The Art of Growing by Jacqueline Ramsden

Author:Jacqueline Ramsden [Ramsden, Jacqueline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-10-13T16:00:00+00:00

Sixteen

Polly tied their mostly dry hair into a messy bun on the top of her head, took one last glance in the mirror—half fogged over from the incredible warmth of her shower—and walked out into the bedroom. Where they promptly forgot entirely how to function as they were greeted with the sight of a shirtless Sloane.

“Oh. Uh… I— I’m so sorry,” they said, eyes wide, even as they forced their gaze away from her.

“Ah. I’m so sorry. I forgot my shirt when I went to shower,” she replied, still rifling through her bag. “I was hoping to be able to grab it before you came out, sorry.”

“I’ve been out since I was fifteen,” Polly said without thinking. Her brain was doing entirely its own thing as all she could actively think about was Sloane’s perfect back, covered only partly by a racerback sports bra.

There was the sound of movement as Sloane found the sweatshirt she was looking for and pulled it on before turning to look at Polly, her hair a messy quiff from her shower and the way she’d yanked the sweater over it.

“You’re funny,” she said, giving them a very sarcastic look that Polly couldn’t not laugh at, even in spite of their brain being offline.

She shook her head. “I’m so sorry. I have no idea why I said that.”

Sloane laughed. “It’s really okay. It was funny.”

“I know you have a better sense of humor than that, Sloane Abbott.”

“Oh, I really don’t, Polly Stanwick.”

Polly examined Sloane’s face, the freckles scattered over her nose and cheeks, likely from days out in the sun, landscaping, caught her eye as they always did, but they weren’t what she was looking for. Life was returning to Sloane’s expressions and it was so good to see. When she was anxious and hurting, she understandably looked like someone had stolen something from her. Like they’d come along and scooped out an important part of her, so even when she tried to emote, things didn’t sit quite right. She wasn’t back to her usual baseline, there was still a heavy exhaustion deep in her expression, but there was a lightness that had been missing most of the day, and Polly was grateful to see it again.

She would gladly sit with Sloane through whatever the world and anxiety threw at her, but they knew it was easier for Sloane when she was not deep in an anxiety attack. All they wanted was for her to be happy and safe.

They smiled. “Then, my dear Sloane, we are both in danger of perpetual bad jokes and the rest of the world judging us for being so easily amused.”

Sloane laughed and moved to lie on her front across the bed, grabbing her phone as she went. “Let them judge. We are happy and soon to be full of pizza.”

Polly followed her to the bed, hopping up beside her and sitting cross-legged by her head.

They watched Sloane pull up the internet and find her way to the site for a local pizza place, which she assured Polly was the best one in the area.

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