Page 17 of My Return to the Walter Boys
“Yup,” he replied, his lips already blue. “We’re done with all the kiddy stuff. It’s time for some real fun.”
***
We walked to a nearby residential neighborhood lined with established trees so big, their foliage created a canopy that shaded the entire length of sidewalk. The homes were old but well-kept, with covered porches, bay windows that overlooked the street, and tidy front gardens. When we reached a green bungalow where a thumping bass could be heard from behind a wooden privacy fence, Cole ignored the front walk and cut across the lawn toward the gate. He lifted the latch and pushed it open, gesturing for me to go first, and I stepped into the most charming backyard I’d ever seen.
A stepping-stone path cut through lush grass and lead to a pergola-covered patio with lanterns hanging from the rafters. There was a sunken fire-pit lined with cushions and pillows, a stock tank hot tub, and a hammock hanging between two trees. Familiar faces from school were scattered all around, some playing beer darts while others gathered around the bonfire, but most were congregated on the patio, talking and laughing.
Walking into the party with Cole reminded me of all the times I’d been at his side in the hallways between class periods; everywhere he went, Cole drew attention without trying. Heads turned, greetings were called out, and smiles followed in his wake. The difference tonight, however, were all the acknowledgments I received, from head nods to friendly hellos. It was a stark contrast to my first month in Colorado when I was stared at and judged for being the new girl. The sense of acceptance was comforting and hopefully a sign that the upcoming school year wouldn’t be as bad as the last.
“Patio or fire?” Cole asked me after saying hi to one of his football buddies.
I caught a glimpse of Kim curled up in Alex’s lap on a wicker sectional and hesitated. “Um…”
Cole followed my gaze, clocked his brother, and quickly adjusted our course. “Fire it is,” he said, but it didn’t matter where we went, because he was friends with everyone.
I recognized most of the people at the fire-pit as the ones who cut class with us last spring. Besides Nick, there was a guy with a lip ring named Joe but who preferred to be called Jet, his older sister Molly, and Molly’s friend Kate, whose pink hair streak had been changed to purple. Then there were the two defensive linemen with names I always mixed up. Ryan and Tim? Or maybe it was Bryan and Jim.
“Cole, you made it!” Kate jumped up and threw her arms around him before surprising me with a hug as well. “Hey, Jackie. Back for the school year?”
“Yeah,” I said, then shook my head when Nick silently offered me a beer. “I got in yesterday.”
“Ugh, I’m so jealous,” she said, plopping down on Jim/Tim’s lap to make room for me and Cole. “I wish I could jet off to somewhere fun like New York for the summer.”
Even with the space she freed up, I doubted the two of us would fit. Cole sat down, and when I hesitated, he rolled his eyes, tucked me into his side, and draped an arm over the back of the bench. Once I was settled (and striving to ignore the way his body was pressedagainst mine from shoulder to knee), he accepted a beer from Nick and popped the tab one-handed.
“Kate,” Molly said with a pointed look. “Don’t be annoying. You’re leaving for Southern Cal in less than a week while the rest of us will be stuck here attending dinky state colleges.”
Nick spoke up. “Actually, I’m going to—”
“UF, we know,” Bryan/Ryan said. “We’ve all heard it a million times. If I have to listen to you suck Florida’s dick one more time, I’m going to drown myself in the hot tub.”
“Some of us still have to finish high school,” Jet grumbled under his breath.
“In what universe is Boulder a dinky state college?” Kate asked. “It’s literally the largest university in Colorado. You’re just pissed you didn’t get into Berkeley.”
A guy I didn’t recognize with curly brown hair threw his arm over Molly’s shoulder, his gaze briefly meeting Cole’s before he offered her a sympathetic smile. “Hey, cheer up. The three of us will have a blast.”
Molly sighed and leaned her head against his chest. “Yeah, I know.” She was quiet for a moment before looking over at Cole. “When are you moving into the dorms?”
Cole took a sip of his beer before responding. “This Thursday. You?”
Even though I wouldn’t allow this thing between us to develop into something more, my heart still sank hearing his answer. Cole would be gone in less than a week.
***
The conversation about college carried on into the night, and even though I couldn’t contribute much since I still had two more years of high school, I was content to sit and listen. Cole was unusually reticent as well, only chiming in when someone asked him a question. He spent the night staring at the fire and absentmindedly tracing patterns on the side of my arm.
“Hey,” I whispered, gently nudging him in the side. “You okay?”
“I’m sorry. I promised you a fun night, but”—he yawned—“I’m beat.”
“That’s okay. Why don’t you go home and get some rest?”
“But you’re finally back,” he said, burying his face in my hair with a sleepy smile, “and I wanted to—God, you smell like vanilla and citrus. Is that your shampoo?”
“Perfume,” I replied, and he hummed in acknowledgment. I waited for him to continue explaining whatever it was that he wanted, but instead of saying anything, he let out another yawn, then nuzzled closer like he was preparing to nap on my shoulder. “Cole, are you still with me?”
The party was dying down, but over on the patio, someone shrieked with laughter.
