Right Next To Me

Chapter 11 My Kind of Summer

This chapter is dedicated to millygirl13. May you travel the world and be inspired.

Chapter 11 ~ My Kind of Summer

Morning came too soon. Lately, I have not been sleeping well. I am preoccupied with lots of things.  I would wake up and then fall asleep again. I know I have dreams in between but I keep forgetting.

My bedside clock reads 6:30 a.m. I went downstairs to start hoarding Jessie’s food for our day at the lake house. I sleepily approached the kitchen when I heard Jessie talking to someone.

“…so what do you plan to do?” I heard Jessie say. I did not hear the other person’s response. I have entered the kitchen by then. Jessie looked up in surprise but smiled when she saw me. “Cate, you’re up early.”

Dylan, the only other person in the kitchen, turned around. “Morning, Puffy eyes.” I glared at him. He just chuckled.

“I couldn’t sleep.” I told Jessie. Jessie smiled as if she knew something I didn’t know. I gave her a confused look but I smiled at her. “Looks like Dylan beat me in hoarding your food.” I said gesturing at the basket they had packed.

“I wanted to go there early.” Dylan said. “Seth said he will just follow. He is still running errands for Marie.”

“OK, should we go now?” I asked. Dylan nodded. “I’ll just change and grab my bag.” I said and ran upstairs.

~*~

I kept glancing at Dylan while he drove. I hope I am not too obvious since we are both wearing sunglasses anyway. This boy is so good looking. He is cute even before. Girls would always introduce themselves to him even then. He looks so gorgeous and mature now. He caught me looking one time and he just smiled. My heart skipped a beat. I felt my face heat up and I looked away. If he caught me blushing, he’ll tease me forever.

“Oh look, the doughnut shop!” I pointed excitedly to Dylan. The doughnut shop is actually a small coaster bus converted into a shop selling freshly made doughnuts and coffee.  We patronize it for so many summers now. When we were younger, my dad or Uncle Aidan would drive us to the lake house. This doughnut shop is always our pit stop.

“You want to stop?” Dylan asked.

“Yes, pleaseeee.” I said giving him my puppy dog look and batted my eyelashes like there is no tomorrow. My puppy dog look also always works to get what I want. I use it aside from my pout. He chuckled. “You’re so cute.”

Aha! It worked again. I gave him my best smile. I need to be on Dylan’s good side today. He and Seth are going to be with me the whole day. I better get one of them on my side so I don’t get teased or picked on too much. I jumped off the car as soon as it stopped.

“Are you getting the same ones?” Dylan asked me. I eagerly nodded. He chuckled and ordered my usual from before, two strawberry center-filled doughnuts and one plain doughnut plus one cappuccino.

I took a table farther from the road. There are a few college age people eating and milling around. They will most probably go to one of the beaches. I hope they skip my side of the beach. I hate crowds.

I smiled at him when he came back with our food and sat beside me. “Aww, you remembered.” I said to him, my eyes twinkling with delight.

“I never forget.” He said smiling and looking into my eyes. I wanted to melt in my seat. I am not even sure why my heart is going on overdrive when he looks at me. I looked down to hide my blush.

We ate in silence, relishing the sweetness and freshness of the doughnut. Dylan leaned over to wipe what must be powdered sugar on my cheek. “I feel like a kid.” I said.