(2015)
The end of classes arrived like a breath of fresh air after months where every day was the same. Jade and Idris barely noticed the time passing between open notebooks, yellowed highlighters, hushed conversations, and the silent complicity that had always existed between them. Now, with the holidays beginning, the world seemed lighter.
The late afternoon sun streamed through the windows of the café where they always used to go to eat carrot cake with chocolate frosting. Idris watched Jade as she distractedly played with her fork, as if she wanted to postpone something.
"So, is that it?" she asked with a tired half smile.
"I think it's the beginning" he replied and the gleam in his eyes made her heart skip a beat.
It was there that Idris made the invitation.
"Come spend a few days at my parents' country house..." he said still watching her take a sip of her mate tea. "It's peaceful there, there are trails and a beautiful lake that I know you'll like."
Jade hesitated, as usual, always overthinking before accepting what she wanted. But when he smiled, expecting her answer, it was impossible to say no.
───※ ·❆· ※───
When they finally arrived at the Merrick property, Jade could hardly believe her eyes. The car drove along a wide dirt road, its tires making a satisfying sound. The lawn was short, a bright light green, bordered by countless tall pine trees and several sago palms with leaves that reached the ground.
She lowered the car window and took a deep breath. The fresh scent of the warm air mixed with the smell of pine wood filled her nostrils. Idris watched her silently, a slight smile on his lips.
The car made a gentle turn and finally stopped. Mrs. Merrick got out first, accompanied by the two teenagers. She ran her hands through her short, honey colored hair and smiled sweetly.
"Welcome, Jade. Make yourself at home darling" said Stella warmly.
She went to the trunk, and Jade and Idris helped unload the suitcases and bags of groceries. The Merricks were wealthy, but they didn't have domestic staff. Stella loved taking care of the house and family, and Richard, Idris's father, even though he was the provider, made a point of participating in everything whenever he could. That weekend, he was traveling on business in New York, but he had already called three times that morning alone, just to talk to his son and wife before the meeting.
The house, despite being closed for months, remained surprisingly immaculate. It was an imposing structure made of lignum vitae wood, a dense, glossy wood with a yellowish tone that blended with deep, dark brown stripes. A veranda with a porch surrounded the entire structure, adorned with rocking chairs, benches, and potted plants. Even without anyone living there permanently, the place maintained a welcoming and lively atmosphere. Stella opened the enormous pivoting door made of solid wood and glass. The interior of the house exuded a light scent of wax and pine.
"Idris my love, show her room" the woman asked before disappearing down the hallway, murmuring decorating ideas.
"Come on Dedee." Idris called by her childhood nickname, excitedly taking Jade's hand, crossing the main room and pulling her down the hallway. They stopped before a door.
"Go ahead, you can open it." He gestured with his head.
Jade turned the doorknob and smelled a soft aroma of old wood. She took a few steps and put her bag down. She found the room enchanting: a vertical mirror beside the window, a huge double bed positioned facing sliding doors that led to the side balcony. The morning sunlight streamed through the curtains that descended from the ceiling to the floor, illuminating the polished floor.
"You can explore everything later. I want to take you to the lake. Let's go" Idris said hurriedly.
Jade laughed, spun on her heels, and followed him, crossing the hallway. They warned Stella, who simply advised:
"Be back before lunch, children."
Idris barely waited for his mother to finish the sentence and continued walking quickly.
"Hey, I think the lake doesn't go anywhere" Jade joked as they descended the front steps.
"It's just that it takes a while to get there, girl. And we have a time to return" he replied smiling slightly.
Jade tried to keep up with her friend's long strides, sometimes jogging to catch up with him. After about ten minutes of walking, they reached the lake, and for her, it was worth every step.
"Oh my... It's beautiful…" she murmured enchanted.
The water was almost crystalline in a bluish hue, reflecting the warm, golden light of the morning sun, contrasting with the intense green of the grass and pine trees around it. The mountains in the distance completed the perfect landscape.
"I knew you'd like it" Idris said rolling up his trouser legs and taking off his sneakers.
He sat on the narrow wooden bridge and dipped his feet into the water, which, despite being around thirty degrees, was cold. A shiver ran through him and he laughed.
"Is it very cold?" Jade asked laughing along.
"Very."
"Want to bet how long I can go in?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.
"Go in? I highly doubt it" Idris replied without hesitation.
"You underestimate me too much." She took off her sneakers defiantly. Idris watched her thoughtfully, a hint of a smile on his lips.
"But you have to stay in the water for ten minutes. If you manage it, I'll give you twenty dollars."
"Only that? My God Idris, that's ten minutes in this freezing water" she argued still smiling.
"Okay, fifty dollars" he conceded rolling his eyes and laughing.
"If I can't, I'll pay you the same amount," she said finally, adjusting her sneakers in the corner.
"Deal."
Jade sat on the edge of the bridge and dipped her feet in. The cold was almost unbearable.
"Come on, I don't have all day" Idris teased.
Then she stood staring at the water, seeing her own reflection, and Idris thought Jade had given up on the bet. She took a deep breath, mentally counted to three and jumped in. The icy water enveloped her completely, like tiny thin needles pricking her skin. Down below, she could hear Idris's muffled voice yelling that she was crazy.
Jade emerged breathless, her teeth chattering involuntarily.
"If I were that slow, I never would have gotten in… and I would have lost to you! And I don't have fifty dollars Idris, so I need to win no matter what!" she said loudly, laughing through shivers.
"You're a bandit, Jade!" he shouted laughing before dropping his glasses on the bridge and jumping into the water too.
"Idris!" She screamed laughing, the splashes hitting her face.
He emerged, panting between laughter and groans, brushing his soaked blond hair from his eyes and forehead.
"Now neither you nor I get the fifty dollars" he declared triumphantly.
"Oh yeah? Only if we leave now or stay the full ten minutes," Jade retorted nudging him lightly.
"I doubt you can do that" he replied starting the timer on his Apple Watch.
In the end, neither of them gave up and no one got the fifty dollars. They laughed and joked so much that they lost track of time. The cold water didn't even bother them anymore. The following days were filled with unexpected jokes, lighthearted teasing, easy laughter and long conversations by the warm light of the fireplace, in the dim light of the main room. There were glances that lingered longer than necessary, soft, distracted touches that made both their hearts race and when they realized it, they would look away, embarrassed and shy.
It was something innocent, but good to feel even with the fear of revealing everything hidden behind those simple gestures.
One of those nights, again in front of the fireplace, while the wind whistled outside, Idris came too close. The golden flame of the fireplace danced between them, reflecting in Idris's light brown eyes. His warm breath lightly touched Jade's cheek, and she found herself watching Idris's lips for a long time.
For a few seconds, everything around seemed to freeze and lose its sound.
She thought about slowly moving forward and kissing Idris's lips, but hesitated. And he, perhaps out of pride or fear, looked away and made a banal comment about what they would do the next day for fun, slowly moving away from her with a restrained smile. Little did she know that this distancing was a disguised invitation. Idris had been waiting for her for a long time, but Jade was afraid at that moment. Afraid of ruining their friendship, of destroying everything good they had built with a simple kiss.
Idris had been her best friend since childhood, and now he was becoming the first boy she felt a real desire for. She wondered how these two things could exist side by side and if this could drive them apart. At sixteen, she had never kissed anyone, not even a peck. She had never been ashamed of it, much less thought about it. And deep down, she knew that if her first kiss was with Idris, it would be perfect... if he wasn't about to leave in a few months.