I THINK HE KNOWS - jeremiah fisher

ONE

"You laughed like a metaphor I've been trying to write down for years."

My nose was sunburnt. I scrunched it up, surveying myself in the mirror with frustration. How could it be that everywhere else on my body tanned normally but my nose was pink and freckly?

"Don't worry about it, Rory, it'll be tanned by tomorrow. It looks cute too." My best friend, Yasmin smiled at me over my shoulder in the mirror.

"Pink little nose," she giggled, tapping it in delight.

"Thanks for that, Yas," I grumbled, swatting her hand away and turning away from the mirror. "I still can't believe we're here for the whole summer."

I flopped backwards onto my blue bedsheets as Yas took my place in front of the mirror, brushing her dark hair into place. I thought she was possibly the prettiest girl I'd ever seen.

"I know. Thank god for your parents' impulse buys, right?" She laughed.

The beach house in Cousins Beach was the latest in the long line of things my parents had decided they wanted, and must have right that minute. There had been other things, but in mine and Yas's opinion this was easily the best.

In order to convince the family (and Yas, apparently) that this was indeed the thing that would stick for them, they had encouraged us to spend the whole summer there. At first I had been reluctant, given the fact San Francisco (where Yas and I lived) remained my favourite place on earth and I would, as a rule, much rather be there, but I had eventually been convinced by Yas and my mother.

Yas had lived in San Francisco her whole life, and she rarely ever left to go on holiday, so she always loved my parents' schemes and went along happily with them. My family had only moved to San Francisco from London two years ago, and I hadn't even spent a summer there yet.

"I love that top, Rory," Yas smiled, brushing her eyebrows up. "It looks so good with a tan too. You'll be the star of the bonfire."

I grinned at her from my laid back position on the bed, sliding my feet into a pair of Birkenstocks. "Couldn't be the star with you around, Yas. Been here barely a week and you already got us invited to the biggest party in Cousins."

"I'm surprised too - I guess Clay is just desperate."

I laughed. "That is believable."

"What about you, have you seen anyone you like yet? No blond surfers that catch your eye?" Yas inquired, pulling her own shoes on and pulling me up off the bed.

"Not yet. Shame, isn't it. What ever is the point of a beach house if there's no beach romance?"

"I love when you sound all English," Yas giggled. "It's like I'm in a book or something."

I rolled my eyes, smiling slightly. "You want to put me in a museum or something?"

I had been joking about a beach romance being essential to the summer, but I did think subconsciously I believed what I was saying. I'd been waiting for ages to have one of those summers where it feels like you're in a song, even if I would never dare to admit it aloud. The thought of being vulnerable like that openly terrified me just a little bit.

"Are we planning on drinking tonight?" I asked, opening the fridge and getting out two bottles of water. "I don't mind if you do and then I can drive."

"Sure, Rory?"

"Sure." I smiled.

I'd never really believed in the concept of having a best friend, more warming to the idea of different friends giving you different things, but then I'd moved to San Francisco and I'd met Yas. We were both only children and I'd been new to the city - not that I was particularly shy, but moving across the world can make a girl slightly reticent.