July 4th 2001
"Kinsey, what is taking you so long to get ready?" Mama asks as she pops into my room.
"Almost ready, Mama. I'll be down in five," I promise her. She gives me a curious look but leaves, and I lean forward to finish my makeup.
I usually don't fret too much over my outfits with Olly. He doesn't notice much unless I'm showing a lot of skin, but today, we have a special plan, a very sexy secret plan.
I settled on the red and white summer dress I wore on New Year's Day. I like the nostalgic idea of it. I wore it when we officially became a couple on New Year's Day, and now I'll wear it on this extra special day.
Mama got me on the pill at the beginning of summer, but Olly, but I took our time but over the last few weeks, we started planning when and how we could do it, and soon it was we could think about.
I'm the sober cab for my parents tonight at the town party. Chris and David will be like the other parents, drunk and oblivious. We'll mingle, be seen, and then sneak off. Skipping the whole thing to drive my dad's truck back to the farm, where we'll spend the day and evening making our own fireworks. In the barn, our special spot.
I'll then go back to town, pick my drunk parents up, and, once they pass out, meet Olly back in the barn again.
It's literally the perfect plan. It's nice to have a genius for a boyfriend.
***
I'm full of nervous energy when we arrive at the town party. I park my dad's truck in a spot sort of tucked away. It's not like they'd return to the parking lot to check for it, but we can't be too careful about this.
I have my eyes peeled for Olly as we walk along.
"We're going to go get drinks," Dad says. "Meet us back here 'round midnight or so to take us home."
"Will do! Have fun!" I give him a quick hug, and then Mama next.
I almost talked to her last night but ultimately chose not to. She said she didn't expect me to come talk to her again when the time came but that I could. The more I thought about it, the more I want it to be just ours, right now, me and Olly. No one else needs to know.
"Hi, Kinz!" I look over to a smiling Brandi with Wade by her side.
I'm stunned he takes her out in public. None of us thought he ever would. I'm assuming that was what one of their many breakups was about because, after the most recent one, they suddenly go out places now.
She's on cloud nine when they're good and in the literal gutter when they're not. She leans on both me and Olly a lot during the off times. They've been "on" for a while, and I'm waiting for the shoe to drop again.
"Hi! Happy Fourth!" I greet her with a quick hug.
"Hey, Kid," Wade drawls out with his annoying smile. "Where's your little nerd boy?"
"Don't call him that!" I snap irritably, and Wade just chuckles.
"So uptight this one," Wade comments. "I got something that'll loosen you up if you want."
"I'm good," I said cooly.
"Your loss." He looks at Brandi, tugging her towards him. "Come on, Babygirl, let's find a piece of beach."
"Later, Kinz." She shoots me a look as they walk off. She'll yell at me later for being standoffish, I'm sure. So annoying.
"Boo!" I yelp as Olly comes up behind me.
"Not funny!" I scold him as I turn around. "I've been on edge all day. That could've caused my heart to blow up."
"First of all, your heart can't blow up," Olly corrects me. "Second, we don't have to do this. If you changed your mind and you're not ready, it's okay."
"I said I was on edge. I didn't say I wasn't ready. I'm more than ready! It's all I ever think about these days."
"Yeah, me too," he confesses as his cheeks flush.
"So let's put the plan in motion," I say as I grab his hand. "Be seen and get out of here."
My gaze falls on Wade and Brandi, walking toward the beach. "The sooner, the better. If we stay here too long and those two start fighting, we'll get stuck here."
"Yeah, and they're overdue for one. Let's hurry and sneak away," Olly agrees. "You sure you don't mind missing the fireworks?"
My gaze finds its way to the duplexes ahead when Olly says that, and suddenly, I'm transported back to last year, with Hunter.
"Not at all," I say, even as a melancholy feeling washes over me. It's not like anything happened with Hunter last year, but the feeling remains, even as I try to shove it down.
"Hey guys!" Hunter... of course. I try harder to shake off last year as I look towards his voice.
He has one hand lifted in a wave to greet us and the other clasped around some girl's hand. A beautiful girl with olive-toned skin and shiny jet-black hair. He's been dating quite a bit this summer.
"Hey, Hunt. Happy Fourth!" Olly says with a smile.
"Erin, these are my best friends, Olly and Kinz. This is Erin. She'll be a senior at our school."
"Hi," Erin says politely. "I've heard a lot about you two."
He talked about us? And he's introducing her? He usually doesn't bother. A knot forms in my gut, but I ignore it as I smile kindly at Erin.
"It's nice to meet you," I offer.
"You planning on staying around all night?" Olly asks Hunter, who shrugs.
"Yeah. Why?"
"I'm crashing at your place tonight," Olly says with a telling wink. "In case my mom happens to ask."
I freeze, and it seems like Hunter does, too. There goes keeping it private.
Seriously Olly?
"Oh. Right," Hunter looks at me momentarily, then quickly shifts his gaze away as he runs a hand through his locks. "Yeah. I'll cover ya."
