The silence on the balcony was incredibly comfortable, with Diane still in my arms, now completely resting on my chest we watched the sky reflected on the water's surface as well as what looked like a wall of trees directly across the lake.
Suddenly the sliding balcony door behind us opened, surprising both Diane and me, she tensing up completely still in my arms.
Contorting my neck a little I turned my head finding Teddy smiling widely when she saw us. "PJ, mom says we're going to visit the town" she murmured, covering her mouth, seemingly regretting interrupting the moment.
"All right, thank you Teddy Bear" I said, smiling calmly at my sister.
Teddy nodded, saying nothing else, went back inside the house, passing by Meredith, with whom I locked eyes for a split second before she quickly followed Teddy.
Sighing I turned my gaze forward just as Diane pushed on my chest to straighten up in the free space of the couch.
Looking at the closed door, searching inside the house. "Did I look weird?" asked Diane, slightly embarrassed.
Snorting in amusement, without the heart to tell her she looked extremely cute curled up like that. "No, not at all" I replied, tucking a couple of loose strands of hair behind her ears.
Sighing in relief. "All right, good" Diane murmured, nodding.
Chuckling softly, I stood up slowly stretching my leg that, even though Diane didn't weigh that much, not having moved for several minutes with her on me had undoubtedly cut off my circulation, numbing my limb.
A second later, once I recovered the feeling in my leg, I approached the balcony railing. "Gabe!" I yelled, getting my brother's attention as he was throwing rocks into the lake.
We once again took both cars to go to town, visited the small place, occasionally stopping at different shops, buying souvenirs and various things.
With ice creams, Diane and I followed the group at our own pace, enjoying the idea of not having to do anything, at least I was. "I like the one at home better" Diane commented after a few seconds of deliberation.
"Really?" I asked, intrigued.
"Yes" Diane replied confidently, "I think it's the chocolate chip ratio, the mint tastes almost exactly the same" she added seriously.
Smiling softly. "The chocolate chip ratio" I murmured, impressed.
It was an extremely technical way of saying there were too few chocolate chips in her mint chocolate chip ice cream.
"Yes, at home the distribution is such that in every bite you get approximately three to four chocolate chips, in this ice cream it's hard to get two per bite" she explained raising her cone, as if wanting to show me.
Indeed, studying her scoop of ice cream, her green ice cream had very few chocolate specks.
"Well, next time we go get ice cream in Medford, remember to tell Maurice how much you appreciate his mint chocolate chip ice cream" I said jokingly.
Still focused on her ice cream, clearly not getting the joke. "I'll do it" Diane replied, nodding confidently.
I smiled, amused, since I could imagine the proud face of the older man who sold ice cream in Medford, Maurice, hearing the full reasoning behind why his ice cream was superior.
Frowning slightly. "How's your ice cream?" Diane asked, interested.
Tilting my head slightly. "Is actually really good" I replied immediately, "you want some?" I asked offering my ice cream.
"Yes" Diane replied seriously, taking the ice cream from my hand.
In a calculated process Diane tasted the ice cream savoring it carefully, comparing the home ice cream with that one.
After a few seconds, passing her tongue slowly over her lips, Diane nodded. "They use a chocolate with a higher cocoa percentage, but balance it well with the amount of added sugar to partially avoid the bitter taste" she commented confidently. "Like you said, is actually really good" she added, shrugging her shoulders.
Impressed and amused at the same time, I watched Diane smiling as she nodded slowly.
Smiling with some pride, Diane noticed she still had my ice cream in her hand. "Oh sorry" she said quickly returning my ice cream, "by the way, I didn't offer you mine, take some, so you understand what I mean" she added stretching her hand toward my face.
Unable to deny her request, I took a small bite of her ice cream… it was mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Opening her eyes with a, surprising for her, intense emotion. "You see?" she asked, pulling her hand back again.
No. "Oh yeah" I replied nodding seriously.
Smiling triumphantly, Diane took another bite of her ice cream, pouting with a frown a moment later.
Forcing myself to pull my attention away from Diane's cute gestures of discontent, we moved a bit further, when suddenly Teddy, who was a few steps ahead of us, stopped abruptly.
Puzzled, I looked where my sister was staring intently and found, across the street, a group of teenagers walking in the opposite direction.
Teddy as quickly as she stopped, rigidly turned her attention forward, moving again a second later, like me, Meredith had also noticed my sister's strange behavior, causing the teenager to study Teddy and then the same group of guys across the street.
