Growing Pains

“NICK! Put me down NOW.” I said laughing; I was gripping his shirt so tight. 

Suddenly a cave of water swallowed me. He threw me in the pool, bastard. Then he jumped in straight after me.

“Nick!” I screamed as I surfaced above the water.

“What babe?” He said wrapping his arms around me, his head bobbing just above the surface with a wicked smile on his face. 

I couldn’t help but laugh, that’s what Nick did to me; he took my overly sensitive, high-strung personality and helped me to relax.

“You are such a -” I couldn’t finish; he pulled me close to him and kissed me.

“Such a…what Anna banana?” He laughed.

“Hmm, I can’t remember.” I said as I pulled him close to me again, I was addicted to the taste of his lips; I would never get sick of it.

Nick and I had taken advantage of the nice weather, and went for a swim at the local pool. We lived in a tiny country town, it was surrounded by farms and to say it could get boring was a huge understatement. Nick was my saviour, along with our friend Will, Will’s grandad was a big deal in our town, he was responsible for creating a major milk brand in Australia, there was also Marie she was from a family of all boys and virtually lived with me. We had other friends too, but that was our group, the core four.

“Please say we’re having a sleepover tonight?” Nick asked as he was nuzzling my neck. 

“Only if we can come.” Will interrupted, Marie in toe. 

They weren’t a couple; they were best friends but treated each other more like brother and sister. Nick and I started out as friends, but there was always something more there, well for me anyway. 

“Ooo yeah, let’s do that. We should roast marshmallows and have a Geordie Shore marathon.” I chimed in excitedly. Nick gave me a look I couldn’t decipher. 

“Alrighty, whose house we going to?” Will asked.

“Can’t do mine. David’s staying over tonight...” Marie replied, David was her mum’s new boyfriend. Marie’s mum met him one night when she went into Melbourne for some retail therapy. David comes up almost every weekend, Marie practically lived with me as a consequence, not that I minded.

“My parents are up in Melbourne this weekend, so you guys can come to mine.” Nick said, he clearly wasn’t happy with me.

“Ok, well Will and I will go get snacks and you guys get the mattresses and stuff.” Marie said, she was such an organiser.

“No worries, I’ll see you guys soon.” Nick said and started to get out of the pool.

“Nick, what’s wrong?” I asked carefully following him out of the pool.

“Nothing, I just thought it would be me and you tonight that’s all.” He said slightly irritated.

“I’m sorry...I didn’t realise.” I said, of course I realised, but I was way too scared of being alone with him. I was scared of what surely would have happened if we were alone.

“Uh-huh...So it didn’t cross your mind that your boyfriend’s parents are going away...and he might wanna spend the night just you and him.” He said wrapping the towel around his waist, his beautiful muscles and his tan 6 pack on show for everyone to see, his body slightly wet, I couldn’t help but stare.

“I don’t know what to say...” I said looking down.

“It’s fine Anna. Let’s go.” He said not looking at me.

We climbed into his beat up old Ute, the awkwardness filling the car.

“Nick, I’m sorry.”

“Just forget it Anna. I just...it’s like you never wanna be alone with me anymore.” He sighed.

“It’s not like that Nick. It’s just every time where alone, there’s like this weird pressure. I know you feel it too, and I know we’ve been dating three months...” I couldn’t finish my thought, I was too nervous.

He sighed, “I don’t want to make you feel like there’s pressure, just because we’re alone it doesn’t mean we have to have sex... I just wanted to spend time with you Anna banana...” he pulled me towards him, and kissed me on the forehead.

He knew the roads like the back of his hand, so I just shut my eyes and let him drive me home; I had never felt so safe in my entire life.