Ruin (Ruin 1)

“We love you too, kiddo. Now, get off the phone and take lots of pictures so I can live through you, okay?”

“Deal.” I laughed and said goodbye, hanging up the phone and walking around my giant bedroom. It had a deck that overlooked the Puget Sound. It was also bigger than five of my rooms back home. It had a large over-stuffed bed, and I’m pretty sure if I snapped my fingers an iPod would turn on.

A knock sounded on the door and then it opened.

“Good thing I wasn’t changing.” I joked as Wes stepped in.

“Damn.” He grinned. “I was hoping I’d catch you unaware.”

“Clever.”

He stalked toward me. “I thought so.”

I turned my attention back to the water. The view was so pretty¸ and for it being Thanksgiving it wasn’t all too cold outside.

Wes went and took a seat in one of the deck chairs and then patted his knee. I shook my head no.

He smiled. Seriously that’s all it took. One smile and I was putty, absolutely useless against his magic boy powers. With a heavy sigh — you know, to show my disapproval at his manipulation — I sat on his lap and leaned back against his chest.

“Thank you,” he whispered into my hair after a few silent minutes, “for coming with me.”

“Pretty sure it should be me thanking you.” I linked my hands in his. “And thanks for being my boyfriend for two weeks.”

He tensed.

“What? You did say two weeks, right?” I elbowed him in the ribs. “I mean, you’re throwing me a bone. That’s it, right?”

“No.” He turned me in his lap. “No bone, no pity dates. I want you…” His hand caressed my face gently, his fingertips grazing my skin and then pulling back as if the contact was too much for him to handle. “I like you a lot.”

“So… the two weeks is up for discussion?” I joked.

He swallowed, staring into my eyes as if searching for something, “I’ll tell you what…” His voice cracked. “I’ll give you as much time as I have.”

“As much time as you have.” I searched his face trying to figure out why he would say it like that. “Are you planning on not having much time?”

He looked straight through me. It was as if he had seen a ghost, his face went pale and his eyes watered.

“Sure.” I answered quickly. “As much time as you have.”

“Promise?” He jerked his head away and looked out at the ocean. “Promise me?”

“I promise.”

“Good.” His smile returned, he kissed me on the cheek. “Let’s go get dinner then. I’m sure dad’s hungry and you’ve had a long day. We can watch a movie later, alright?”

“Sounds good.” I hopped off his lap but didn’t release his hand; for some reason it seemed important. Important that I touch him as much as possible. How crazy did that sound? I felt this urgency to be near him as if he was going to disappear at any minute. Wow, who was insecure now? I pushed the thought out of my head and swore to myself I wasn’t going to overthink it. I liked him, he liked me, and I officially had more than two weeks. I knew it was like we were moving fast, but I really liked him, and I knew in my heart two weeks would never be enough. Actually, I was pretty sure that whole year wouldn’t be enough. Summer might just ruin me if I didn’t get to see him at least once. Who knew? Maybe I could take summer school so I could be close by; that was, if he wasn’t bored with me by then.

****

Dinner went by smoothly. You know, if smooth meant I couldn’t decide which fork to use with my salad and which one to use with the salmon. At one point Mr. Michels, or Randy as he preferred I call him, began showing me which utensil to use by lifting it high in the air and diving into his food. I kind of loved him. He had Wes’s fun personality but still seemed to be grounded.

I was stuffed by the time the meal was done.

“And now…” Randy pushed back his chair. “I bid you farewell. Tomorrow we have turkey and I’m watching football.”

“Amen,” Wes said.

“Um, Wes, can I talk to you for a minute?”