Ignoring my sister and Meredith, who began whispering to each other with their heads close, I studied more thoroughly the group of six teenagers, possibly the same age as Teddy and Meredith, across the street.
From their expensive clothing, added to extravagant accessories and generally the way they walked, it was obvious most of those guys were on vacation, possibly, like Bob's client, in their own lake houses.
Filtering each of the guys' faces in a few seconds, I found in one of them, a blond and slightly athletic guy, a resemblance.
Turning my gaze forward again, though not my attention, I began remembering where I had seen him, because I knew I had.
The whole process lasted only a few seconds, when I finally remembered, the teenager and some from the same group, were the same ones who had been at one of our visits to the Medford Arcade.
Bryan, Dylan, Adrian, Ryan... yeah Ryan McSomething.
Having a name, partial, for the face, I turned my gaze back to the group of teenagers now a few steps behind us, still across the street.
I remembered I hadn't liked much the way he behaved with his 'friends', there was a certain degree of aggressiveness and contempt for those around him in his smile.
This time… I saw it again, laughing falsely at something one of his 'friends' said, shoving one of them with hidden disdain for stepping into his path, walking like he owned the street with an exaggerated sense of superiority… possibly it was all in my imagination and my need to protect my sister was doing the talking.
Maybe sensing someone was watching him, since I might've been staring for a few long seconds, Ryan McSomething, turned and locked eyes with me almost immediately.
For some reason, with no intention of breaking eye contact first, we stared at each other for a couple of seconds, before he, with an arrogant smile, turned his attention back to his path.
Yeah, it wasn't my imagination.
Turning my attention forward, I saw Teddy and Meredith still whispering to each other, giggling excitedly from time to time.
Ryan McSomething was definitely bad news.
Walking through the streets of the town center, we went through most of it until Charlie in a stroller pushed by mom, started crying, obviously tired from the trip.
Without more, we returned to where we had left the cars, right in front of a small supermarket, where quickly, we split up with previously made lists of everything we needed for the two weeks of vacation.
With Bob's truck trunk full again, we headed back to the cabin in the two cars, arriving just in time to see the sunset reflected on the lake.
With the grill lit and fish cooking, fish bought with all of Bob's sorrow for not having been able to fish that day, we prepared a table on the balcony to have dinner the first night of our vacation.
The balcony only lit by a dim light bulb and a bug zapper, for a good part of the night was filled with joyful laughter and interesting Bob stories, which fortunately did not involve insects, a couple of horror ones, about 'a forest like that', at least until mom stopped them.
With the fatigue from the trip becoming more present, the balcony slowly began to empty, first obviously had been Charlie along with mom who took her to her room, then Gabe who said goodbye yawning, then Meredith and Teddy who I doubted would sleep anytime soon. Leaving only Bob, Diane and me.
Taking the last sip of his beer, exhaling deeply, Bob nodded, turning his attention back from the lake. "Oh" he said when he saw the table, "sorry PJ, we have to clean up all the leftovers or we'll have a wildlife problem, especially raccoons, little thieves" he said, adding the last part in a spiteful murmur, beginning to clean up.
"Don't worry dad" I assured him, standing up to help.
"I'll help too" offered Diane, lifting with great effort the remaining dinner, a tray with a couple of whole fish still on it.
Snorting softly. "I'll take that" I said, taking the tray from Diane effortlessly with one hand, using my free hand to push the dirty disposable plates farther away from her.
Making a small pout, upset that she couldn't carry the tray, Diane grabbed the plates, stacking them.
Without much trouble, the three of us picked up and completely cleaned the balcony, leaving no trace of food for any animal.
Checking the balcony one last time. "I'll go check on your mom and sister" said Bob, nodding with satisfaction, "don't stay out too late" he added, warning with one raised eyebrow.
"Don't worry" I replied calmly, making Bob, while walking back into the house with narrowed eyes, look at me intently.
Even though it wasn't really that cold, at least not for a normal person, Diane, rubbing her arms even while wearing one of her sweaters, seemed quite cold. "Was he worried that you and I were going to have sex out here?" Diane asked me incredulously.
Snorting amused. "Basically" I replied, nodding.
Getting closer to me, almost pressing her forehead against my chest. "I don't think I could be more naked than a swimsuit in the open air" Diane admitted apologetically, "just imagining it makes me feel very exposed" she added in a murmur muffled by my chest.
