Memory of Him

Before: First Dates

I rolled my eyes, as if I didn't know.

~*~*~*~

I called Lachlan 3 days later, after my Tuesday morning SCUBA lesson. He answered immediately.

"Hello? This is Lachlan Ellis, may I ask who is ringing?" He sounded so formal, I stifled a snicker.

"Hey, Lachlan. It's Melody. We met at the beach the other day."

"Canadian girl! Yes! Hello Melody. How are you?" He exclaimed.

I heard him shuffle around before knocking into something and cursing.

"Are you okay?" I asked, I held my phone up to my ear as I zipped up my Nike duffle bag.

I was the last of the girls to leave the change room of the pool. Normally Finn, Perrie and I would leave together, but Perrie had a job interview at a book store, and Finn had a doctors appointment. So I was left alone.

I slung my bag over my free shoulder and took my phone in my hand.

"Yeah, uh sorry about that, I just knocked something over." He groaned.

"Oh. Is this a bad time? You sound busy."

I headed out of the change room and out to the courtyard of the athletic building. I sat down on the bench.

"No, no. It's good. What are you up to?"

"Just leaving the pool. We had another SCUBA lesson today."

"Oh that's cool. How was it?"

"It was fun. I think it will be a lot worse in the ocean." I sighed.

"You're scared of the ocean?" He chuckled.

"No, I grew up on lakes. They're different."

"I guess. You know, I wasn't expecting a phone call. Like I thought you'd text me. I was kinda getting worried that you wouldn't want to talk to me. Especially after the uh, that article."

It only took him three minutes to bring it up.

"Yeah. You did write 'call me'. I'm a literal person. I was rudely awoken because of that article. My friend came knocking on my dorm door. Way to be slick about staring at my chest by the way." I laughed.

"Oh god. Melody, I'm sorry. I didn't know that was gonna happen. You're beautiful. How can I not stare. Only thing is all of Australia is gonna know that you're beautiful."

I laughed again, a smile forming on my lips.

"Why? How would that be a bad thing?" I questioned.

"Well because someone else might ask you out Friday night."

I felt my cheeks heat up.

"Oh? Well I'm free...for now.

"No, you're not. You're going out for dinner with me. I'm picking you up at 7. "