A Summer To Remember

#18

#18
Ayla's POV

School is so boring. I'm sitting in my math class listening to the teacher ramble. Math is my favorite subject, but I already understand what he is teaching, so it bores me.

"This is so boring" the kid sitting next to me says.

"I know right"

"We get it, just give us the work sheets so we don't have a bunch of homework"

"Yeah"

The teacher ended up giving us our worksheets a couple minutes before the bell rang. I got most of it done, but not all of it.

I walk out of the class and just happen the be next to the same kid I sat next to in class.

"Hey I'm Drew by the way"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Ayla. Are you new?"

"Actually yeah" we don't say anything for a little while, "can I have your number?"

"Um" I hesitate.

"Do you have a boyfriend or something?"

"No but I just got out of a really serious relationship and I'm starting to regret it"

"I understand, I just caught my girlfriend cheating on me. Not that it relates to your relationship, but I also just got out of one myself."

I just nod my head.

"Can I have your number as friends?" He asks. "I don't really know many people here"

"Sure" I say.

We exchange numbers and then split. I go to my locker to pack up my stuff for the day.

"Who was the hot guy you were just talking to?" Ella asks.

"His name is Drew"

"Did you get his number? You guys would be cute together"

"Yes I did. But as friends. I'm not ready for someone, and I don't think I ever will be. I think Brennan is he last person I ever want to love"

"I get it. But can I have his number?" She asks.

"Yeah" I hand her my phone so that she can get it.

"Thanks"

***
The last couple weeks, Drew and I have been hanging out as friends. Right now, we are watching a movie, at my house.

Aiden walks through the door.

"Ooo Ayla, getting cozy there? Forgetting about Brennan already?"

I know he was joking but it still hit me.

"No" I say louder than I anticipated "I'm not getting over Brennan, and I never will. Yes I know I made a mistake" a tear starts running down my cheek "I messed up big time, and I regret it like crazy, I get it. But you don't have to rub it in my face like this. Please, I know you were kidding. But I miss him, and there is nothing I can do about it. So please stop talking about it."

"I'm sorry" is all he says before he walks out of the room.

I stand up and walk to the bathroom, shutting the door on the way in. I press my back to it and slide down, and then the tears come. I don't truly know why I'm crying.

A couple minutes later, I hear a soft knock on the other side of the door. "Do you want to talk about it?" Drew asks.

"Actually yeah"

So we do, I tell him everything. For some reason tonight, I feel like I can tell him anything. We sit there for what must be hours, and just talk.

"You good now?"He asks.

"Yeah"

"Can you open the door?"

I open the door and immediately hug Drew. "Thank you" I say.

I don't even bother making sure that he knows we are just friends. Because I just told him all my feeling, and he knows I don't have those kind of feelings for him. And it is nice to talk about Brennan without someone asking if he was cute.

"I should get going now, it's almost midnight and we have school tomorrow" He says.

"Okay, bye."

"Bye"

This night I went to bed content. Feeling better about the whole situation, but I still don't know what I'm going to do about it.

***

Today is Saturday, and my entire friend group is going to the beach. And my entire friend group, I mean me, Drew, Ella, and Cricket.

When we got to the beach, there was really no one there. Drew and Ella were on a team, and Cricket and I were on a team. Drew and Ella ended up winning. Free playing volley ball, we decided to swim for a while. And then we got ice cream. I, of course, got mint chocolate chip. I had a lot of fun today. And now we are all sitting around a campfire, just talking.

"We should play truth or dare" Cricket says.

"I'm in" I say, I look to Ella and Drew "what about you guys"

"Sure" Drew says.

"Okay" Ella replies.

"Cricket, you go first" I tell her. 

"Okay, Ayla. Truth or dare?"

"Dare"

She starts to think for a little bit "um, Ayla, I dare you to skinny dip."

I stand up and walk to the edge of the water. It's dark so I'm pretty sure they can't see me. I drop my swim suit and walk in. The water was cold but it felt nice. I soon realize that I forgot a towel.

"'Hey Cricket, can you bring me a towel?"

"Sure"

She lightly jogs over to me and hands me the towel while I am still in the water.

"I think Ella likes Drew, so we should set them up" Cricket tells me.

"Okay, but it might not work. He just got out of a relationship"

"It's worth a shot"

Cricket walks back as I stand up and dry off. Before putting my swim suit back on. I sit down and then decide on who I'm going to ask.

"Drew, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth"

"Do you have a crush on Ella?"

He looks at her, probably noticing how red her face is getting.

"Yeah, a little" he quickly changes the subject. "Cricket, truth or dare"

"Truth"

"how old were you when you had your first kiss?"

"15" she replies without hesitation. "Ella, truth or dare"

"Dare" she says kinda suspiciously.

"I dare you to kiss Drew"

She looks at him shyly, and he smiles. He is the first to lean in and plant a gently kiss to her lips. As he pulls away, she grabs his face and kisses him again.

***

After playing truth or dare we decided to leave. Drew drove separately because he had to come a little later. Right now, Cricket and I are sitting in the car, waiting for Drew and Ella to stop talking so that we can leave. We secretly watch them, they just talk for a while. Drew leans down and kisses Ella. After the kiss, Ella comes walking to the car with a big smile on her face.

"Why are you so happy?" I ask her as she gets in the car and buckles.

"He asked me out"

"Wow, looks like our plan did work" Cricket says to me.

"Yeah" I reply.

"What plan?" Ella asks.

"The plan to get you to together" Cricket tells her.

"I have great best friends" Ella says.

"Yeah you do" Cricket and I say at the same time.