the sidewalk got caught, so we all panicked and just sought shelter where we could.”
“I’m glad you’re safe,” she says, a smile evident in her tone. “So, Thanksgiving. Your father would like us to come to you. I miss the city and was thinking we could spend a few days together if you don’t have any plans?”
“No plans,” I tell her. “It’ll be nice to have you all here. I miss you guys.”
“We miss you, too, honey. And how are you? You know, after the whole Austin thing?”
I hadn’t even thought about it over the last few days, preoccupied with planning this day and Will’s text message to me.
“Uh, I’m fine, Mom.”
“You know, it’s okay not to be fine.”
“I know,” I say, lowering my face. “But I promise you, I’m fine. School has been busy, and I have a lot going on.”
It was only partially a lie, a small one at that. And although I hate lying to her, I consider it a short extension of the truth.
The sound of footsteps draws closer as Will walks down the hallway, dressed in another pair of jeans and a black tee.
“So, listen, I was thinking—”
In a panic, my eyes widen as I point my finger toward my phone, trying to catch his attention. It takes a moment for the penny to drop, his arms folding with annoyance while he mouths for me to hurry up.
“Sorry, Mom, people are loud here in the café. Can I call you later?”
There’s a slight hesitation in her voice. “Of course, honey. We’ll talk later.”
I hit end call fast, letting out an annoyed huff.
“That was my mom.”
“I figured when you said sorry, Mom,” he answers, presumably. “So, why did you lie to her? Why didn’t you just say you were here?”
My smile wavers. Without even realizing it, I’m fidgeting with the ends of my hair, unsure how to answer his question.