Most of my Summers where spent with my parents in their house, lazing around…but this Summer was instead being spent in a Sunny Beach House with John Miller, and of course my boyfriend Dexter. Possibly being joined by the rest of the former Truth Squad, but that was undecided. I knew as much when on the fairly long ride (or maybe it just felt that way) up to Maine John Miller was on the phone with Ted the whole time. Even though he seemed slightly more lively, and even though he was pretty much going into the swing of the John Miller we all knew and loved, there was something off about him. Something I either couldn't put my finger on, or I was just too lazy to. Or an odd mixture of both.
"Yeah, of course we wanna see you, man!" He shouted into the phone, as though he forgot that with t he wonderful invention of the telephone you didn't really need to shout to hear the other person from miles away. "The fourth? Can't wait to see you. Wouldn't miss it for the world!" And with that his cell phone was safely in his pocket, and Dexter shifted into fourth. And we where home.
Not that the place was home to me, in any way, shape, or form. Or really home to anyone who was sitting in Dexter's favorite beat up car. Although the one the mangy old "beach house" was home to the most was probably John Miller, who had looked most animated when talking about how it had belonged to his parents, but how he spent all his childhood Summers up there, with his parents, and nothing but them and the sand between their toes. I'd never really been to Maine before this, so I was kind of expecting it to look different…but in all reality it just looked plain. A bit of a let down, really.
"This is where John Miller spent his Summer's as a kid?" I muttered to Dexter, as he got the luggage out of the trunk and John ran inside, practically giggling with joy…if full grown men could actually giggle.
"Yeah." He replied, raising his eyebrows at her and shutting the trunk as everything was out of it. Unlike most girls, I didn't pack like I was going half way across the world unless I was. "Why do you ask?" It was in that moment that I knew that if anything had changed to make the spark disappear, or anyone for that matter, it had been me. Dexter was still just Dexter…beautiful, messy, unorganized, hectic, loving Dexter…but who was I? I wasn't so sure I knew myself.
"No reason." I replied, smoothly, moving a piece of hair out of my face and picking up one of the bags. My way of saying I'd take one, if he'd just be a dear and take the rest. And then with that I was walking inside, hearing John Miller yell about how the sea shells he'd collected on the Summer after eighth grade where still right in their little bucket, and a smile couldn't help but tug at my lips. I'd thought I saw a change in him, but maybe it had just been a trick of the light…maybe I was changing so much that it made it look like everyone else was, too.
-x-
The rest of the night was as uneventful was I imagined it would be. In all truth things would have been more excited if I'd instead decided to go home to my parents. But as it was I unpacked, got ambushed by Dexter into a quickie, and then by midnight the three of us where sitting out on the beach, laying on one huge beach towel that John Miller had somehow magically pulled out of his ass. The moon was huge, that much was true…and the stars where bright. And with Dexter on my right side, holding my hand and kissing it every few seconds, and John Miller on my other, picking out odd shapes in the stars everything should have been perfect…
Maybe it would have been if Lucas and Ted where also there. Lucas talking about how they should have been practicing, but secretly enjoying just laying there. Ted possibly talking about constellations, or another world that was out there.
The five of us had never had much in common. But I'd always liked to think that we had enough that we wouldn't end up divided like we where today…maybe I was closest to Dexter. Maybe I never knew Lucas too well…but there was one bond that all held us together. That bond was Dexter, I was realizing…and maybe if Dexter had decided to sleep on the tour bus, things would have been okay. Or maybe if I wasn't slowly letting go of Dexter, without his even realizing it, maybe I could have slapped some glue on the five of us and thrown us in a jar, just hoping we would have all stuck.
But as I lay there, feeling utterly emotionless in every way, feeling my hands tingle as Dexter's lips kissed me, and feeling my ears ring as John Miller laughed a booming laugh…I knew the jar idea would never work. But it seemed John Miller and Dexter where willing to try it out anyway.
-x-
"The boys are coming today." Dexter announced, over a hearty breakfast of rice crispies and whole milk.
"What?" I asked, quickly looking up and furrowing my eyebrows.
"Yeah. And…we're going to do a gig on the fourth." He added, looking slightly concerned. Probably because I was, which concerned him.
"Well…" I was at a loss for words, really. A gig? Was the band getting back together? Was that good or bad? I wasn't the one with the answers to these questions. "Congraguations." I finally said, smiling, and patting his worn, calloused hand that I'd grown to love in the past few years. Even though the spark was gone, I still felt warm as he smiled at me. As though there was nothing on earth that would be better than just sitting with him in that gross kitchen, eating tasteless cereal…but where the warmth used to last for days, or sometimes all the time, this time it only lasted half a second. And by the time John Miller walked downstairs, his red hair a mess, still in his pajama bottoms and completely topless…it was gone. And I was replaced by instead a look of complete amusement by how happy the poor guy was. Apparently he seemed to think the jar idea I'd thought of last night was a good one…even though I hadn't said it out loud. Maybe he was somehow a mind reader.
"Is that really how you want them to see you?" I asked, talking into my cereal bowl.
"It's not like I'm going to date them." He replied, raising his eyebrows, and earning a snort from Dexter.
"You never know." I said, simply, standing up and putting my bowl into the sink before walking out of the house. "Going for a walk." I said, making sure to disappear too quickly before Dexter could offer to come.
And it was probably five minutes before I bumped straight into a pretty blonde girl…one who looked vaguely familiar, I noted.
-x-x-x-x-
I know, I know, I said three reviews…but I was so excited to get this chappie up!HOPEFULLY THIS WILL GET ME MORE REVIEWS.
If you read this, review it. Even if you hate it.
This chapter was written at 6 AM after pulling an all nighter,
So grammar and spelling mistakes should be understood, right?
I'm kind of fond of it, though…and I'm excited to see where it all goes.
Aren't you? SO R&R and I will love you forever!
Also, i'd like to take a moment to thank my one reviewer, and tell you how much I love you.
elmoruthPotterfan6 YOU ARE TRULY THE GIZELLE OF HUMANS. that will be all.
