I make my way across the lawn and head to my place. I open the door to see Laura sitting on the couch and a smile plastered across her face. I put my hand up and walk past her, heading to my room.

I head to the bathroom and start the shower. As the warm water cascades down my body, I let out a sigh of relief and allow myself to fully relax. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, feeling the tension in my muscles slowly melt away. After a few minutes, I grab my shampoo and start to lather up, ready to start the day feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around me. I walk out and see Gage lying back in my bed. "Um, hi." I arch my brow, surprised to see him.

"Hey." He says with a smile. He looks at his phone. "You have forty minutes left." He teases. I take off my towel and throw it at him. He catches it and looks me up and down. "Or, better yet, we can just stay here all day." He licks his lips. I roll my eyes and playfully push him away. "As tempting as that sounds, we have plans, remember?" I remind him as I roll my eyes, walk to my dresser, and pull out a bra and panties. I slip them on and head to my closet to search for something to wear. I grab a white tank top and black leggings. I grab my runners and turn around. Gage stands there and says, "You can't walk around like that."

"And why not?" I question him.

His lips press against mine; he lifts me, and I drop my clothes on the floor as I wrap my arms around his neck. He brings me back to my bed and gently lays me down, saying, "That's why. Now I want to stay here and just be with you." He kisses me again.

"Gage," I softly say his name.

"I know." He gives me a quick kiss and says, "Get dressed."

I get up and bite my lip. I walk to my dresser and switch my panties. He laughs because he knows exactly what he did. I get dressed, put my hair up in a bun, and slip on my shoes. He takes my hand, and we head out.

Stepping into the sun, the warmth makes me smile but saddens me at the same time. The last day of summer is today before school starts, and all I want to do is spend my time with Gage. Part of me wishes we had come down here sooner, but I'm grateful for the time we have had together.

He opens the door and helps me in. I buckle up as he jumps in and starts the engine. He takes my hand in his as he drives. I smile at the gesture, and my free hand surfs through the wind. The music plays, and I sing along to Don't call me up by Mabel.

☾

He pulls into the mall parking lot, pulling up to the doors. He kisses me and says he will meet me here and that he won't be long. I nod and jump out of the truck.

I make my way through the mall, taking my sweet time. I finally make it to the phone store and browse through the selection. I pick up the newest Samsung Galaxy and head to the front. I explain that I broke my last phone and I have a contract with them, but that I also need to change my number. They make it happen, and I pay for the phone up front. They set the phone up, and a new SIM card with a number is added. I smile and thank them. I walk out of the store and text Laura, as she is the only number I have memorised.

Hey, it's Star, new number. Can you ask Ace for Gage's number?

I walk outside the mall and sit on the curb as I wait for her to respond. At this point, Gage may be here before she even responds. My phone rings, and I look at it.

Hey, Ace said he will send it to you.

okay, thanks.

I wait as another text comes in.

Hey, it's Ace; here's Gage's number.

He sends me his phone number, which I save on my phone. I also save Ace's number and remind myself to put mom and dad's numbers in it when I get home.

I text Gage in hopes he will respond. Hey, I got my new phone.

I wait patiently for him to respond. As I sit there, I get the sense that someone is watching me. My phone rings, and I answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hey baby, I'm on my way to pick you up."

"Okay, please hurry." I tell him as the anxious feeling gets worse.

"What's wrong?" Worry fills his voice.

"I think someone is watching me. I don't know; it's just a feeling."

"Okay, stay on the phone with me. I'm almost there."

As I stay on the phone, I get up and walk away from the entrance, sticking to the sidewalk of the building. I hear the low rumble of Gage's truck, and my heart races. I hang up and jump in.

He looks over at me and cups my face, asking, "Are you okay?"

"I think so." He kisses me before driving off.

He takes my hand in his and drives, never taking his eyes off the road. I still can't shake the feeling of someone watching me as I waited. I try to push the thought out of my mind and focus on the scenery passing by, but my heart races with unease. I wonder if I'm being paranoid or if there really is someone following me.

☾

We arrive at my house, and he parks out front. I step out, and he grabs the bag from the backseat and follows me inside. Laura and Ace say hi, and I take a seat on the couch. Gage kisses me and says, "I'll be outside working on your car; I'm going to go home first and change."

I nod and thank him for taking me to the mall today. "You coming?" He questions Ace. He gets up, kisses Laura, and walks out.

