Forgive me. I don't know what this has turned into.
Jack and Cass flirted incessantly, to the point where Katie was impressed that either could stoop so low. After six or seven minutes of giggles and indiscreet winks, Katie decided she'd had enough, and turned on her heel under the pretence of wanting a hot dog. The barbeque was being held in her oversized garden, which made it easier for Katie to sneak away, into the house, and sulk on her bed. She was cross with Cass and Jack for wanting to shag Travis. She was cross with Oscar to come over, and bring a friend she hated. She was cross with her dad for agreeing wholeheartedly to house the Americans. She was cross with herself for having such pathetic feelings.
Katie turned on her side in frustration, curling into a tight ball, and squeezing her stomach in an effort to suppress emotion, her eyes glaring at the flaky paste on her wall. She did not care. She didn't like caring. She hurt too much, too easily.
It wasn't like she even knew why she cared, but betrayal stabbed her in the gut, plunging the blunt carving knife in and twisting for all it was worth. Why was she getting so worked up over her friends flirting with some boy who used to bully her? Tears sprung to her eyes, which she blinked away furiously, feeling pathetic. "You're just a desperately needy child," her mind told her maliciously.
"Shut up," she said back.
It wasn't until she was told to come down for dinner by her father that she rose from her bed. In the previous couple of hours, Katie had created a nest of pillows and duvets, and curled up in the cocoon, with some vague hope that someone would check on her. When no one did, she let the tears stream down her cheeks. It wasn't made clear why the teenager was suddenly so free with her emotions, only that the thought of Travis feeling Cass behind the bike sheds was the cause of the urge to rip someone to pieces.
Eventually, after a brief coaxing from her father, Katie got up and had a shower. The high pressure water was soothing as it hit Katie's bare back and ran through her hair, soaking it. In her chest, the knot was released and for the first time in hours, she felt like everything would be OK.
Travis was sat at a slightly worse for wear dining table, not bothering to listen to the small talk between Oscar and Eric, Katie's father. His face was a picture of boredom, the very definition of it, as Katie would observe when she finally joined them to eat. Eric had strict dining table rules, and so the three men had waited for the sole woman with no food. Relief was Travis' initial reaction when Katie sloped into the room and her father got up, muttering and sighing to fetch the boys' first real meal in the UK. But almost instantly, relief was replaced by arousal, which was ludicrous, to say the least. If possible, she looked even scruffier than before. Now, her hair was wet and pointedly not dried, or even brushed, and her face was scrubbed raw. In particular, her eyes were red and puffy, but the reason was unknown to Travis. His knowledge went only to a certain extent; which was that her bare feet, disastrous hair, tattered jeans, frumpy sweater, and look of disdain when their eyes met attracted him far, far more than was normal. He shook his head lightly in disbelief. It was a conundrum. There probably weren't any guide-books in the God-forsaken cottage with advice on what to do when one develops and instant, super-sized crush on an un-hot that hated his guts.
All Travis could decipher from the meal was a) rice pudding was far from his favourite treat, and b) the plans for the first week or so of their stay. The following day was Sunday, and the two boys' orders were to recover from jetlag and explore the village. It wasn't clear how much there was to explore, but neither complained. The horror that dawned on their faces when they were told that their first week would be spent at Katie's school was enough to make Eric boom with laughter. Before Travis could protest, Katie's leg shot out from under the table and kicked him in the shin – hard. While Travis bent down to rub at where he had been kicked, Eric explained the best away to be introduced to British culture was to dive, headfirst, into the midst of the 'young people'. And anyway, it would be just that; a week. What their future held would be determined at the end of that week.
"Now, why don't you kids go into the living room, and catch up? It's been a long time since you saw each other last."
Katie glowered at Travis as she stood up abruptly, and took her plate to the kitchen sink. As soon as she had directed the boys into the living room, and shut the door behind her, Travis backed her up against the door. "Jesus, what is your problem with me?" he asked in what would have been a shout, if he hadn't become hyperaware of the space – or lack of – between them. Her breasts were coming dangerously close to brushing against his chest, and she had to tilt her head in order to stare him down, pushing her chest out further. Maintaining eye contact, all Travis could think about was doing unspeakable things to her, there and then, in front of her cousin and with her dad on the other side of a flimsy wall.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said coolly, pulling Travis out of his daydream. He faltered, and wondered if she was seducing him on purpose, before remembering what they were discussing, and trying desperately to think of a retort. Thankfully, Oscar broke them up. "Hold it, guys. It's not the time, or the place," he said diplomatically, sliding an arm between them in order to lever Travis away. Travis was certain that it was time to do unearthly things to Katie against the wall, but realised Oscar was probably referring to the argument. He sighed, and dug the heels of his palm into his eyes. "Can I just go to be?" With Katie, he added silently.
Travis didn't see Katie until late into the following evening. Neither he nor Oscar woke until well after midday, in part because they were teenagers, and in part because they were jetlagged. Because of the jetlag, both felt like hell all day. Searing headaches, dozing in the most random places, and not being able to decide if one was ravenous or about to vomit were all common symptoms of jetlag, according to Katie's smiling father.
In fact, Travis didn't see her until well past six o'clock in the evening. While he had spent the afternoon in the sun, trying to catch the rays of warmth before they disappeared behind the clouds, Katie had gone into the local town with Cass, and then lounged around in her house, doing God knows what. That was left to Travis' imagination.
"Yeah, she goes away during the week to a posh boarding school, but only lives up the road. Jack lives in the next village down, but we go to the local school together." Travis raised his eyebrow slightly at the volunteered information.
The three Americans, after being thrown out by Eric, were sitting or lying in a half formed circle at the end of the garden. In the dying light, the garden was alive with insects and birds and wild flowers, along with the well tended flower beds nearer the house. It was picturesque, but Travis didn't fell that it was his place to say that.
"That's a shame," Oscar said. "She was hot." Travis hummed in agreement because, well, it was true.
"It's lucky you two should think that, because I spent a lot of the afternoon listening to how fit the pair of you are. If you wanna quick, no-strings attached shag, she's your go-to gal." Travis wondered briefly if this was why Katie was in such a good mood, before deciding that it didn't add up. At least she had ceased sending him filthy looks, and had come outside and talked to them with minimum fuss, even if there were no clues as to why.