A Spotlight Summer (Jack Gilinsky)

Chapter Eight

Jack POV

I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I mean, Johnson and I are leaving Omaha at the end of the summer. All we had to do was make it through this summer and we would be free, with no rules, and nothing holding us back. I have waited to be on the road with Johnson since we started our channel. And now it was happening. But Kelsey was also happening. And there was no way I would let anything stop Kelsey from happening.

I knew that last night my feelings for her had been just a hunch that I would probably love to get to know her. After the elevator, that hunch developed into a feeling that I needed to get to know her. But now, my feelings were no longer just a hunch. They were as solid as concrete. I loved the way she talked and how caring she was about the fish and I loved how she actually knew how to play pool. God, I loved how when she laughed her body hunched itself over a little in an attempt for her to catch her breath. Everything she did enchanted me and hooked me. With Kelsey, I was a fucking fish.

The best part was that she didn’t freak out when I told her about Vine. She just accepted it and moved on. I loved that too. I also love how she thought there would be any competition when it came to her. Has she seen herself?

“You know this fishing thing, I’m kind of getting the hang of it.” Kelsey proclaimed. I laughed. “What?” she asked, even though she knew exactly what I was thinking.

“If you say so.” I replied.

“Excuse me Jack but for someone who didn’t even know what a fishing rod looked like an hour ago I would say I’m doing pretty well.”

The Omaha sun was out in full force and beating heavily down on us. Kelsey’s hair which had started off down was now in a ponytail and for the second time today I am grateful I chose a tank top. Even so, we were both clearly dying as a result of the heat. I took my line out of the lake and put my fishing rod on the ground next to me. Kelsey, looking at me with a beautiful confused expression, asked, “What are you doing?” I gave her a wicked grin as I started to take my shoes and socks off. Kelsey, still not understanding, reeled her line in and put her rod next to mine.

“Tell me this heat isn’t killing you.” I said.

“Well… yeah it is but I don’t really think taking your shoes off is going to do anything.” Kelsey giggled.

“Come on, let’s go for a swim.” I said as I took off my tank top in one motion. Kelsey turned red at my lack of clothing and I tried to hide my satisfied smile.

“Jack it is probably freezing!” she complained.

“Well then it will feel damn good.” I replied.

“What no well—I don’t have a bathing suit! I asked if this outfit was ok and you said yes! Why didn’t you tell me to wear a bathing suit?” Kelsey rambled. She is so adorable.

“I didn’t think about it to be honest.” I confessed. I didn’t want Kelsey to feel uncomfortable. My shirt being off really did not help this scenario.

“Ugh, fine. I’ll just go in in my clothes. Thank god I’m not wearing white.”

Her clearance was all I needed to rush forward and jump into the lake. Damn, it was cold. But it felt amazing after being in the sun for so long. I came back up for air and saw Kelsey, now with her flip flops off, contemplating her next move.

“Kels, let’s go. It’s not even that cold, I promise!” I encouraged. She shook her head, not necessarily at me, but just at the situation, as if she couldn’t believe what she was about to do. Which was jump in. My smile was ridiculously huge and I couldn’t help it. Kelsey bobbed back to the surface and kicked her legs underneath her to stay afloat, just like I was. Somehow, I can bet she looked better doing it than I did. Everything she did made her look great, even if it was getting her line stuck on a tree branch. We floated facing each other and I was pleased to see that Kelsey wore the same smile I had on.

“You’re such a liar, this water is FREEZING! You just wanted to see me with a wet tank top.” Kelsey laughed.

Oh she has no idea…

“Oh crap, I have stupid mascara on! Oh god, I probably look like a raccoon.” Kelsey said as she frantically tried to wipe under her eyes which were indeed black. I swam toward her and reached my hand toward her face. She froze, her eyes getting large as I said, “Here, I got it.” I brushed my thumb under each of her eyes and cleaned up the black that had been there a minute ago. Once I finished, I realized how close we were. Kelsey was breathing so hard that when she breathed in, her chest almost touched mine. Fuck, I wanted to kiss her.

Kelsey blinked rapidly and her eyes traveled down to my lips. I desperately needed to kiss her. But I didn’t want to bombard her. We did just meet. Maybe she isn’t into kissing on the first date. Maybe she isn’t into kissing on the second day she’s known someone.

I reluctantly put some space in between us and said, “See Kels, it’s places like this that you can’t get in the city.”

The spell was broken and Kelsey was back to swimming around, enjoying the rest of our date. We floated, we swam, we talked, we laughed, we splashed, and ultimately I knew that there was no way I was going to let Kelsey get away from me.