She never said a time, I thought, as I took a soda out of the fridge and headed up to my room, ignoring the words my mother asked me. I couldn’t really think of anything other than those legs. I slapped the wall, regretting not getting a number - just pink house on Sunset Trail. I took the long way home so I could wander past it and know just exactly which one in the dark it’d be. I put headphones in and turned up my music as loud as I could to try and not think about her...but it felt impossible so I just stared out the window until it got dark.
Finally, as the last of the sun disappeared, I grabbed my guitar, throwing it over my shoulder and headed out. Walking slowly, not wanting to seem too eager, but all I wanted was to see her again. I knocked on the door, but the gate to the back yard was open and I could hear laughter and smell smoke, so I followed the path around the side of that pink house. I stood awkwardly by the table until a girl with a big smile nudged Taylor and pointed.
“Hey! Come over here, don’t just stand in the shadows all night!” Taylor yelled. She stood up from the arm of the chair she was sitting on and pulled one over for me. “You found it! Great! And you brought your guitar again.”
I smiled, “Yeah, don’t go many places without it.” I took a seat in the chair she out next to the one she was sharing with a friend. “Hi, I’m Ed, the uh - one that was victim of your volleyball today.”
There was some laughter, Taylor started speaking, “Okay, so these are my friends and roommates for the summer. We all go to college together and after me and Becca got our internships at the aquarium, everyone else started looking here - figured it’d be fun, ya know?” I nodded, “Okay, so in this circle, you probably wont remember anyone’s names but you’ll catch on eventually - that is if you want to keep hanging out with us. But yeah, so next to you is Stephen, then my brother Austin - they’re both life guarding at hotels, then Isabelle, she’s working at a restaurant, and Becca - she’s with me at the aquarium, and Eva who’s with the hospital getting a jump on her clinicals for next semester. Oh, and me - Taylor.”
“Nice to meet you - Stephen, Austin, Isabelle, Becca and Taylor - did I get it right?” I tried really hard to pay attention to make sure I got it all right.
“Yep!” Taylor laughed, “Okay, so tell us about you - I mean I only know what you told me earlier but no one else knows you.”
“Well, I’m Ed, I’ve lived hear my whole life but don’t look like I learned to walk on the beach, I’m very pale. I’m home for the summer, and I’ll be waiting tables and playing gigs all summer - music is what I’d like to do but going to school for a degree in music business and marketing. I’m not sure if it’ll become a career, I’m a family orientated person and that’s what I want most in life.”
“Play us something?” One of the girls sitting more across from me asked. I nodded and began to strum. I told them that this was a song I wrote recently, and played “Give Me Love” for them, Taylor bobbed her head with the music, her long blonde hair swinging against her shoulders with each movement, distracting me from playing and the song ended with applause.
“Did you know Taylor plays too?” Austin asked and I nodded, “Well then, next time you’re gonna play together. You better let us know when and where your gigs are so we can go!”
“I will,” I looked around and set my guitar leaning against my chair, “Does this bonfire include smores?”
“Oh shoot,” Taylor exclaimed, “Honestly, we went to the store for them and left with only bananas and coffee for tomorrow for breakfast.”
“That’s alright, we’ll manage - next time I’ll bring the marshmallows.” I said and smiled at Taylor. “How do y’all like Myrtle Beach so far?”
“Love it - not a lot like California but also a lot like Cali.” Taylor said and Austin nodded.
“I’m actually from West Virginia growing up, and we used to come down here in the summer for a week when I was little,” Becca said.
“We used to actually go on vacation camping up there in the summer, so we’re like opposites,” I said, and looked around, it got quiet as Taylor added more logs to the fire and we sat there. We talked and chatted some more, and Taylor came back with a bag of chips from the kitchen and sat close to me on the ground, glancing back to me with a smile every now and then. I tried to keep my focus on the flames and not on the bare skin of the back of her neck - but I was so distracted by it.
“I can’t sit here anymore, it’s too hot for this fire, let’s go swimming.” Taylor announced, most of the group agreed, so I nodded. “Thank goodness we have the pool here - I hate going into the ocean at night.”
“It’s freaking right, like you have to judge where it is by sound and all of a sudden your feet get wet and you can’t see anything.” I talked really fast and Taylor laughed.
“Yeah, I did it once a few years back when it was a full moon that was so bright but not again.” Taylor stood up, “Okay, pool, lets go.” She left the circle of chairs and stood at the edge of the water, slipped her shirt up and over her head revealing her lacy green bra and then shimmied out of denim shorts, she glanced back at the group, “Come on, guys, I’m not doing this alone - it’s hot, this is our summer to be young and careless - let’s GO!”
I joined her at the edged pulling my shirt off, she looked at me with a smile, “Yeah, I know, I glow in the dark.”
She started laughing, “No, not that, I was just admiring your tattoos, I’ve never seen anyone our age with so many or so colorful - I really like them!”
“Thank you.” I smiled back at her and I crossed my arms over my body while we waited for the others. Finally we all stood at the edge together and jumped right into the water with one big splash. We laughed and splashed and played games until we were all freezing and our fingers wrinkly, everyone else was getting out and then it was just us.
Under the water, Taylor’s hand grabbed on to mine with a smile from her, “Can we, uh, go talk somewhere alone?”
“I actually gotta get going soon, I work the early shift in the morning so maybe walk me out?” I said, and we got out the pool. She handed me a towel and I put my dry shirt on, dripping from my shorts as I grabbed my guitar, she was following me silently. I said goodbye to the group, and then it was just us, on the other side of the gate to their yard.
“So, uh, because I’m only here for like 6 weeks, I’m gonna say this not and not wait until it’s too late,” she took a deep breath and looked up at me. “I think I like you, Ed, you’re different from any guy I’ve ever met - ever, and I want to take this chance.”
I just stared blankly back at her, “You sure, do you see me? Look at yourself, Taylor, you’re absolutely stunning and so completely out of my league, you could get any guy in this town.”
“I don’t want just any guy in this town, I really do like you, Ed. Maybe we should get to know each other a little better first.” She looked down now, not making eye contact.
“Yeah, maybe, but I do want to see you again, Taylor, I want to get to know you, I think I like you too but let’s be sure - I want you to enjoy your time here.” She nodded, “Can I have your number so that I may get a hold of you tomorrow?”
She gave me her number and we hugged goodbye. I walked home with a wet stain on my shirt in her shape and a smile on my face.
an: feedback appreciated. new chapter every monday :)
