Sealed with a Kiss ✔

Chapter Twenty Eight | Sealed with a Kiss

"Now you have a good time," Mum says, throwing her arms around me for one last, tight hug.

"I will," I mumble into her shirt while patting her shoulder awkwardly. "I'll give you a call when we get there."

Mum waves a hand as she takes a step back through the front door into the house. "Don't worry about that, a text or something will be fine. Just have fun, alright?"

I grin at her, nodding, even though inside I feel a faint stir of something like dread. I know why she wants me to enjoy myself so much. She doesn't want me to worry about her, or dad, or Granddad, she's already told me countless times I do just that way too much, that I worry too much. She's convinced that this trip to Imogen's aunt's holiday cottage will be the perfect vacation away from anxiety; like it's something I can pack up and leave behind.

I kinda want to believe her.

"Alright then, see you later," I say, grappling the handle of my suitcase before dragging it off the doorstep.

"See you later, hun." Mum smiles as she watches me wheel my suitcase over to Imogen who's leaning against her small, bright red car with one hand shielding her eyes from the bright white sunlight and the other holding a phone which she chats idly into, completely unaware of the fact I'm trying to shove a heavy arse suitcase into the boot of the car with no help.

Eventually, sweaty and out of breath, I manage it and I nudge her to tell her we're ready to go. She nods, says ciao to the person on the phone (who from the smoochy farewell I'm assuming is Max) before we both wave bye to Mum and get in the car. Imogen turns on the ignition and we pull out the driveway and head off on this barmy summer adventure which god knows has in store.

I think of how much louder and a squash it would've been in the car if the guys had taken the same car as us. Given the soaring summer temperatures and some of the tempers that we have, ehem, Imogen (and er, myself), we decided it would be best to take two separate cars and meet each other there. Me and Levi, Oliver, Luke, Imogen and Max. The gang.

Now a different sort of flutter rises in my chest as I watch the oncoming road ahead of us with a distant sort of smile.

Halfway through the drive Imogen brings up going camping again tonight. She's been hell-bent on going ever since she first organised the trip, apparently because she'd missed out when she was younger or something.

"It's going to be so fun!"

"Where would we be camping again?" I ask. Each time the subject comes up I struggle to keep the lack of enthusiasm out of my voice.

"I dunno, in some nearby field."

"In a field... nearby to a cottage... which has bedrooms?"

Imogen snorts and looks briefly away from the road to beam at me. "Yes! But that's the thing, only for one night, and then after, you can sleep in a bed to your heart's content."

I don't know if she thinks that's the reason I'm reluctant. That I'm not too fond of mud and I'm going to miss my pillow or something. I frown.

But then Imogen stops at a petrol station a few minutes later and turns to face me seriously. "I know you get nervous mate, I understand, but how about you try it? And if it's shit and you hate it you can tell me to fuck off and we can head back to the cottage. That sound fair?"

"I don't think I'll make it back to the cottage if I ever tell you to fuck off," I laugh. "But alright, that does sound fair."

Imogen grins and I return it with a smile. When she gets out of the car to refill her car I swallow, and my smile fades.