“That seems fair.”
We decide to knock out the “movie marathon (notThe Fast and the Furious)” box. Saylor pulls up the list of long franchises my dad sent to us, and we decide on all the Friday the 13ths because it’s summertime and that calls for creepy murders at a creepy summer camp. When we getback to my house, we crash on the couch. We have at least another hour until my parents get home, so I think we both know we shouldn’t waste that time not cuddling.
We start the first movie, and I begin to feel better the second we’re sitting close together. Saylor leans up against me, playing with my fingers while we’re trying to settle in to the weird first-person heavy breathing going on along the road to Camp Crystal Lake. After a while, I can’t really focus on what’s happening on-screen because my foot is falling asleep, but Saylor’s hand is on my thigh. I nudge her a little just so I can adjust, but Saylor pulls me closer. She leans back on the far end of the couch, and somehow I end up on top of her, settled between her thighs, my head resting on her boobs.
I feel hot all over and try not to make any sudden movements, but I can’t ignore the shaky breath that slips out of Saylor. I look up at her, and she is totally looking at my lips. I scoot up just enough and then we’re kissing. I feel like I can hear the ocean crashing in my ears, and every inch of my body is warm and humming. I don’t want to stop, and from the way Saylor is kissing me back, I don’t think she wants to either. Things start happening. Like,thosethings. In the back of my mind, I’m not entirely sure we should be doing those things on the couch, but logic is not getting through the fog in my brain.
I don’t know how long it goes on, but I do know what a car door sounds like, and I know we have like ten seconds before my parents come walking into the house. I catapult myself to the other side of the couch. Saylor sits up and checksthe back of her hair. Her braid crown is still intact. Just a bit smooshed. I fix my shirt and smooth my edges back as the dogs hop up and rush to greet my mom and dad.
“Children!” Dad calls out.
I swallow and try to breathe. “In here.” They both come strolling into the living room, and I have to give it to Saylor, she is right back to her bubbly self.
“Hi,” she says.
“Hey, Saylor,” Mom replies. “Ford-based slumber party was a bust?”
“Yeah,” I reply. “Decided to escape the middle school madness.”
“Smart.”
“Oh, this one’s a classic,” Dad says, looking at the TV. One of the camp teens is being murdered, which I know is supposed to happen, but I have no clue what else has happened up to this point.
“Yeah, we figured we’d start on the movie marathon square,” I say.
“Well, Saylor, we’re happy to have you with us for at least another twenty hours,” Dad says.
Saylor laughs. “Thanks. Happy to be here.”
“We’re just gonna finish this and then we’ll watch the next one in my room.”
“Did you grab the air mattress?” Mom asks.
“Not yet.”
“I’m on it,” Dad offers before he rushes out of the room.
“If either of you want ice cream, follow me into the kitchen,” Mom adds. I didn’t even realize she was carryinga bag. I don’t care about ice cream, but I think neither of us want to look suspicious. We load up on ice cream and go back to opposite ends of the couch.
It was a close call, but I regret nothing. The closer Saylor and I get, the more I want to be with her, and the harder it’s going to be to keep this under wraps.
32
Saylor
Dr.Campbell was right. We are going have to commit some serious time to finish the square. But it’s not like I mind. I’m free from my sisters and my mom’s almost certain plans to make family content all day. Plus, I get to spend time with Heaven. At some point I want to ask her to be my girlfriend. I’m ready to move on from this taking it slow stage, even if we do keep it quiet from our parents. I just need to get up the courage to do it.
This isn’t a summer fling, at least not for me. Butgirlfriendis heavy forus. A girlfriend eventually has to tell all our friends and family. A girlfriend is there when school starts again. A girlfriend goes to my volleyball games and maybe even cheers. And a girlfriend goes to every art show and offers to model or organize pencils or whatever else a girlfriend needs. It’s more than just bingo and stealing kisses when we can. It’s everything, and I want that with her. But every time I think about talking to Heaven about how I feel and what I want, I can just picture Mom with her new beach bob popping out from behind a tree with her phone or camera, ready to tell her viewing audience.
But for tonight, I’m free from all that drama and basking in the calm, social-content-free environment that Dr.G and Dr.Campbell have created in their house.
After we finish the first movie, we go up to Heaven’s room to do our night routines and change, then we both squeeze under a blanket in her sac chair and try to focus on watchingFriday the 13th Part 2. When she’s positive that her parents are asleep, we both climb into her bed and let the movie keep playing. I get the general point. No need to pay attention. I look at her beautiful face, lit by her TV on behind me.
“How did your parents come up with the name Heaven?” I ask her. It’s something I’ve always wondered. “Glory’s mom always said she wanted to give her something powerful. Glory does the trick, I think.”
“I’m my mom’s rainbow baby. She had like three miscarriages before she got pregnant with me. She said in the delivery room she was so high and just like out of it from labor, but so happy I came out healthy and you know, alive—she took one look at me and said I was her little piece of heaven, and that’s what she wanted to call me. They had a Korean name picked out for me, Jee-Ah, so that’s my middle name now.”
“I like both names.” I smile back at her.