"I think the same" I said, gently hugging her shoulders.
I didn't want Diane to feel bad for not being able to fulfill a 'fantasy' that, from the beginning, I didn't have.
Slowly we moved again to the couch right in front of the glass door, fortunately the door was covered by a curtain, fortunately because despite what I had said before, Diane found the perfect seat on my lap where she stayed for the time we spent outside sharing so many kisses until sleep overtook her.
After saying goodnight, each of us went to our rooms, ready to spend the night.
The bed in my room, which like the other rooms was a double, was extremely soft and comfortable, making me fall asleep almost immediately.
A very big problem of always having such a well-trained internal clock was that even on vacation I woke up early. The next day, unfortunately my eyes opened suddenly well before dawn.
Knowing I wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, sighing, I got up ready to prepare enough to go out for a run and explore the area.
Stretching my body slightly, which was a bit numb from the night's sleep, I turned on the bedside lamp, jumping in place immediately upon seeing Gabe still asleep in the second bed of my double room.
Pressing my chest, feeling my heart racing, I forced my breathing to calm down, somehow Gabe had entered the room and I hadn't noticed.
Much more relaxed, seeing Gabe's uncomfortable position, I approached my brother, slowly adjusting him and covering him with his blankets.
A few minutes later, I finished stretching outside the cabin in the cold morning breeze and started my run through the wooded trail of Livingston.
With the sunrise, the already beautiful views of the lake and its surroundings became even more spectacular, added to the fresh scent of nature, my run was quite enjoyable.
Several minutes later, completely sweaty, I returned to the cabin.
Upon opening the door, the smell of bacon immediately hit my face, apparently I wasn't the only one who had woken up 'early', in the kitchen and the outer counter separating the kitchen and dining room, everyone was awake, either helping to cook breakfast or waiting seated.
Being the first to see me. "Good run?" Bob asked, smiling proudly, drawing everyone's attention to me.
Nodding. "Oh yeah" I replied, "the sunrise looks amazing on the lake" I added, smiling, approaching to take a glass of water that mom, seeing me, surely all sweaty, immediately served me, "thanks" I said, giving a light pat, with my free hand, on the back of Gabe's neck who was sitting near me.
"You didn't find any animals?" mom asked me with interest.
I could only shake my head with my mouth busy drinking water.
Focused on flipping the bacon in his pan. "It wouldn't be strange to see raccoons, opossums maybe squirrels, even flying squirrels" Bob said casually, "with luck maybe you'll see a white-tailed deer or a coyote" he added, shrugging.
Leaving the glass on the counter, I sighed satisfied from the cold water. "Maybe tomorrow" I commented, smiling in greeting to Diane who was helping to set the plates on the counter.
Smiling back for a second, I noticed how she immediately frowned a little, clearly thinking about something.
"Everything okay?" I asked in a low voice once she was next to me.
Pausing to think about the answer she'd give me, Diane slightly moved her head indecisively. "You're very sweaty" she finally said a moment later, naturally as if stating a fact in an obvious attempt to change the subject.
"Yeah, I am" I said, confused and slightly surprised in a good way.
Diane was extremely bad at lying, so much so that you didn't need House or me to notice even the smallest lie, so changing the conversation, or in her case trying to, to avoid answering a question she clearly didn't want to lie about, was a great strategy.
Seeing how Diane slowly moved her head, with a somewhat surprised expression on her face, possibly because of how easily she had avoided my question, I snorted. "Come" I said without giving any further explanation, taking her hand and leading her away from the kitchen, "what happened?" I asked once we were far enough from the interested ears of my mother.
Pressing her lips softly, Diane seemed hesitant to answer, at least for a few seconds before nodding.
Sighing. "You know very well I don't have great intrasocial skills" she said.
"I know" I replied, I wasn't going to lie, "but you're improving fast" I added with confidence.
Smiling softly. "Thanks, I think so too" Diane commented.
"So what happened?" I asked, easily deducing where this was going.
It wasn't hard at all, last night, after we said goodnight late into the night, Diane couldn't have had more 'intrasocial' interactions with anyone other than Teddy and Meredith, and knowing my sister, I knew very well that Diane was someone she really appreciated, either as my girlfriend or just as a friend.
Diane pressing her lips a bit before speaking, seriously leaned in. "I think you were right about my approach to Meredith."
Yup.
