Chapter 46 What’s the big deal?
Saraphina
For the next few days, Ryan and I kept seeing each other in secret. We even invented a code word: Milkshake. It was our private way of saying, ‘Let’s get out of here and be together.’ Clement and Louisa had no idea. They honestly thought we were going to the diner for milkshakes.
If they only knew the kind of secret, heated things that were happening in the house after dark.
Okay, I will admit it. That was a reckless thing to do. But I was wrapped up in a bubble of pure, careless happiness. I felt terrible about the lying and sneaking around. But all that guilt could not make me give up Ryan Jake Williams.
How was I supposed to say no to the best thing I had ever tasted?
The one thing that made it feel slightly okay was knowing we were not hurting anyone. As long as my mom and Clement were happy, we figured what we did in private did not matter.
So we kept using our code, and we kept escaping.
Ryan
I assumed things would get harder for Saraphina and me once our parents returned from their trip. I was wrong. I had no willpower at all when she was near. Sneaking around with our parents right there was a serious risk, but I could not stop myself. I was completely hooked on this girl.
Take tonight at dinner. I could have just eaten my food with my dad and Louisa sitting right across from us. But no. I had to stir up trouble. I found ways to rest my hand on her knee without them noticing. And as the meal went on, my hand would move a little higher on her leg. Saraphina would panic, her face turning bright red. She kept batting my hand away and coughing into her napkin. She was actually making herself more obvious. I thought it was fucking adorable. So even though she was shooting me her most deadly looks, I kept teasing her.
“So, we have been thinking…” Louisa said suddenly, pulling me from my thoughts. “You two will be leaving home soon. We want to do something special, just the four of us. A real family memory.”
“Okay,” Saraphina said, her voice careful. “What are you thinking?”
“We want to take a short road trip this weekend. I’m borrowing a friend’s RV,” my dad answered, turning to me. “And I checked your schedule. You do not have a surf competition.”
“Well, yeah, that’s true,” I said.
“So, that’s perfect, right?” Louisa was practically glowing, looking at Saraphina and me with hope. “We can all go together?”
Saraphina and I looked at each other. She was clearly upset. She wanted me to say no. But how could I possibly refuse?
“I guess so,” I said with a shrug.
Louisa and my dad shared a happy smile. Saraphina, though, frowned and stared down at her feet. She was not pleased at all.
“Oh, wonderful! This is going to be so great!” Louisa cheered.
Saraphina probably thought a family trip would be too strange. She was worrying too much. We are a family now. We have to do family things. There is no way to avoid it. Besides, this just gave me more reasons to be near her. So hell yes, I was taking it.
A whole weekend with just us? This should be good.
Saraphina
My mom and Clement were over the moon about this weekend trip. Clement got a giant RV, and Mom bought enough food to last a month. I, on the other hand, was completely miserable about the whole idea. I just wanted my last days in Hawaii to be quiet. A trip with my mom, Clement, and Ryan was the opposite of quiet. It was pure stress for me. But Ryan did not seem to care either way.
“It will not be so terrible,” he said. “It’s only two days in the woods. What’s the big deal?” He joked, “Plus, this gives me a reason to keep you warm if it gets cold in the RV.”
Even though I wanted to argue against the trip, the vote was already decided. Early Saturday morning, the four of us loaded our bags into the huge RV. Before I knew it, we were driving toward the national park, with Clement playing loud rock music. He was driving, and Louisa sat beside him. I was at the small table, and Ryan sat across from me.
Forty-eight hours with Ryan, my mom, and Clement inside a rolling metal box. What could possibly go wrong?
I will tell you exactly what could go wrong: Ryan Jake Williams.
This boy was clearly trying to start something. He could have just sat nicely and behaved. But he had to make a move. He slid closer and reached out to take my hand. I gasped and shoved his hand away immediately. Our parents were looking forward, but if my mom had turned around at that second, she would have seen everything.
Ryan was laughing quietly to himself. He loved teasing me right under our parents’ noses. I just moved away, making sure there was plenty of space between us. Ryan took that as a challenge and slid closer again. No matter how many times I pushed him or glared, he kept trying to get near me.
“Ryan!” I hissed.
“What?” He laughed.
“Are you two all right back there?” Louisa called out, without turning her head.
“We are fine!” I said, too quickly.
“Yeah, we are just messing around,” Ryan said, a smug smile on his face.
Oh, this trip is going to be much more difficult than I imagined.
After about five hours, we finally reached the campsite. It was a beautiful state park up in the mountains. We had a great spot with a view over the whole valley. If I were not so nervous about being around Ryan and my mom, I would have loved it. But because I had to be alert every second, enjoying myself was impossible.
“Honey, can you help me with this?” Louisa called me over to help with dinner. Ryan and his dad were outside setting up a table and chairs.
“Sure,” I said. I decided to stay close to Louisa for the rest of the evening. It was the safest plan. When I was with her, Ryan could not get to me.
But he still tried. He made excuses about the RV being so small that he kept bumping into me by accident. It was annoying and sweet at the same time, but mostly annoying. I could not decide if I wanted to grab him and kiss him or grab him and knock some sense into his head.