Summer 2012
We had been home from school for about a week and a half, and I hadn't seen him. Which was something that I hadn't thought about before hand, I saw him almost everyday at school whether it was for hours or just a few minutes--it was long enough to check in with each other. I hadn't given thought to the idea that once we moved back home for the summer that I would not see him as frequently, and frankly... I missed him.
This evening was the first time that I would be able to see him since coming home. We had made plans to go to a poetry reading at a local cafe so that we could enjoy the atmosphere and each other's company. It would be the first time that we could hang out without any interruptions, no Ethan, no Talia, no school work--just me and my best friend. I had been looking forward to this all day, and it had been a let down.
He was late; very late, and I was still waiting.
The summer air was hot and humid which had not improved my irritation. He was supposed to be here an hour or so ago, and my butt had started to hurt from sitting on the front step of my house. My bare legs itched with bug bites from my time spent waiting. There had been no text, no call, just me being stood up apparently.
The sun was low in the sky but it was still lit out. Dusk and the hum of the cicadas had been driving me insane. I checked the watch on my wrist for what seemed like the hundredth time, before I stood. I brushed off my dress and waited one last minute before I ultimately decided to turn around and go inside.
I couldn't be angry, could I?
Harry was someone I couldn't stay mad at--not for long at least. He was my best friend; and he was a busy guy. Clearly, he had better things to do this evening than go out with me. We had texted a few times since being home, he had reconnected with some people from out high school who had recently returned home from their schools, and no doubt he had gone on a few dates. He could easily be on one now; but I couldn't be mad... or jealous...or whatever this disgusting feeling was. He was my friend and I was happy if he was happy, and it wasn't like I owned his time. He was his own person, as was I, and he didn't owe me anything.
Still, I took my time walking to my front door, giving him the benefit of the doubt for a moment or two longer before I confined myself to a night of being alone. My hand inched for the door knob, and it was like my whole body was in caramel--move slowly and sweetly.
I heard the gravel of my driveway being torn up by wheels behind me. I turned to see his old beat up car pulling up. I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at him as he jumped out, not even bothering to turn his car off. I watched as he stumbled over himself, he ran up the steps to meet me. He was short of breath and panting, his brown curls wild, as he hugged me to him.
"I am so sorry!" He huffed into my ear.
I didn't hug him back, which I would admit was a little passive aggressive. He knew that I liked being on time, and I couldn't stand being late to things, and then he would argue his stupid argument about how sometimes it was better to be late. To which I would roll my eyes, and he would say something to make me laugh, and he would be back in my good graces. As I had said, my anger at Harry was never prolonged.
"You're late," I said in a flat voice.
He pulled away from me, his shoulders heaved as he tried to catch his breath, "I wanted to call but my phone died."
"Harry," I began. "It has been an hour."
"I know," he cringed. "My mum dumped a family event on me last minute; I was at my cousin's tee-ball game. I'm sorry."
Obvious surprise crossed my face, "Oh."
"Where did you think I was?" He panted, his brows furrowed in confusion.
I kicked at the ground with my shoe and refused to meet his bright eyes, "I don't know... thought you had something better to do."
"Oh no!" He exclaimed. "Oh God, no! I'm so sorry."
"It's fine."
"I swear, I didn't mean for you to wait so long." He groaned. "I feel so awful. How long have you been out here?"
"Not long," I mumbled. He eyed me and read me like an open book.
"No, you're lying. You've been out here the whole time, haven't you?" He asked. I nodded. "Oh! I feel like such an ass."
We stood there staring at each other for a moment or so. His white v-neck and jeans showed evidence of burnt orange dust from the baseball field. He ran his fingers through his curls once or twice as he tried to think of something to say. I hadn't noticed how long his hair had gotten, it was just brushing his shoulders.
"Do you still want to hang out?" I asked meekly.
"Of course," he gushed. Disappointment flashed in his eyes, "I think the poetry reading is over though."
"Oh, I guess you're right--"
"Do you want to go somewhere?" He asked flustered. "The reading maybe over, but I still miss seeing you."
I looked at him skeptically, before nodding. Any time I could get with Harry, I would take it. A bright smile bloomed on his face. He grabbed my hand in his and pulled me towards his car. The headlights casted shadows on the house making it seem so much brighter than it had been. His car was cool because the air conditioning had been blowing full blast. Classic rock had been playing softly from his radio.
"You can change the channel if you would like," he offered. He looked over his shoulder as he pulled out of my driveway.
"No, it's fine," I told him with a smile. "How have you been?"
He smiled, "Good, I have been catching up with some old teammates... did you hear that Leah and Terrence are looking to get hitched? Oh! Clark has himself a serious girlfriend too! And I ran into Teddy at the supermarket, he said that he misses us and that we needed to have a reunion at our pizza place."
