Monsters

Monsters #6

Katy and I sat on the edge of the large pool with our feet dangling lazily in the cool water. Its thin membrane rose and fell with the gentle breeze, lapping at our calves.

        She inhaled deeply, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. She hunched over slightly and leant closer. Her arm brushed mine, lightly dusting my skin with warmth. “Thanks for the other day. You know for being there and all that crap.”

I shook my head, “No it’s ok.”

A small, agonized smile tugged at Katy’s lips, “I talked to Xavier about it.”

“And?”

She shrugged her narrow shoulders limply, “It was weird.”

“What do you mean?” a faint crease formed between my brows.

“He was like quiet. Then he just said ok. And I didn’t know what to do. I kind of just stood there like an idiot.”

“Wait all he said was ok?”

“No,” she breathed, “He hugged me after for a little while.”

“So where does that leave you guys?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she sighed.

        The surface of the water tickled my shin. The cool liquid nipped at my flesh, gently caressing my legs.

         A warm breeze swept across the pool, spreading small ripples. It ruffled the neat garden and pressed against my chest. It carried with it the floral, sweet scent of summer.

        The sun’s golden rays bathed us and cast our long shadows across the sandstone. There was a relaxed laziness emitted into the atmosphere. With it came a vague sense of relief. There was a surrealism to our surroundings. Everything felt dream-like, distorted by the hyperactive mind.

        “What time is everyone else getting here?” Katy asked, exposing her neck to the daylight.

“About four,” I replied.

“Ok,” she nodded, “Hay Clare?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I ask you something?” the question was lowered into a short breath on her lips.

“You’re going to ask me anyway.”

“Did anything happen between you and Matt at that party?”

“What party?” My innocence was false.

“The one at One Mile.”

        I inhaled deeply, folding over. My spine bowed as I rested my elbows on my knees. My clammy hands cupped around my chin. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it does,” Katy frowned.

        Golden rays caught in the water’s surface. It glittered subtly, scattering light and stinging my eyes with its alluring beauty.

        “Come on Clare my track record is pretty hard to beat,” Katy pressed.

I shook my head, “It was all just stupid. Like it started off pretty epic. He introduced me to one of his friends and we danced and sat around a fire. It was cool. We were just talking and it was fun.”

        The admission felt too big for my tongue to sculpt around. They words bulged against the roof of my mouth and fell out in a tangled string of syllables. A light tingle buzzed through my palms and my hair fell over my fingers.

        I sat back and twisted around to face Katy. “Then the cops came so we hid out around the rocks. We were kind of just talking and waiting for them to clear the beach. And then we kissed.”