tongue tied - jake kiszka

7.

She shot up on the other side of me at the mention of her name. "Actually," She began, "I am smoking this alone. Charlie is just here to be my pretty company."

"Historians will call us friends." I grinned and Posy snorted loudly. "Your secret's safe with me." Jake said, drawing an X across his chest with his fingers. "But hey. I was gonna get something to drink and was gonna see if you wanted anything."

Posy looked over at me expectantly and I realized he was asking me. "Oh yeah." I said, scrambling to my feet, "But I can get it." I grabbed for my towel, wrapping it around my shoulders again.

Jake chuckled softly and as I walked over towards the SUV, I could hear him close behind. "You following me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I reached for the hatchback.

"I already told you I was getting something to drink." He responded, his own eyebrows raised and a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. God I was an idiot. He had said that.

He reached past me to open up the hatchback, revealing the cargo area of the large SUV, which was full of alcohol and empty beer cans. He sat back against it and I hoisted myself up to sit next to him.

He handed me the beer that he had just opened and reached to grab another for himself. We sat there for a minute in a silence before he finally spoke. "Are you having a good time?"

"You and Posy both." I laughed softly, "So concerned on me enjoying myself." Jake looked over at me and I realized he was still waiting on me to answer. "Yes, I'm having a good time." I assured him.

"You just get quiet sometimes." He commented, his eyes searching my face. I looked away quickly. "I just don't have anything to say sometimes." I shrugged, "Would you like it if I was raging bitch all the time instead?"

"I think I could handle it."

I felt my cheeks flush pink but I told myself it was just the sunburn. It was the sunburn, definitely.

"You don't like me very much, do you?" Jake asked and his voice was quiet. I snapped my head back around to look at him. I really was a bitch huh.

"I do. You're a nice guy." I said, repeating Posy's words. And he was. He was a very nice guy. And the drunken part of me hated that I made him feel like that, like I didn't like him.

"Dawn likes you." I said quickly, trying to fill the silence. He clicked his tongue loudly before taking a large swig of his beer. "But," I continued, "Posy said you're not interested in Dawn."

I wasn't sure why I said it. I should've kept my mouth shut.

"What else did Posy tell you?" He asked and this time he was the one who wasn't looking at me. "Nothing really." I said, drinking from my own beer and returning my gaze back to the grass in front of us.

Jake ran a hand through his wet hair and I could feel a few of the water droplets land on my arm. "Sorry." He said quickly, trying to wipe them off.

His fingers were rough but soft at the same time, brushing across my skin. His touch lingered for a moment, going up to my shoulders. "You have some freckles, right there." He said, his voice low as he ran his fingers across them.

"They show up when I'm in the sun for a while." I explained, trying to play it cool even though my body was tense under his touch. I looked over at my shoulders and watched as he pulled his tanned fingers back, as though he'd been caught.

He looked embarrassed and I wished he wasn't. I was never sure what to say in those types of situations. I just knew I didn't want him to be embarrassed. He was sweet.

"Am I interrupting something?"

I looked up quickly only to see Sam, pink, wet, and clearly drunk. He laughed, waving us off. "I'm kidding." He pushed himself right between us, reaching for one of the beers.

"Charlie." Sam said abruptly, straightening up like he had something serious to say. "Come to our hotel tonight." I glanced over at Jake who shrugged his shoulders like it was okay. I watched as he stood up, stretching out his legs.

Sam replaced him quickly, sitting down next to me, tossing a wet arm over my shoulder. His words slurred as he spoke again, "We have pleeeenty more alcohol there."

I thought about it. I mean, what could it hurt? "You don't have to, if you don't want to." Jake said, glancing over at me. "Yeah, sure." I agreed, "Me and Dawn can follow you there."

   Sam made a face, quickly trying to hide it as he brought his beer up to his lips. Jake was biting back a laugh and I wanted to ask what the problem was when Dawn walked up, as if on cue.

   She wasn't as drunk as the rest of them, but I could tell she was feeling good. She wrapped her arm through Jake's who looked down at the ground quickly. "So what's next?"