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We spend every waking moment with each other. When we are forced apart by the setting sun, we spent the hours away from each other talking or texting on the phone.
At the beginning of spring, Jared starts to give me horse-riding lessons and, even if I say so myself, I get better and better at it as each day passes. In the beginning we had some scary moments, especially the day when the horse stopped mercifully just as I started sliding off after losing control over it. Jared almost had a nervous breakdown and I had to beg him to go horse riding the next day. We have even galloped with the horses from my house to his house, through the unkempt fields, and it felt joyous feeling the wind on my face. I could only laugh at his daily apprehension, and seeing the relief on his face, as I got better at the end of each riding lesson. Horse riding came naturally to me. Well, once I got the hang of it. I now have my own horse and together with Esther’s pony, they sleep in the fully equipped stables Sean had painstakingly renovated.
My manor is also starting to feel more and more like home with each passing day. I am amazed at my mum and Sean’s tenacity and ingenuity at the way they fixed the old house.
I still have butterflies in my stomach each time I see Jared. He still excites me in exactly the same way as when we first kissed. I love him now more than ever, but still he buckles me in each time we get into the car and it bothers me that he still feels he might lose me, because I feel as if we will be together always.
It is the first day of summer break, and Jared and I are on our way to the beach. Connell has organised a beach party. The whole school, and then some, are invited.
When we reach the beach, Jared opens the door for me and as I get out, he asks, “Did I tell you, you look pretty today?”
I laugh. “Yes, you did. Did I tell you; you look very handsome today?”
He puts his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer into him. “Always so witty, aren’t you?”
“Always.” I laugh happily as we walk toward the hidden pathway.
This is the first time we are back at this beach since the day I met him, and it feels like just the other day. I cannot believe it has been a whole year, give or take a few months.
When we walk through the pathway and onto the beach, I am once again awestruck by the beauty surrounding me.
Jared stops and turns toward me. Bending his head down to mine, he smiles mischievously. “I am never going to leave you.”
I smile back at him. “You’re such a charmer.”
“Never leave me,” he says seriously.
“Never. I love you more than I could ever find the right words to explain, even if my parents keep insisting we are too young to be this serious.”
He smiles sadly while turning back to the beach and together we walk hand in hand toward the bonfire, already blazing brightly.
There are more than fifty people gathered together. Some have brought alcohol with them and they are starting to get very unruly and wild.
Jared sits down on the beach, away from the crowd, and pulls me down to sit in front of him. I sit between his legs and lean back against his chest. He folds his arms around me and together we look out over the ocean.
“Reminds me of Cape Town,” he says softly.
“Just better,” I answer.
He snuggles his face into my hair, taking a deep breath.
“I am glad you decided to take a gap year and to stay here with me,” I say after a while. “I think I would have missed you terribly. It’s already going to be rather lonely at school without you, especially now that Jane and Aaron have started dating. I'll have nobody to speak to at breaks and there will be nobody sneaking me off to gym, trying to take advantage of me.”
He laughs a deep, happy laugh. “But I'll still see you after school and every evening, and every weekend.”
“I can’t wait for next year when we go off to Dublin and it will really be every evening,” I say wistfully.
He hugs me tighter to him. “As long as it stays with only sleeping together. I wouldn’t want Sean to come after me with a baseball bat or to send you off to a faraway land.”
“Once again, you are a very old soul. You are so prim and proper. Honestly, everybody is doing the so-called sinful deed except us.”
“I do not want to tempt fate. In this lifetime we will do everything right, no matter how much you tempt me.”
I sigh and lean closer into him. He starts kissing the side of my neck and I have goose bumps all over my arms and back. “Talk about tempting.” I giggle.
Just then, Aaron and Jane come to sit with us. They have been together for two months. Since that day Aaron and I argued in the corridors at school, we have never really been friends again, even after he went on holiday with us. I do not think we will ever go back to the carefree, happy times of just being friends. I am pleased for Jane though, she got what she wanted—Aaron.
It is getting late; the sun is starting to set and there are kids scattered everywhere. Some are passed out on the ground, while some are still running around chasing each other or sitting in groups talking.
Jared whispers in my ear, “Come. Let’s go, my sweet Elizabeth.”
I sigh happily and get up. Taking his hand in both of mine, I attempt to pull him up. Laughingly he helps and I almost fall over backward, but he reaches out and catches me just in time.
We say, "Bye," to Aaron and Jane and then hand in hand we walk up the beach.
