Been Here All Along

33| beautiful

"Remember, stay away from that alcohol on my beach," Mr. W warned. "Even if it comes from your completely wasted brother." He joked.

Oh, great. Of course Anthony would show up totally trashed.

"We are going to look for Anthony, aren't we?" Ian chuckled. I nodded.

"Of course. I have to make sure he isn't doing anything stupid without being recorded!" Ian and I walked around the park in search of my brother who only just turned 21.

It's like he turns 21 and forgets how to act.

   Anthony was making a complete fool of himself, standing on one of the picnic tables down on the beach with a bottle of beer in his left hand and his other fist in the air as he swayed his hips off beat of the music.

   "Do you want me to get him down?" Ian chuckled, draping his arm over my shoulder and leaning his head on mine.

   "Hm, not yet," I pulled out my phone and got on Snapchat to catch an interesting clip of Anthony dancing to So What by Pink on a picnic table. Mason joined our side, coming out of no where, and wolf-whistled at my brother jokingly.

Anthony looked in our direction at the call out and waved enthusiastically.

"Catch it!" Mason yelled. He threw "it" toward Anthony, and Anthony caught it and hit the woah. His audience went crazy. He started reaching for the hem of his shirt, so that's when I sent Ian and Mason to get him down.

I'm afraid that once he starts taking his clothes off, he won't stop.

"Welcome!" Anthony yelled as if we weren't 2 feet in front of him.

"Hey, bro," I laughed, giving him a one-armed hug.

"Drinks?" He motioned for us to follow him.

Ian rolled his eyes and laughed, patting Anthony's back. "Anth, you know we aren't even 18 yet."

"Grow up then!" He said in a "duh" tone. Yes, because we can age 3 years in 3 minutes.

"How'd you get here?"

"Soph," he informed me.

Soph is Anthony's girlfriend who is probably going to breakup with him after tonight. He's literally completely wasted and Soph is no where in sight.

"Are you guys still dating?" Ian asked, practically reading my mind.

Anthony goes through girlfriends like they are tissues because he doesn't know how to keep one around. Anthony is no Ian, that's for sure. He may be the best brother I could ever ask for, but he isn't the ideal boyfriend.

He gave us an unsure look and shrugged.

"Be safe, alright, bro?" Ian said seriously.

Anthony's an idiot, but he does know how to take care of himself. And he's not stupid enough to drive when he drinks. He will figure it out. Plus, even if Soph does break up with him, she isn't petty enough to leave him here with no way home.

Anthony fist bumped Ian, then Ian and i branched off. We've yet to run into Kaila, but Mason said that he saw her earlier, so she's around. Mason decided to go play drunk volleyball sober, so he could be the best player.

"It's a bummer Hayden had to go back to MIT yesterday."

"Yeah, he said school is borderline draining him."

"I bet." I can't imagine how draining it is to be a genius like Hayden.

This is the first NYE party that Hayden has missed since I've known him. It's a little odd. Especially since he and Anthony talked about it last year, how they'd be able to get shit-faced together since they'd finally be 21.

"I can't believe we are about to enter the year we graduate," I sighed, leaning into Ian's side as we walked. I can't imagine the life I'll live when Ian is no longer by my side every single day like he has been since we were 12.

Ian draped his arm over my shoulder and sighed. "It's going to be hard not living down the street from the love of my life."

   The line is so cliche and maybe even overused, but I am so glad to be in love with my best friend. Ian is my person.

   I stopped walking to give him a kiss. I was uncharacteristically fine when he went to deepen it in the middle of the beach. Usually I get uncomfortable with PDA, but it's probably because everyone was doing their own thing and not even slightly concerned with us.

   Or so we thought.

   "Save it for the new year, guys, damn!" Leave it to Mason to kill our vibe.

   At least he came with Kaila.

   "Hey girl," I said as I hugged her. Normally, we get ready together, but I invited Ian over since we were home alone, then I got annoyed and didn't want to involve myself with anyone. "You look good."

   "It's not too much?" She did a full 360 spin to show off her cute v-neck dress that sparkled every time the light hit it.

   "Never," I assured her. "What time is it?"

   Kaila grabbed Mason's wrist, who was having a conversation with Ian and some random bystander about God knows what, and checked the time on his watch. "Exactly 14 minutes until the year we graduate."

   Okay, Kaila, way to make me depressed right before sliding into the new year.

   "We'll catch up with you after, okay?" I said, grabbing Ian's wrist. Ian said he'd finish his conversation with the guy and Mason later, and allowed me to drag him away.

   Kaila and Mason didn't mind that we excused ourselves. I just wanted to be alone with Ian for the start of the new year, especially after my bad attitude earlier that I can't even excuse.

   We found an open bench around the park and sat down, facing each other. He held my hands with his and kept them rested in my lap.

   "How are you, baby?"

   "Happiest when I'm with you," I said genuinely. "Really, I am sorry for earlier though. It's just one of those days."

   "You never have to apologize for that, Josie Elle. I love you unconditionally. We all have those days."

   He's making it really difficult to wait for the new year to kiss him. He is just such a sweetheart.

   "When is the countdown going to begin?" I groaned. I took my hands away from Ian's and re-situated myself so that my legs were wrapped around Ian's torso and I was in between his legs. It closed a great deal of space between us.

   "10!" We heard the large crowd of people all around us at Westchester scream at the start of the countdown.

   "9," Ian whispered, counting down from there softly, not breaking eye contact. While eye contact has never been my strong suit, Ian lived for it. He said it's a skill he learned in JROTC for when he talks to his sergeant or lieutenant.

   "1."

   Finally, I smashed my lips against Ian's again, as if I had been deprived of water for days. In reality, I just kissed Ian 15 minutes ago. That goes to show the constant craving I have for every aspect of Ian Miller.

   When we finally pulled apart, only because we were in desperate need of air, we rested our foreheads against each other and took the time heaving in and out heavily.

   "I swear to God, Josie Elle, I'm going to marry you some day."

•••

A cute lil chapter with high school Ian and Jos, the cutest!!
Sorry I haven't updated two times a week these past two weeks, I haven't been able to write much. Luckily, I have the next 2 chapters written, which I will be posted Tuesday and Friday next week!

I leave for Florida on Tuesday and I'm SO excited!! I've never been before so it'll be fun :)
Do you have any spring break plans?

Don't forget to...
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- Emily
B.E. Better Everyday