I hated driving with my family. My stupid mother took away my cigarettes or had my brother light them for me. How embarrassing. When we finally got to aunt Bessie's, I just wanted to shut myself out. This trip was gonna suck. I woke the next morning to the sound of Marvin gasping and moaning and uttering weird words that none of us understood. I couldn't understand why they didn't just unplug him- I mean he was just a messy, loud burden! I went outside into the backyard to get some fresh air and get away from all the family crap. My mom was arguing loudly with Bessie as they picked out pills for Marvin. Ugh my mom was such a nasty bitch.
I laid down in the grass, a cigarette in my mouth and just waited for something to happen. Something always did if you just waited for it. I closed my eyes against the sun, basking in the light until I heard someone say "Who are you?" I didn't recognize the voice. I opened my eyes a crack and peered at the face leaning over the fence. It was a girl, probably about 17 years old. She had long auburn hair and a cute smile. "Hank" I replied, sitting up. "Who are you?" "My names Faith." She answered. I nodded and said "Okay cool, nice to meet you. I'm going inside." "Bye!" She called after me as I went through the sliding screen door. I wasn't trying to be rude or anything, but I didn't want to have a conversation or make any new friends. I was here to be miserable and it was going to stay that way.
The next morning, I peered out the window and saw her tanning on the grass in a two-piece swimming suit. Her hair was pulled into a side braid, and the color gleamed in the sunlight. I decided she was pretty. She was thin, but had slight curves at her hips. I opened the window and called through the screen, "Hey! Faith!" She looked up, slightly confused and startled as she looked for the face who was calling her. I waved through the window. "Oh! Hello Hank!" She seemed genuinely pleased to see me, so I walked outside. I'd changed my mind from yesterday about not wanting to be friends with her. "Wanna take a drive? Maybe go to the beach?" She was slightly surprised at my offer, but soon agreed. "Sure, let me just grab my things." She emerged from her house wearing a red
sun dress. I smiled and she smiled back.
We reached the beach, a slight intimate awkward tension between us. "Let's swim." I decided, and she pulled off her dress and leapt from the car. "Well come on then, Hank!" I chased after her down the sands, right into the ocean water. She had a clear joyful laugh, and ran through the waves smiling the whole time. Feeling cheeky, I splashed her. She turned around, a playful scowl on her face, and said as seriously as she could "You should not have done that." With those words, the water fight was on and she splashed me and screamed as I splashed her back. I don't know how long we were there, playing in the waves, but it felt like a very long time, until I found myself grabbing her hips and spinning her around. She looked up at me with big eyes, full of excitement and meaning. I couldn't resist, and gently wrapped one arm around her waist and the other her face, pulling her close to my body for a salty kiss. She responded, running her hands through my wet hair and curving against my chest. It was like magic, standing there in the surf, this beautiful girl in my arms and not a care in the world.