"Engaged?" I asked shocked. "We are all barely nineteen! Sounds a little rushed doesn't it?"
"It's Terrence and Leah though--the two of them have been together since like the third grade-- if anyone was thinking about getting married, I am not surprised it is the two of them."
"So Clark has a girlfriend?" I inquired.
He laughed. "Yeah, he was telling me that he met her at a party; nearly got her pregnant, too. They had a big fight and it ended in her asking him out. They've been seeing each other for almost six months."
"Wow," I chuckled. "Who knew Clark had it in him?"
"Right," Harry began. "I agree with Teddy though, we need to get the old gang together."
"Old gang?" I raised an eyebrow. "It's barely been a year... we are hardly old."
"You know what I mean," he grinned.
I nodded; I tried not to make it obvious that I was watching Harry out of the corner of my eye. He had his elbow propped on the door so he could cradle his head in his hand, while the other hand rested on the wheel. He hummed lightly, his brow moved with every note. His fingers drummed lightly on the wheel, and as a whole he just looked at ease. I must have been obvious with my admiration because Harry caught my eye and beamed at me.
I quickly averted my eyes, "Where are we going?"
"Would you let me say that it was a secret?" He teased.
"Absolutely not," I taunted. "I don't do surprises."
"I know," he said grinning.
"Why do you insist on acting like a cliché?" I chuckled.
"A cliché?"
"Yes, taking me somewhere mysterious and trying to keep it a surprise, it is a cliché; an overdone one as a matter of fact." I told him.
"A little harsh, Petal," he smirked--it isn't a smug way like most would expect it, he had done it with a more humorous nature. "Darling, clichés are based on reality. Who is to say living isn't cliché? So many different people for so many years have lived--so it is only a matter of time before we repeat things."
"Do you always have to do that?" I laughed, leaning further into the seat.
"Do what?" He asked, a dimple developed in his cheek.
"Take something so small and turn it into such a tragically hopeless romantic idea."
"So you think I am romantic?" He teased, nudging me with his elbow.
"Shut up," I chuckled. "Just drive."
And he did. We continued the drive until he took a turn onto a dirt road. The sun had just fallen, disappearing behind the skyline. Harry parked in the middle of a field, and I looked at him with such a look of astonishment. He put his car into park and pulled the keys from the ignition. He unbuckled the seatbelt and turned to look at me expectantly.
"Is this the part where you kill me and bury my body in the field?"
"Absolutely," he said with humor in his eyes. "Although, I might need to rethink my plan now that you have guessed it. I even had the shovel in the trunk."
"Oh, darn," I mumbled in sarcasm as I opened the passenger side door.
"Yeah, I guess you can live," he joked, "For now."
I laughed as he got out of the car. I leaned against the hood of his car which had still been warm from the engine. He joined me, our shoulders were touching; I nudged his shoulder with mine and he shoved back. It was like an unspoken conversation. I was about to open my mouth when he shushed me.
"Watch," he said softly into my ear. I looked out at the field in the dim light. Harry pointed across the field as small bursts of light appeared, they seemed to dance low in the grass. Never in my life had I seen such a sight. Little small pinpricks of light treading through the grass before they disappeared then reappeared; the sight was utterly serine. "Is this cliché enough for you?"
"You're such a dork." I looked up to meet Harry's bright eyes. "But this is enchanting. I have never seen anything like it."
"You've never seen fireflies?"
"Never in person," I told him. He let out a breath and looked content with himself.
"My mum calls them nature's stars," he whispered. "Fireflies come from the latin word lucifer which means light bearing. People used to think that if you caught them and put them in a lantern they would lead you home."
"I like that," I said softly, "Stars guide people home, I suppose it is only fitting that fireflies do it as well."
"One day, I want to go to South Carolina and see something called simultaneous bioluminescence. Where all the fireflies flash at once; all in sync with each other."
"Fascinating," I said, wonderstruck. I leaned against him and he draped his arm across my shoulders. We reveled in the sight of the pinpricks of lights as they danced through the dimming dusk. "Harry?"
He hummed in response.
"How is it that you don't have a girlfriend?" I asked. "You are so romantic all the damn time, and you're wasting it all on me."
He stifled a laugh. "I don't know, I quite like wasting my time with you."
"Yeah, I like wasting time with you too, but seriously," I began. "You're kind of a catch."
"Kind of?" He teased.
"Shut up, you know what I mean." I shoved his shoulder.
"Guess I haven't found the right person just yet," he pondered. "I am told that I am a pretty picky person."
"That you are, Haz." I agreed. "Don't worry we'll find you a girl to waste all that romantic crap on."
He gave me a soft knowing smile. "I'm not worried in the slightest."