He hadn't moved, only watched her. He said nothing until she finally glanced up at him. He gave her a long look she would have to be blind not to understand.
And she got it. Her face flushed and she looked down quickly, rubbing the hell out of her legs so she missed the grin he had to bite to hide. She straightened then, still holding the towel. She raised her chin a little, defiant and challenging, the Kitty Kat he remembered. He smiled.
A moment passed. A minute or two. Neither said anything. They just stood on the dock and looked at each other under the warm and unpredictable sunshine. He felt like a thirsty man staring at an icy cold beer.
She returned his look, then whispered his name in that raspy grown up voice he felt go all the way through him.
"Jensen," she said softly.
Just Jensen — his name was all she said.
And he was lost.
"Hey Kitty —" he said.
"You don't have to call me that anymore". She said,
"Kitty Kat" He said again.
And she smiled. A beautiful smile. A smile that made him think of things —things he wanted to do to that mouth of hers. Things he shouldn't be thinking of. Jonathan would have his head if he ever voiced that he was having thoughts like these about his little sister. He forced himself to concentrate.
"I didn't know you were back," he said.
"Jon didn't tell you?" she asked.
"No. He didn't" he replied.
"Well I just got back the day before yesterday.... So I haven't been around for too long"
"Well, it's good to see you again, Kitty," he said. "Really good".
"Yeah you too"
"So how's college?" he said
"It's great... Just one more year left" she said.
There was that silence again. And they just stared at each other till he said.
"You look hot".
She squinted up the large shadow that he made outlined by the bright sunlight.
"Yeah" she said. "No umbrellas on this side."
He grinned at her." I meant hot as in good looking " he said."And different. You look different —good different"
Her reaction amused him. He had always loved watching her blush. It was always so funny.
"Oh... Uhhh... Thanks" she said. "You have changed too... And you look great too"
"I know". He said, still grinning. "You know I like that bikini too... Looks good on you"
He allowed his eyes to roam freely. And her hands tightened on the towel.
He laughed. "You are at the beach, Kat... You don't need a cover up"
"Yeah right" she replied blushing again. Then she started to walk away. He caught her arm so she turned. Her eyes fell on his hands. He released her.
"You don't seem like the Kathy I knew," he said. "The Kathy I knew was never shy"
He just said it to tease her. He was feeling just as self conscious as she was. He just did a better job of hiding it.
"I'm not shy" she said
"Yeah right" he said grinning.
She stared at him. Some determined look in her eyes, and he saw little Kitty Kat in there. Kitty Kat who made sure she never lost an argument, annoying little Kitty Kat.
Then before he knew what she intended. She reached out and shoved for all she was worth.
"What the...." he couldn't complete the sentence as 'hell' drowned in a mouthful of water as he slammed in the water. He came up sputtering a few seconds later and glared up at Katherine who stood where she was, an unreadable expression on her face.
"Damm it!" he said. "what the hell was that for?"
"You seemed a little hot around the collar and I thought you needed to cool off..."
"By drowning me?" he asked
"If memory serves me well, you are a better than average swimmer."
"You haven't changed one bit... Have you?" he asked, smiling.
"Well, you will just have to see," she replied.
She didn't wait for him to get out. She just walked away.
And he was content to just watch her leave.
—————————————
He went home thinking about her. It was weird. He had thought. How he suddenly couldn't stop thinking about her. And his thoughts about her had taken a different direction entirely.
But he didn't bother so much about it. It was just because he hadn't seen her for a while. He was reacting to seeing her again so suddenly. Maybe it was a little crush that was going to go away soon. But it didn't.
He didn't bother much about that either. It was Katherine Kavell, who followed him everywhere. He didn't have to worry about it. She was going to come for him soon.
But she didn't.
Maybe she was just busy. He thought.
Some days later, he met her at Mrs Jackie's store. She had spotted him and he had spotted her. They had exchanged the usual pleasantries... And then —
Nothing.
Even when they met at a wedding.
No stealing glances at him. No asking him to dance. No bugging him to go anywhere with her. No following him around. No showing up at his house with a box of his favorite cookies or cake. No inviting him to do anything together.
He had waited and waited. He waited for a week. That had been a long week. The longest week of his life. He had difficulty sleeping. He had barely eaten. He had spent his time thinking. He was worried. He wondered.
What the hell had happened?
Then he went to her house 'to see Jonathan'. He saw her alright. She said hi. And still...
Nothing.
It was starting to piss him off. It pissed him off because he had just confirmed what he had started to suspect.
Namely that she no longer carried a torch for him.
He decided to make a move. He asked her if they could hang out together sometime. She agreed. And boy! How happy that made him.
They had a great time that day... And days after that.
Time seemed to pass quickly. On days when it rained and everywhere got misty, they walked on the beach together, not minding the moodiness of the weather.