Bumpy Road

Chapter 23

Kathy's POV:

"Come on, everyone!"

"Okay," the three of us said as we quickly followed behind Cleo.

Today is our last day in Los Angeles before we have to drive back home, and Cleo has planned something for all of us.

Cleo drove us to her destination and made us wait in the car for twenty minutes because she was setting something up. She came back, and now we were following her and passing the different restaurants and cafés, but Cleo hasn't walked into a single shop. I thought she was taking us to a restaurant, but it looks like she's not.

I turned my head away from the shops to look at Jesse and saw his arm cast.

Jesse was discharged from the hospital the night of the accident a few days ago, and since then, the four of us have stick together like glue. We all wanted to make sure we were safe, so we explored Los Angeles together, which was fun.

It was a lot of fun spending time with my friends, but I haven't spent any time with Jesse.

I didn't have anything particular to say to him. I just want to spend some time with him.

"Are you going to tell us where you're taking us yet?" Zack asked.

"Nope! It's a surprise!"

Zack looked at me. "Do you know where she's taking us?"

"For the twenty-fourth time, no, I don't."

"We're here!"

The three of us looked at the beach in front of us.

"The beach?" Zack said.

"Yes!"

"That's... exciting."

Cleo frowned and grabbed Zack by the hand. "You haven't seen my work yet!"

She dragged Zack as Jesse and I followed.

On the corner, I saw a blanket placed down on the sand, and around the blanket, there were different-coloured pillows and a radio next to the beach umbrella. In the middle of the cloth, there were drinks, juice boxes, little sandwiches, mini pizzas, small cakes, and fruits.

"Whoa!" the three of us exclaimed.

"Wait! There's more!"

Cleo ran over to a pillow, and behind the pillow, there were four water guns and a bowl full of different-coloured water balloons.

Cleo looked at us with an excited smile and said, "We can have a water fight! Eat! Swim! Build sand castles! And later tonight, we can sit together and listen to music and talk."

Zack walked over to Cleo and kissed her. He pulled away and said, "This is amazing, Cleo."

"This is incredible."

"I love it!" I shouted from the excitement I was feeling.

Cleo smiled brightly at all of us, happy that we were all happy with her idea.
__________________________

The warm gentle sun shone on me, filling my body with warmth. I smelled the sweet fragrance of the salty water and sighed silently at the soft breeze that was calming to feel.

I couldn't have asked for better weather.

Earlier today, we had our picnic, we ate, and talked to one another for awhile before we decided to build sand castles and bury Zack in the sand. Zack complained about feeling hot under the sand, and Jesse decided to calm him down by throwing a water balloon at his best friend, and that's when our water fight started.

It was early evening now, and Zack and Cleo went for a swim together while I sat on the blanket next to Jesse. For obvious reasons, Jesse couldn't go for a swim because of his cast, so I wanted to be alone with him for a little while and enjoy his company.

There was nothing I loved more than those hot summer evenings where I can sit outside and let the sun beat down on my skin. It made me sleepy, like the sun was singing me a silent lullaby that was discreetly blowing my mind out of consciousness. I love spending this evening with just me, Jesse, and the sun.

"This is summer."

"I could stay here all day," Jesse said.

"You have."

"You knew what I meant, Yolk."

"It's been awhile since you've said that. I was starting to think you loved me or something."

I turned my head to look at him, and he had a shy look upon his face and a blush on his cheeks.

Since we've been alone, I noticed he would look my way, and I generally pretended not to notice, but when I did return his glances, I didn't have to try to smile. It just came naturally. In those moments, he would blush ever so slightly.

These are the memories I will cherish the most.

"Today was fun," Jesse said.

"Yeah. Too bad Leo, Dalton, Cameron, and Casper had to leave yesterday. They would have enjoyed today."

"Casper would have loved it," Jesse said as he tried to scratch his cast arm.

I felt guilt well up in my stomach.

"I'm sorry."

Jesse looked at me with a confused expression. "Why are you apologising?"

"Because of your arm. It's my fault."

"I don't understand. How can this be your fault?"

"It's because of me you wanted to rent a motorcycle."

Jesse smiled gently at me and said, "You're stupid."

"Huh?"

"I was the one driving, and besides, look at these cool drawings and signatures I got on my cast from meeting new people in these past few days."

I examined his cast and admired the colours, the quotes, and the drawings from the different and talented people.

"That reminds me. You haven't written anything on my cast yet."

I looked at Jesse's face, and lots of different feelings went through me.

Jesse was the one I would spend my days thinking of and the one I would spend my nights dreaming about. Jesse was the one who would laugh with me and comfort me when I needed it. Jesse is the one who I want to share my life with. Every time I spend time with Jesse, my feelings for him get deeper and more complete and more bewitching.

I took a pen out from my bag and held Jesse's cast gently and wrote onto it, "I love you, Jesse."