"Why?" I asked, concerned, "did she say something?"
Even though I had my suspicions, to be honest, pretty well-founded about the reasons Meredith might behave poorly toward her, I would not at all allow anyone to treat Diane badly.
If something really had happened, I'd have to seriously talk with the teenager.
Cutting off my thoughts just a second after my last question. "Oh no" Diane replied immediately, unconcerned, "quite the opposite actually."
I didn't understand.
"I think she ignored me" Diane replied to my unspoken question.
Oh.
"She ignored you" I commented, nodding.
"Yes, when I entered the room she and Teddy were chatting happily on one of the beds, Teddy invited me into the conversation but Meredith stayed quiet" Diane explained.
I nodded, able to imagine the situation, Meredith ignoring Diane was definitely not a good thing, but among the bad things I had imagined, it was definitely not the worst.
"I think even Teddy noticed, she tried to force a couple of times a conversation that included everyone, but Meredith only replied a couple of things" Diane continued, "I think I should apologize" she added, looking at me silently, waiting for my advice.
What Diane had done, talking about Dr. Grey and her relationship with Meredith, which she shouldn't have known about, was more my fault than hers.
After all, I had no right to tell whoever I wanted about Meredith's life.
Even so, I knew, or at least strongly suspected, that this wasn't the reason behind Meredith's behavior.
Sighing. "Don't apologize, I don't think it's because of that" I said, guiding Diane much farther away, in case mom or someone else had gotten closer to listen.
"No?" Diane asked me, interested.
"No," I replied, shaking my head, "what I'm about to tell you is purely speculative, I have no absolute certainty about it," I warned, "and let me be very clear, I'm only telling you this because now it involves you, and I absolutely don't want her to know that I think this," I added seriously.
Diane nodded, with the same seriousness, completely ready to listen.
"Meredith. I think she's... upset with you. Or uncomfortable. But not because of you. Not because of something you did," I said in a low voice. Diane looked at me with interest.
Slightly embarrassed, I continued speaking, in an even lower voice, sharing my suspicions. When I finished, after giving my reasoning, Diane remained silent, looking at the floor completely focused, surely processing it all in her mind.
There were several seconds of silence, which honestly worried me a bit. I didn't know how Diane would react to that information and, even worse, I had no idea how she would proceed.
I wasn't at all worried that Diane would have a jealous outburst or anything like that, confronting Meredith simply because she had a one-sided crush on me.
Sighing, Diane got my attention. The sigh wasn't tired or annoyed; strangely, it was one of relief.
"So it's not my fault," she finally murmured, genuine relief in her voice.
Her words completely took me by surprise.
Smiling triumphantly. "That explains everything," she continued, almost to herself. "She's sad because you and I are in a romantic relationship."
I nodded silently, still impressed by how she had taken it.
Diane looked back down at the floor, thoughtful. A second later, she looked at me again, smiling softly.
"I think..." she said, carefully choosing her words, "I think I understand her."
I looked at her without interrupting, interested in her point of view.
"Knowing you as well as I know you now, not counting the intercourse," she added the last part obviously, "if you were in a relationship with someone else, I'd feel pretty sad, it would be impossible for me to look at your partner with anything but envy."
"Yeah, I wouldn't be happy seeing you with someone else either," I said, not even wanting to imagine it.
Snorting softly, Diane, as if the idea of her having another partner was complete nonsense, shook her head.
Thinking about it, it was incredibly unempathetic for Meredith to have to spend so much time around Diane, after having her feelings rejected, at least contextually.
With Gabe walking into my room at some point last night, I was sure maybe I could manage to get Diane to switch to the room my brother had been using.
Interrupting my train of thought. "Now that I know this, I think I can manage to connect with Meredith. I'll talk to her," she said, completely cutting off my ability to respond. "Thank you," she added, standing on tiptoe to kiss me, "you're really sweaty, you should take a shower," she added, walking out of the room a moment later.
Oh no...
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Author Thoughts:
As always, I'm not American, not a doctor, not a fighter, not Magnus Carlsen, not Michael Phelps, not Arsene Lupin, not McLovin, not Elliot, not Capone and not Ranger Smith.
Another chapter has passed, so new thanks are in order. I would like to especially thank:
11332223
RandomPasserby96
Victor_Venegas
I think that's all. As always, if you find any errors, please let me know, and I'll correct them immediately.
Thank you for reading! :D
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