Chapter 4: Cottage of Memories

I looked right into their eyes. One after the other. Fearlessly.

For too long, I had silently endured the taunts and jeers of bullies. I’d convinced myself that their hurtful words were a reflection of my own worthlessness. For too long, I had allowed their cruelty to chip away at my self-esteem. There was a part of me that believed I deserved to be treated like that because I didn’t meet the beauty standard.

But something inside me had shifted. Screw this bully. Screw all bullies. They didn’t know me. Who were they to judge?

“Enough,” I declared, my words ringing out with a quiet strength. “What you just said to me, isn’t okay.”

With each word I spoke, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. A sense of empowerment swelled within me. No longer would I let myself be silenced by the cruel words of others. No longer would I accept their insults as a reflection of my own worth.

“I’d suggest you go look in the mirror before judging others,” I told him.

Though my voice shook and my heart pounded like I had just run a marathon, I stood my ground, defending myself. It was a small victory, but it was huge for me. I rarely stood up to bullies. It gave me a little more confidence in myself.

But the bully wasn’t done.

“You should look in the mirror, but your reflection is so big it won’t fit,” Noah retorted.

The group laughed again. My cheeks were on fire now. Yet, I refused to back down. Instead, I squared my shoulders, steeling myself for the confrontation ahead.

Before I could respond, the sound of familiar voices reached my ears. Addison and James had entered the store. Instantly I felt better.

I fixed my gaze on the bully, determined to stand my ground.

“You might think I am ugly because of my weight, but you’re ugly because of your heart,” I retorted, my voice steady despite the tremor of nerves coursing through me.

His face turned a furious shade of red. I braced myself for his retaliation.

“You Bitch!” Noah screamed at me.

But before he could utter another word, James and Addison stepped forward. Addison put her hands on her hips and James loomed over the bully.

“You don’t speak to her like that,” he said.

“Or what?” the bully asked. But he didn’t sound as brave as he did before. There was a tremble in his voice. He looked James up and down before taking a step back.

“Do you really want me to answer that question?” James responded.

James fists balled at his sides as he looked down at the kid. Noah, Ethan, Liam, and Sophia visibly shied away. They were clearly intimidated by James’s size.

“Ok,” Noah mumbled, before darting out of the store. His friends followed. They hadn’t even bothered to buy something.

The tension in the air dissipated. I was so grateful for my friends. I looked past them, towards the kids. The one looked back at me.

I stuck my tongue out at them defiantly.

Addison couldn’t stop herself from laughing. Her hands dropped from her hips and her whole body shook.

“When did you get so tough?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” I said, reaching for the snacks.

“One of these days you’ll be tougher than me,” James commented.

His words sent a rush of warmth through me. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach at his words. I loved it when he praised me!

“I doubt that,” I replied and playfully punched him in the shoulder. James dramatically pretended to be hurt. And that made me laugh.

With the incident behind us, we quickly shifted our focus back to the road trip ahead. We carried our snacks to the car and continued to drive. As we neared the cottage, the anticipation reached a fever pitch. Our laughter and chatter filled the car with a vibrant energy.

The cottage grounds came into view.

Lucas’s car was already there and it looked like Matt and Lola had started unpacking their things. They must have heard us because they came out of the cottage. James had given the spare key to Lucas yesterday, which is how they’d gotten inside.

We parked and greeted everyone with hugs.

“Welcome!” Lucas said.

“It’s good to be back,” James said.

He looked around fondly, and I wondered if he was thinking about all the other times that he had been here. He had busy parents, so they didn’t spend a lot of time with him or his brother. But there were weekends, during his childhood, where the family had escaped to this place.

I knew it held a special place in his heart.

“Come on, Keily! I’ll show you the cottage.” James took my hand and led the way.

The cottage’s wooden exterior exuded a timeless charm. I marveled at its grandeur as James gave us a tour.

Inside, the cottage was a treasure trove of cozy nooks and charming quirks. Each room told a story of its own. There were pictures of James and his family on the walls. James led us through the spacious living area. We explored each room. I couldn’t believe that we were spending the weekend in such a picturesque setting.

James showed us the bedrooms next. Lucas has his own room, while Matt and Lola shared one with a queen-sized bed. Addison and Sadhvi would share a smaller room with two bunk beds. With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, James gestured towards the master bedroom. There was a knowing grin spread across his face.

“You and I are sharing the master bedroom,” he declared.

My heart skipped a beat. We were sharing it? We were going to sleep in the same room, in the same bed! Oh my. I thought naughty thoughts about him.

“That concludes the tour,” James declared, slapping his hands together. “Let’s get our things out of the car.”

As we unpacked the cars and settled into our temporary home, James took charge of organizing our belongings.

Meanwhile, Lucas wasted no time in firing up the grill. The mouthwatering aroma of sizzling sausages filled the air. As he expertly tended to the barbecue, the rest of our friends gathered outside with empty plates and rumbling stomachs.

Seated around the patio table, we watched as Lucas barbequed. The smell made my stomach growl. The setting sun cast a golden glow over the scene, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange as we laughed and talked.

Lola sat on Matt’s lap. She angled her head toward me and James.

“What are you going to do for college?” she asked me.

“Well, I’m studying at MIT—as you already know,” I began.

But she cut me off, “I’m not asking about your studies! I mean, what are you and James going to do? Are you getting a place together? That’s what Matt and I are doing.”

James and I exchanged a glance. A flicker of uncertainty passed between us.

“Well, we haven’t really thought about it yet,” I admitted. Why hadn’t we? It was such a big decision. But we’d been so busy this summer…

Lola and Matt shared a knowing look before Lola spoke up.

“It’s a big step, moving in together,” she remarked, her tone thoughtful. “But it’s also exciting to think about.”

James nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, definitely. We’ll have to give it some serious thought,” he replied and took a sip of his soda.

Matt chimed in, his tone reassuring. “Take your time, guys. There’s no rush. College is all about exploring your options and figuring out what works best for you.”

With a shared understanding, James and I silently agreed to table the discussion for now. We needed time to really think about all of our options and what choosing them meant. After all, college was a time for new experiences and growth. We didn’t want to rush into anything without careful thought and consideration.

As Lucas finished cooking, the conversation shifted to more light-hearted topics. We ate and allowed ourselves to be fully present in the moment. After dinner, I helped to wash the dishes while Lola packed them away. James went to take a shower. When the kitchen was clean, everyone settled into their respective sleeping arrangements. We were all exhausted from the long drive and no one felt like partying.

It was my turn to shower. When I was clean and smelled like soap, I wrapped myself in a cozy towel. My heart raced at the thought of spending the night with James. With trembling hands, I brushed my hair. And then I looked around for my pajamas.

Where were they?

Oh no. I must have left them in the bedroom! I had to go get them… But James was in the bedroom, wasn’t he?

My heart went pitter-patter.

We were sharing a room and I could go get my pajamas. There was nothing wrong with that. But as I opened the bathroom door, my stomach did somersaults. Suddenly my feet felt too big. The room too small.

As I emerged from the bathroom, wearing only a towel, I found James sitting on the bed. He was shirtless and waiting for me.