The Deal

Chapter Eleven

"Relax? Or you could go to the beach? Or see a movie?"

"Shouldn't I bet tellin' you to relax? You're the one who is goin' to be workin' during your break."

"Technically it's not working because I'm not getting paid. I'm volunteering."

"How long is it?"

"Two and a half weeks I think, but sometimes it runs on a little longer. It depends on their schedule this year."

"Any plans for after camp?"

She thought for a moment. The simple and easiest answer was no but that wasn't strictly true. "I might be going to Florida for the end of break."

"Yeah?"

She nodded. "My friend Alana and her husband have a vacation house down there and they've asked if I wanna stay with them for a few weeks."

"Are you gonna?"

"I'm not sure. They'll be on family vacation and I don't want to intrude."

"If they've invited you there's no way you'll be intrudin'."

"I guess..."

"You should go." She wanted to say she didn't want to because she'd miss seeing his stupid face so much but she didn't. Because, for one that would go against their agreement and two, she wasn't even sure if that was the case or if she just longed for intimacy.

"Yeah. Maybe."

The principal appeared at the front of the room and called for one of the teachers to turn down the music and welcomed all of the children and volunteers to their end-of-year disco. He expressed that there was a suggestion box at the back of the room where parents could fill out suggestions for the following year and then wished the children a good time before disappearing back into the crowd.

"Thanks for agreeing to stay," Summer said and turned in Lucas' direction.

"Of course."

"You didn't have any plans this evening did you?"

He shook his head. "They weren't important."

"You should have said something. You don't have to stay."

"Like I said, Summer. It wasn't important."

"What...what was it?"

He gave her a look of warning and she knew exactly what he was about to say and she mimicked his words as he spoke. "That's against the rules."

"I know," she said afterwards. "But I just feel like we know nothing about each other."

He looked at her with curiosity in his eyes. "That's what you wanted."

"Yeah..."

"But maybe we could get to know each other a little...I don't see the harm in that." She smiled a little but quickly turned her head to the side so that he couldn't see her expression. She felt a small wave of relief flow into her body. Which was strange because it was her idea to remain only as two people - who were barely even friends - having sex.

When she turned back in his direction she had adjusted her facial expression and now, simply nodded without even a trace of a small smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, i guess there's no harm in it."

One side of his mouth turned up in a small smile as he nodded himself and then returned to his typical state of scanning the room broodingly. After a couple of moments of silence Lucas announced that he best be going but Summer was sure that it hadn't yet been an hour. She glanced up at the clock on the opposite side of the gymnasium and by some miracle an hour had passed.