He quickened their pace, eager to get to the water tower on the edge of their small town. They left work just before the evening rush, his mom and Kaley replacing them. It gave them plenty of time to sneak in to see a movie and check off one more thing from the list.
They turned onto a quiet street with lights interspersed far enough apart to send them into darkness. The tree-lined avenue blocked out any light from the moon and stars. Lila gasped beside him. He handed her the stuffed animal as he put an arm back around her, tucking her into his side. To his surprise, she didn’t fight him. In fact, she leaned into him.
“We’re almost there,” he said, pulling out his phone and turning on the flashlight. The years apart hadn’t changed her fear of the dark or anxiety. If anything, it almost seemed worse. “Focus on the light up ahead.”
She nodded against his shoulder. When they reached the streetlamp at the end of the road, he felt the tension leave her body. A dog barked in the distance, but the sleepy town was otherwise quiet. The sound of cars hummed from the highway outside Summersville.
“Over here.” Gavin pointed to a fenced-in area just off the road. He watched recognition light her eyes as she looked up and up to the tall water tower.
“How are we going to get to the ladder?” she asked, walking closer.
The chain link fence stood taller than either of them. Gavin took the bunny and sat it on the ground. He squatted, clasping his hands together to make a step for her. She didn’t hesitate, which he counted as a small victory. She pulled herself up while he lifted, then she swung a leg over to straddle the fence.
“What about you?”
Gavin smirked. He tossed the stuffed animal to the other side before he took a running start toward the fence and propelled himself up and over. After landing back on his feet, he looked up to find Lila slowly lowering herself. She clung to the metal so tight, her knuckles whitened in the faint light of the moon. Her foot slipped, and he moved forward to grab her.
“I’ve got you,” he said, holding her with a hand on each of her sides. He ignored the feel of her in his hands and the sight of her dress rising as she brushed against him. As soon as her feet hit the gravel, she stepped away, mumbling a thank you.
She stared at the tall ladder before them and visibly paled. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Take off your shoes,” he said, looking down to her feet.
“What?”
“It will be easier to climb barefoot than in those heels.”
“They’re wedges,” she corrected but bent to unstrap them.
“Whatever. Just take them off.”
She did, then she pointed to the bunny lying in the gravel. “What about him?”
“I’m sure he won’t mind waiting down here for us.” He winked before moving to the ladder. “You go first.”
Lila narrowed her eyes. “I’m wearing a dress. You go first.”
He sighed. “Fine, but I can’t catch you if you’re below me.”
She didn’t move. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her toes against the small stones. The impatient glare was a welcome one. Even as children, Lila was stubborn. Gavin loved seeing the pieces of her that hadn’t changed.
The ladder creaked and groaned as they made their way up to the top of the water tower. He pulled himself onto the platform before turning to reach down a hand. Lila took it, and he helped her up. He didn’t let go as they crept around to the other side of the tower.
They sat down with their legs dangling beneath the rail, and Lila gasped. “You can see for miles!”
Summersville spread out to the left, with fields and trees on their right. In the distance, they could see faint lights from the nearest city. They sat high enough that most of Summersville’s lights were blocked out, giving a clear view of the stars and moon above.
“It’s beautiful,” Lila said.
She looked to the sky, but he watched her. “So beautiful.”
Lila’s Summer Bucket List
Sleep under the stars
Attend a party
Get a tattoo
Use fake ID to sing karaoke in a bar
Stand under the lights on the football field
Go on a date
Sneak out of the house
Visit the baby goat farm
Go to Chicago
Midnight swim
Spend a day in bed watching movies
Stay up to watch the sunrise
Be kissed in the rain
Run through the halls of the high school
Conquer a fear
Paintball
Try something new
Dye hair pink
Sneak into movie theater
Climb water tower
7
Thursday
A clattering noise startled Lila awake. She rubbed her eyes before looking around her dark room. She’d had a long day at the Scoop. With all the schools officially out for the summer, kids and teenagers flocked to the beach-side ice cream shop. Even with Mrs. Miller training Kaley, the four of them had trouble keeping up at times. Lila had fallen asleep early—as soon as she made it home after Mrs. Miller said she would close up. Between work and checking off items on the bucket list at night, she was exhausted.
The noise caught her attention again. Something small hit the window, and she reluctantly got out of bed. A beam of light shot into her room from outside. Lila shielded her eyes as she approached.
Shaking her head, she lifted the window open. “What are you doing?”
Gavin stood on the ground below, moving the flashlight his own direction so she could see his face. He tossed what she assumed were pebbles back to the flower bed along the side of the house. He whisper-yelled up to her, “Checking something off your list.”
“By throwing rocks at my window?” She tucked a piece of hair back, suddenly conscious of how disheveled she must look. “It’s almost midnight.”
“Exactly.” He grinned while she waited for further explanation. When she didn’t say anything, he disappeared and came back carrying a ladder. “Does your screen just pop out?”
“My screen?” she asked as he began to climb.
He reached her second-story window and used the flashlight to look closer. Tucking the light under his chin, Gavin used both hands to unlatch the screen and drop it to the ground. Lila held her breath as his hands left the ladder.
“What are you doing?” She stepped back as he climbed into her room.
“Sneaking you out.” He looked at her with a raised brow, as if it was obvious. He turned on her bedside lamp and switched off the flashlight before moving to her dresser.
Lila ran over, trying to keep quiet. “Gavin.”
He stood upright with a t-shirt in hand. “Weston.”
She took the shirt, grabbed a pair of leggings, and told him to turn around. As she changed, she said, “You know, we could’ve just used the front door. My parents are asleep.”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
Lila let out a soft chuckle. “Okay, I’m dressed.”
He turned to lounge against the dresser while she grabbed her flip-flops. “Oh no, you don’t.” He snatched them away and tossed them out the window. When she gasped, he added, “Not until you get down the ladder.”