"Thanks, man," Olly says. "Kinz is planning on coming back here to get Franky and Betsy later. If they're looking for her... maybe just say you think we're at the beach. I doubt they'll ask. They'll be too drunk to care where we are."
"Don't worry 'bout Franky and Betsy," Hunter says. "I'll just bring 'em home and 'em drop off later. I'll tell them you left with Brandi or something, Kinz"
Well, shit, that's a lot easier than me coming back here to get them... but I still didn't want anyone to know!
"Really? Thanks, Hunt," Olly says.
"Yeah, thanks," I add with an awkward smile. I'm having trouble meeting Hunter's eyes, and he's not looking right at me either.
"Sure. Let's go find a spot to sit and eat, Erin. See you two around. Have... fun." Hunter cringes at his words, and I'm pretty sure I'm beet red.
"Later," Olly says all casually. I'm going to kill him, I swear.
"Nice meeting you two," Erin says with a small smile. "Have a happy fourth."
"Yeah, you two, too," I offer.
As they walk off, she moves closer to Hunter, her hand still firmly in his.
"She seems nice," Olly comments. "We'll see how long she lasts, though. He's got a different girl on his arm every time we see him these days."
"Why did you tell him?" I ask as I look up at him irritably.
"I didn't!" He defends. "I just told him I needed a cover for tonight, not why."
"Oh, come on. You didn't have to say it. He figured it out."
"Like he cares, he's done it plenty of times."
"He has?" I question in surprise. "With who?"
Olly narrows his eyes. "Why do you care?"
"I don't," I protest. "But... he hasn't had an actual girlfriend since Mary Beth, so who would he do it with?"
"If you don't care, why are you still prying?"
"He's my best friend! Our best friend. I was curious," I defend.
"If you want to know about Hunter's sex life, ask him," Olly says with a hard look. "But it's a little hypocritical since you just got mad that he found out about yours."
"I don't want to know about his sex life! It's the last thing I want to know about."
"Sure."
"I don't! And as far as ours go, I didn't want anyone to know!" I defend in a huff. "I wanted it to feel like it was our own thing, our little special secret."
"Oh..." Olly's face falls as he takes this in. "Of course, you did, and I... I'm an idiot. I'm so sorry, Love. I didn't even think. I knew I needed to use him for a cover and hadn't run it by him yet. So I just blurted it out. I didn't mean to make it obvious, I swear."
"I know, you didn't," I sigh.
"Are you pissed?" He asks with a nervous expression.
"No, it's okay," I say in a softer tone. "But, can we go already? I feel like we're pushing our luck at this point."
"Please," he agrees, grabbing my hand as we beeline it out of there.
****
We parked Olly's car in a hidden spot a few blocks from the farm. He plans on leaving early in the morning before my dad gets up. I'll then sneak into my bed, and no one ever has to know but us.
....And apparently, Hunter and his date, if she picked up on all that. I shake off the annoyed feeling, focusing instead on the moment ahead.
"Wait till you see what I did," Olly says with a grin as we walk hand in hand to the barn.
"What do you mean?"
"You'll see," he says as he opens the large door for us.
I gasp as I step inside.
A big and very comfy-looking air mattress is in the center, stacked with blankets and pillows. Two crates are set up, each with battery-operated lanterns, which Olly already has on, lighting the barn in a soft yellow hue.
A bottle of strawberry wine and two glasses sit near the bed, and next to that sits a box of donuts and a big bag of cool ranch Doritos.
"I grabbed those an afterthought in case we're hungry after," Olly says.
"Strawberry wine." I smile at the memory.
"You have the dress on, too," Olly says.
"It seemed to add to all the perfect," I reply.
"You look as beautiful as always."
"When did you do this anyway?" I ask with a soft smile as I turn back to face him.
"Right before I came back to the party to meet you. Pretty slick, huh?"
"Very," I agree.
We move closer, and our lips meet in a sweet but nervous kiss.
"Should we have a glass of wine first?" Olly asks, opening it before I answer.
"Yeah, good idea." I sit down as he pours the glasses. He sits next to me, handing me the glass. I savor the sweet flavor as we sit quietly.
"I'm nervous as hell, Kinsey," Olly blurts out. "I don't think I'll be any good at this."
"Oh, Olly!" My heart soars with emotion for him. "Please don't worry, okay?"
We both giggle a little at the unsaid there.
We sit quietly for a bit, sipping the wine and gathering courage.
I stand with him, and he pulls me close. The nerves give way to excitement as our lips meet n the candelit room of the barn.
*
*
*
"Are you okay?" Olly whispers as he gathers me in his arms.
"I feel amazing. You?" I ask with a giggle as I kiss his chest.
"No words, Kinsey," he says.
"I love you, Olly."
"I love you too, forever."
"Forever."
*Sorry I had to butcher this scene the full scene is on inkitt though. ;)