Let tomorrow come

Chapter 13.

John and Kylie stayed for about a week. All this time they did nothing but stick to each other. They constantly imitated Nolan and Nancy, who quickly got tired of it, and their grandmothers had to immediately take them home. At the same time, both couples did not hesitate to kiss passionately for everyone to see. John would sometimes slap Kylie's butt, and she would squeal loudly. And it seemed to me that he was seriously hooking up with her. Of course, they did strange things with each other, but my brother was basically strange and cheeky, so I wasn't surprised. I felt uncomfortable when I saw them together. So I went to the greenhouse and spent the whole day there. Sometimes my dad came to me and watched me draw, we chatted about something not too important. Sometimes we discussed images for the exhibition. I passed my exam successfully, and finally received the right to an exhibition in our city. After a tiring day, I went to my room and often saw how he pressed her against the wall in the corridor, and she put her hand on his jeans where it would clearly not be normal in front of strangers. This happened almost every time I passed by. It even seemed like this was being done to spite me. But he couldn't guess about me, I controlled myself and didn't give him a reason. Dad pretended not to notice anything. Perhaps they agreed that way. Grandmother was extremely dissatisfied and even paid almost no attention to me. Although, to be honest, now I didn't really care about her comments. We started communicating with Peter again. Honestly we haven't met yet. He found work in Glasgow and went there immediately. In anticipation of my exhibition, I opened an account on Facebook, and I also communicated with Peter there. While we did not see each other, our communication acquired the same warm shades as before. And he was my saving island of something unshakable against the background of stormy emotions inside my head.

But finally John left, although he had planned to return for a few days before his last school year. And it became easier for me to breathe. I went to city parks or just the forest behind the house, to a stream nearby, or just sat by the pond next to the house and read books. There was just over a month left until my birthday. In the mornings I took lessons from the governess and visiting teachers whom my father hired for me. And we worked so hard with them that I had every chance to finish the school program as an external student and go to the College of Fine Arts. So that I could then have a chance to enter the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

Dad and Aela were inseparable; they were always doing something together. Sometimes the three of us would set a table in the courtyard and drink tea. Sometimes Marie and Claude or Marco would join us with their wonderful treats. My dad and brother's nanny, Sophie, went to live with her relatives, where she died a year ago. Now only my governess, Mrs. Alice remained with my grandmother, with whom she often spent time together. She was not old, but as long as I could remember, she always preferred the company of my grandmother to us, who began to hold her official ceremonies less often. Her health was becoming less strong. Looks like age has taken its toll.

One day, a few days before my sixteenth birthday, I was sitting under one of the oak trees in our alley, and an idea came to me. I was wearing only a pair of ratty lounge jeans, a T-shirt, and a gray-green checkered shirt. But I didn't put on a bra. It was unusually warm outside, in the evening the air temperature was still +22°C, and I ran to the pond next to the house. I put the book on the bench and jumped into the pond with a running start. The water turned out to be quite warm. It was shallow. I shook out my wet hair and ran my hands over my head to smooth it. Then I dived and decided to swim a little there and back. As I was about to get out of the water, I decided that I would swim a little further. Although the pond was not used for swimming, it was cleaned annually. Just in case. I sat on the shore for a while and looked into the water, which was cloudy after my swim. And then I lay down right on the grass. I didn't think about the time, sunset had not yet come, I just closed my eyes.

"It seems you forgot the book!" A male voice sounded above me.

"What a familiar voice," I thought.

I reluctantly opened my eyes, but immediately jumped up.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" — I asked.

"It turns out that you can swear. How interesting..."

"Don't answer a question with a question! And give me back my book," I tried to jump, but my height did not allow me to reach it. I tried again, but all my efforts were in vain. The grass near the pond was still a little slippery, and at one moment I realized that I was falling into the water and grabbed onto John. He suddenly lost his balance and let go of the book. The book flew to the side, but no one could stop our fall. There was a noise and splashes flew in all directions. Suddenly I remembered that I was without a bra, and the water made my clothes stick to my body. And now this body is hugging another body, which is very warm and does not seem to resist.

This is terrible," I thought, "so what should I do now?"

I pushed John away as soon as our heads were above the surface and we could stand in the water.

"It's all because of you," I muttered to him.

"Whatever, evil little miss," he replied in his characteristic sarcastic manner.

"Go away," I said much more quietly.

"What if I don't leave?" He asked and looked me straight in the eyes. I couldn't take my eyes off.

"You shouldn't behave like that," I reminded myself, "otherwise he might figure it out and he'll bully you for the rest of his life, Christina."

It worked.

"I will call for help."

"Do you think so?" He came closer with his usual nasty grin. I opened my mouth to carry out the words, but he immediately covered it with his hand.

"Okay, the joke was inappropriate, I'm leaving."

He climbed out of the water and threw over his shoulder:

"Don't forget the book."

And he left. His shirt and jeans were now also stuck to his body, and I couldn't take my eyes off. I dove again to push my thoughts away. I liked this young man with all his habits, but he could not be mine.