Chapter 6

The rest of the afternoon, I can’t stop thinking about Tina and that guy. Who is he? Didn’t she say she had a boyfriend at home? She doesn’t look like the cheating type to me, certainly not with someone she barely knows and can’t possibly be in love with.

Sharon, one of the girls that has a holiday job asks me what’s wrong several times, but I dismiss it. We get along, but I’m not going to share my feelings. First of all, she isn’t that good of a friend and second, I have a reputation to hold high.

I know Sharon likes me (who doesn’t?) and I know Tina’s going to take that guy to The Planet tonight. Is she doing this on purpose, just to taunt me? I don’t know, but if she can play this game, so can I.

“Hey, Sharon,” I say when she’s finished with the last bowl. “Do you feel like joining me tonight?”

Sharon looks up at me with a huge smile. “Of course, Bette! What time and place?”

She has probably waited for me to ask her this ever since we met three years ago. I grin smugly – that Kennard girl may pretend she’s not interested but this one certainly doesn’t hide it.

“The Planet. Is it okay if I pick you up around 9 PM?”

“Sure, that sounds great.”

The girl is beaming it’s like the hottest girl in town just asked her to marry. I am the hottest girl in town, but I only asked her out. Note to self: make clear this is a one night thing. I don’t even know if I’m going to sleep with her. It could get awkward afterwards and we have to work together all summer long and probably next year still. It depends on Kennard anyway.

We manage to get another pallet done before we’re both set to go home. After greeting our chef, Lindsay Wilder, we drive home. I dropp her off at her place and when I’m back at the shop, I go straight to the appartment after saying hi to Nina, the hot employee of my aunt.

I throw myself at the couch; I’m exhausted. I’m too lazy to get up and change first, but I am sweaty so I need to take a shower. As the hot water is flowing over my body, cleaning me and warming me up, I can only think about Kennard. In my mind, I’ll call her by her last name. It’s less personal and easier to take some distance. I am always in control in the relationship. Besides, there is something about her that makes me sure that I couldn’t end it when summer’s over and just say goodbye. I don’t think my heart would be able to take it and that’s never happened to me before. What am I doing? Why am I so… into this? Normally I’m not affected by the girl I’m after at all. Normally I don’t really have to chase her – she pretends to be hard to get sometimes if I’m lucky but jumps me rather quickly. I’m gonna have to do a lot more if I want my biggest wish at the moment come true. I’m gonna have to prove that I’m worthy of her if I ever want to take this shower together with me.