Love You Like a Love Song

The Long Way

The Long Way by Brett Eldridge

The summer of senior year most kids are doing internships with huge companies or going on amazing trips around a the world. Not me though. I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere, in a town full of retirees. Everything goes slower than molasses and there isn't a chain restaurant for miles. Not only that, but it is so freaking hot!

I know I'm making it out to be a shitty way to spend my summer, but in reality, it is nice to spend some time with my grandparents. I know they wont be around forever. It's also really pretty over here. There is a crystal clear cove surrounded by emerald green pines, and a bright blue sky. Life could be worse I guess.

"Honey," my grandma said, interrupting my thoughts, "I just wanted to let you know that my friends told me that some kids are getting together at the beach by town at sunset. Your grandpa and I would be fine if you took the car and headed over there to make some friends."

"I don't know Gammy... I'm pretty comfortable here in the cottage sitting with you old folk, but if you think I should go..." I teased.

The older woman smiled at me and rolled her eyes "Oh hush and just go."

Looking out the window I realized that if I wanted to go I should get moving seeing as the sun was already starting to meet the horizon. I jumped up and kissed my grandma on the cheek saying "thanks Gammy," then yelling out to wherever my grandpa was, "thanks Papa!"

I grabbed a coat and headed out into the garage where my grandparents' rusty, blue pickup truck was parked. The drive barely took 5 minutes. The only real reason I took the car was incase the party as lame, then I could go to a coffee shop and read or something.

Pulling into the dirt lot was a challenge because of the teens that were walking about in the small space, probably already drunk and definitely not paying attention to other cars. I finally was able to park and follow the noise to a camp fire on the beach surrounded by dancing teens. Growing up with not one but two firemen as parents, all I could think about was how this was definitely a fire hazard.

Once I reached the party, I scanned the area for a drink and my eyes landed on a a pretty girl in short shorts and a filled out chest grabbing a Red Solo cup then filling it with beer. Bingo!

It only took a few seconds for me to reach her and grab my own cup. "Hey, quite the party no?"

This caused the girl to give a small laugh seeing as there were really only 30 people, maybe 40 if your were being nice.

"It's a ragger," she said taking a sip from her cup, leaning against the table where the keg sat.

"Are you from around here?" I asked trying to make conversation with the girl seeing as I had no friends here and I could have fun with her for a night.

"I am actually. One of the few under 50. There's a high school about thirty minutes away that I used to go to. What about you?" She asked giving me side glance with those big brown eyes of hers.

"Nah. I'm from California. The south, pretty close to the border actually. How many people go to your old high school?" Uhg this small talk was awful.

"Only about a hundred and 50 or something like that."
We both just nodded looking out at the people dancing.

"Look do you wanna dance or keep making awkward small talk?" She said turning towards me putting her glass on the table.

I chuckled and put my own glass down grabbing her hand with mine and pulling her to the dance floor.

We danced for a while getting lost in the crowd that kept growing, then finding our way back to each other again. After about and hour or two of dancing she pulled my shirt down so she could kiss me, and just like the teenagers we were, started making out in the middle of the dancing bodies. Not that I minded though, I am a teenage boy after all.