I recline on the couch and load my phone with all the necessary applications. A new phone means a new life. My phone rings, and Laura has sent me a text. I look over at her, and she smiles. I open it to see a picture of Gage and me last night at the mixer. A smile crosses my face, and I thank her.

"You're welcome."

I set the picture as my homescreen, and my mind wanders back to the night before. He left me completely and totally breathless. Just the thought of him gets me hot. A shiver runs up my spine as I can still feel the tips of his fingers lingering over my body. Or how his kiss tasted. I'm thrown out of my thoughts as Laura speaks.

"It looks like the boys are outside, and God damn." I get up and look out the window. Both wearing basketball shorts, shirtless, and fitted caps placed backwards on their heads. I watch as the sun beams on Gage's silky smooth skin. I feel a rush of heat in my chest as I realise how attracted I am to him. He looks like a Greek god.

"God, these boys are good looking." She states.

"Stupid amounts of good looking." We both say this and begin to laugh.

☾

As time passes, we make ourselves some iced coffee and grab two beers for the boys. We head outside and hear the music coming from the radio of my Jeep. At least the battery works, I laugh to myself.

"Babe!" I shout, and he turns his head from under the hood and looks at me, sweat dripping down his chest. I hold up the beer. He kicks Ace, who is under the Jeep, and he crawls out. He looks over and smiles. Both boys grab a cloth and wipe their hands before walking toward us. I hand Gage his beer.

"Thanks, babe." He kisses me. The boys are covered in dirt and sweat, but their smiles are infectious.

"So how's it going?" Laura asks them.

"Almost done," Gage says. "It's an easy fix." He smiles as he sips his beer.

"We're ordering food. Do you boys want to join?" I ask.

"I'm down," Ace says.

"Me too." Gage agrees.

The boys thank us for the beer and head back to my Jeep. I watch as Gage works away and can't help but be turned on by what I see. His muscles flex with every movement, and beads of sweat glisten on his skin, making me want to run my hands all over him. I try to focus on something else, but my eyes keep wandering back to him. I wonder if he notices the effect he has on me. I take a deep breath and try to calm my mind, but my body seems to have a mind of its own. I shift in my seat, trying to ease the ache between my legs.

"Oh god," I whisper to myself,

Gage turns to face me with a smirk on his face. I can feel my cheeks turning red as I avoid his gaze. It's like he knows exactly what he's doing to me, and it's driving me crazy. I chew on my straw to ease the ache my body has for him.

"I just want to dig my nails into his back. He is so yummy." Laura says about Ace. I laugh, knowing that's how I feel about Gage.

The sun begins to set, and Gage walks over to the driver's side and turns the key. The Jeep starts, and Laura and I both clap. The boys look at us and bow as if they just gave the best performance of their lives. I laugh at their gesture. Gage turns my car off and locks the doors before shutting the hood. He walks over and hands me the keys.

"All fixed."

I tease, "I was hoping you would still drive me."

"That can be arranged." He smiles. He leans in and kisses me, telling me he is going to shower and head back over for dinner.

I head inside and wait for Laura to enter. She suggests Chinese food, and I shrug my shoulders. I hand her two twenty-dollar bills from my wallet and say, "That should cover mine and Gage's meal."

I head to my room and strip off my clothes. I head to the shower, I keep my hair in a bun and allow the warm water to relax my uneasiness from earlier. As I lather my body with soap, I let my mind wander and focus on the present moment, enjoying the sensation of the water running down my skin. I take deep breaths and try to clear my mind of any lingering thoughts, finding peace in the solitude of the shower. As I finish my shower, I wrap myself in a towel and head into my room. I look around and grab Gage's t-shirt that sits folded at the end of my bed. I grab clean undergarments, slip them on, and put on cotton shorts, pairing it with the t-shirt.

That feeling of someone watching me consumes me again. I try to shake it off and remind myself that I am safe in my own room. However, the feeling lingers. I quickly shut my window and lock it, closing the curtains.

I turn around to see Gage. I jump "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he says with a concerned look on his face. "What's wrong?"

I run into his arms, the feeling of safety washing over me as he holds me tight. "It's okay. I'm right here." He cups my face and says, "Can you tell me what happened?"

"That feeling came over me again. Like someone is watching me from a distance."

He walks over to the window and looks out. "I'll be right back." He walks out, and I follow. He motions for Ace to follow him, and he does. They head outside, and I wait patiently for him to return.