Sighing, I decided to make something to bring to the bonfire, and settled for a spinach-chicken salad and my secret-recipe banana-nut muffins. I recalled Emily telling me about the appetites of the boys around here, so I made a lot, just in case. If I had extras, I would end up shoving most of it onto Emily or someone anyways. 6:45.
I sighed desolately and trudged back upstairs to change my shirt into a violet half-sleeve, off the shoulder top that Emily sent me for my birthday a few months earlier. 6:55.
Gathering the food, I grabbed my keys and trudged out to my car. Let the misery begin.
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The ten minute drive was peaceful enough, but all too soon, I found myself sitting inside the protection of my car in Emily's driveway. The food that sat in my lap was almost begging to be eaten, and I could not deny it its last request, so with the ten-millionth sigh that I had uttered in the past hour, I kicked open my door and slid out of the car. I trudged up the steps, and before I could even contemplate how I was to knock on the door with my hands full, the bright blue plane of wood swung open, revealing a beaming Emily wearing an apron over the sunny yellow and green dress I had given her last year for Christmas.
"I see we had the same idea," I said, smiling wryly, looking down at my own gift from her in the form of the violet shirt.
She just grinned and pulled me inside, dragging me to the kitchen, where piles of food were already set.
"Holy meow," I muttered, "do we really need all of this food?"
Emily laughed at my expression and laughed. "If you've ever seen my boys eat, you would not be saying that," she mused.
I just shook my head and set the food down as the oven timer beeped. I raised a brow at Emily.
"More food?"
She just shrugged and pulled on some oven mitts before bending over the oven and pulling out a pan of ribs. Just as she was setting them on the counter, voices sounded from the door.
"Emily, we're here!"
My friend broke out into new smiles and called out, "we're in here." To me, she said softly, "It's Kim and Claire."
My heart began beating faster, and my face felt hot. I edged behind Emily slightly, nervous about seeing my old friends again, and anxious that they wouldn't remember me. Moments later, two girls about my age appeared in the doorway.
"Hey Ems, when…"
I peered around Emily timidly and was immediately rewarded with squeals.
"Faye!"
"Oh my God! Faye?"
I smiled timidly. "Hey."
Kim scoffed and bounded over to pull me into a death hug.
"Don't you, 'Hey,' us, girl! Where's your enthusiasm? Claire, get your but over here!"
Claire laughed and joined the quickly forming group hug.
"Oh my goodness, Faye, we're missed you so much! How have you been?"
The air was quickly being squeezed out of me, and I saw the look on Emily's face.
"Emily," I gasped, "don't you dare!"
She giggled and said, "Not a chance," before joining the hug and successfully squeezing the rest of my remaining oxygen out of my abused lungs.
"Guys," I wheezed, "air!"
"Oops," Kim said, pulling back with a sheepish expression on her face. "Sorry."
The lack of oxygen could not keep the grin off of my face, though. I was overly ecstatic to be remembered by my old friends, and so we spent the next half an hour catching up on the past. Emily bustled around the kitchen as we talked, and started to pass out containers of food to us to bring down to the bonfire.
"Aw, Ems," Claire pouted, "why can't the guys take these down there?"
Emily smirked. "Because the food would be gone by the time they got there," she retorted. "Now get." She made playful shooing motions with her hands. Kim and Claire rolled their eyes and started out the door, with me following close behind as Emily turned everything off and shut the door behind us.
We all joked as we made our way down to the cliff that overlooked first beach, where tables were set up and logs were rolled around a large pile of driftwood. Setting the food on the tables, I was surprised to see that there was a pile of chips and sodas and other snacks (hotdogs, marshmallows, and such) on another table.
"Wow," I muttered. "You guys sure weren't joking when you said that the guys had huge appetites."
"You have no idea," Kim muttered from beside me. Emily came up behind us, closing her cell-phone with a snap.
"Sam asked us to get the fire started. He says that they're gonna be a little later than expected."
Claire reached out and snagged the box of matches just as Kim's fingertips brushed against it.
"No fair," the latter whined. "You got to light it last time!"
Claire stuck out her tongue and danced over to the pile of wood, striking a match as she went. She bent over the pile and soon, blue and green flames shot up, licking across the dry, salt-permeated wood. We all sat on the logs around the fire, and Claire suddenly said, "So, I hear from Emily that you're a singer."
At Emily's evil look, I shrank back. "No. Oh, no. Nononononono, I see where this is going. No. way."
Emily reached behind her and pulled a guitar out from God only knows where and shoved it in my face.
No, Emily, please don't," I almost whined, but she thrust the guitar closer.
"Sing, woman," she ordered.
Kim and Claire, traitors that they were, began chanting, "Sing! Sing! Sing! Sing!"
I glared at them and grabbed the guitar from Emily's hands, ignoring her smug look. "Fine!" I cried, exasperated. "But you owe me big time."
Shoving the strap over my head, I flicked off bits of sand and tuned the guitar, drawing out my performance as long as possible.
"Stop stalling," Emily chided, earning another glare from me.
I growled at her as my fingers began strumming a familiar melody, betraying my hesitance to play.
You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset
She's going off about something that you said
She doesn't get your humor like I do
I'm
in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night
I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like
And
she'll never know your story like I do But she wears short
skirts, I wear t-shirts
She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming bout the day when you'll wake up and find
That
what you're lookin' for has been here the whole time
If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along so why can't you see?
You belong with me
You belong with me
Emily
smiled smugly at something, but I was too consumed by the song to
notice. I also failed to notice that I had gathered a rather large
audience.
Walkin the streets with you in your worn out jeans
I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be
Laughing on the park bench thinkin to myself
Hey isn't this easy?
And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town
I havent seen it in awhile, since she brought you down
You say you find I know you better than that
Hey,
What'cha doing with a girl like that?
She wears high heels, I wear sneakers
She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming bout the day when you'll wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time
If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along so why can't you see?
You belong with me
Standin by, waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know that?
You belong with me
You belong with me
Oh I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night
I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're about to cry
I know your favorite songs and you tell me about your dreams
I think I know where you belong. I think I know it's with me.
Can't you see that I'm the one who understand you?
Been here all along so why can't you see?
You belong with me
Standing by or waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know that
You belong with me
You belong with me
Have you ever thought just maybe
You belong with me
You belong with me
Sudden, thunderous applause startled me, causing me to jump and whirl around. Standing behind us was a group of about ten young men, all of which, were freaking HUGE!!! I mean, they were all at least 6'5", and ripped, but not in the gross way. They all looked sort of similar, in that they all had glossy, raven black hair, and glowing russet skin. They were all incredible handsome, but only one caught my eye.
Tall and lanky (and very handsome), he stood next to a girl whose features suggested that she was a relation, probably a sister. His lean body rippled with muscles, and he had the sweetest, warmest, chocolate brown eyes I had ever seen. I felt a sudden, intense pull toward him, like I could trust him with anything. I wanted to be near him.
But what really made the blush creep over my face was the look that he was giving me. His beautiful brown eyes were wide, and he had a look on his face like a goldfish out of water; like I was the last woman on earth, and he wanted nothing else in the world than to be with me. It should have made me uncomfortable, but oddly enough, I felt the same way.
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Woohoo. So she meets the pack (sorta). Please review, for the last time! I live for reviews!!!
-Piratemuffins