"We could keep things just the same
Leave here the way we came
with nothing to lose
But I don't want to, if you don't want to

I got your ring around my neck
and a couple of nights I don't regret
You've got a dream of a degree and a shirt that smells like me…"

Chapter 6: A Shirt That Smells Like Me

It had been over a month since our little incident and it had been scarcely mentioned between us. Gordo was going to be leaving for school in a matter of weeks.

He was following his dreams of becoming a director and going up to school three weeks early for a summer program. His films from high school were outstanding and I wasn't surprised when he told me about this summer program and I wasn't surprised when he told me he had been accepted.

Gordo scored highly on his SATs and ACTs. He did well on the entrance exam and was now leaving, with my heart to attend NYU.

It was near the end of July when Gordo, Miranda and I decided to go to the lake for one last hurrah. Miranda had no idea what had taken place there a few months previous.

She had decided to bring her boyfriend John along because they had been inseparable over the last few months. I liked John. He was goofy and quirky. He had light brown hair that was cut short and big green eyes. Gordo and John had become quick friends.

We all piled into Gordo's pick-up truck. The girls were stuck in the back because the guys had claimed that our legs were shorter. We had two coolers stacked in the truck bed, some duffle bags, and a few plastic bags stuffed with food- food other than bologna sandwiches.

Miranda and I were bopping to the music as my bikini ties dug into my neck.

"I haven't been to the lake in so long. Have you been there at all this summer Gordo?" Miranda asked.

I froze. Oh no!

"Um my dad and I came up for one night a few weeks ago but other than that I haven't been out on the boat in a while." He met my eyes in the rearview mirror.

"This should be fun." I added to the conversation.

"John brought his inner-tubes so we could go tubing! I haven't been tubing in ages."

"Me either."

Soon we arrived at the cabin. The sun was hot against my bare skin as I helped take things inside. It was nice to see everything in the daylight because the sun gave away the true beauty of the scenery. Not that the moonlight wasn't nice. The water looked clear and clean and the summer breeze rustled the tree leaves.

"It's beautiful out here, Gordo." I said as he passed me. He turned.

"I know. And you look really nice today."

I felt my cheeks redden. "Thanks."

We set the boat up again and took it out into the open water. There were a ton of people out compared to nighttime around here. We pushed the tubes off the boat before Gordo picked up speed and Miranda and I hopped into them.

Gordo sped up and the water began spraying fiercely in my face. I was drenched in a matter of seconds.

"You ready for your first turn?" Gordo yelled out.

"Yeah!" Miranda screamed as I held onto the handles for dear life.

With that, Gordo whipped us around a turn, and the vice grip I had on the handles loosened as I went flying off and smacked straight into the water butt-first. It felt like someone gave me one hard smack on the bottom and I yelped in pain.

There I was, bobbing in the water, rubbing my stinging butt-cheek, and waiting for them to pick me up.

The boat soon came back around and slowed next to me.

"You alright, McGuire?" John asked as he helped me into the boat.

"I don't think I'll be able to sit for a week." I groaned.

Gordo and John laughed at me. "I'm going to get Sanchez to fall off. Watch this..." He pressed his foot on the gas and the boat began to speed up. "Here we go!" He yelled as water sprayed up at us.

Gordo eventually got Miranda to fall off.

"Took you long enough, Gordon." She said smugly as she climbed into the boat.

"Poor Lizzie lasted like two minutes." Gordo replied.

"Hey, I wasn't ready for that turn!" I yelled in my defense.

"Yeah, yeah McGuire." Gordo said smiling at me.

The sun soon began to droop in the sky and we made our way back to the cabin. Miranda and I ran into the bedroom to change out of our wet clothes as the boys started a fire.

"Lizzie do you think Gordo would be offended if John and I took the bed?" She asked me with a worried look in her eyes.

"I'm not sure Randa, you'll have to ask him." I said pulling on my favorite worn-in jeans, and an old sweatshirt that I always wore.

"You won't mind sleeping out on the couches with Gordo will you?"

"No, why would I?" I nervously laughed.

She shrugged. "I just didn't know. And another thing I didn't know…Gordo has muscles?" She shrieked quietly.

"Yeah he does." I said knowingly.

"I'm really surprised no girl has snagged him."

"Well with him going to NY and all he probably doesn't want to start a relationship." I whispered.

"Well, he isn't going to be single very long in NY." She said grabbing her shoes and walking out the door. "I'll see you out there." She slipped out.

I sat there for a second. I hadn't even thought of how I would react if Gordo came back with a new girl. That night had to mean something! If it didn't mean anything than we should be able to mention it freely amongst ourselves. My stomach knotted when I thought of Gordo coming home holding the hand of a skinny brunette. I was going to go nuts if I didn't tell him how I felt about that night and most importantly, how I feel about him.

I sighed and walked out.

The three of them were sitting in chairs around the fire as the last bit of sun was fading through the trees. Gordo was roasting marshmallows and Miranda was eating the chocolate. She didn't like s'mores.

"I could do this all day and night." Miranda said, sitting back against the cool plastic of the chair and closing her eyes.

"Me too." John replied touching her arm.

"I thought you for sure wouldn't be a camper, Sanchez." Gordo joked, throwing a piece of graham cracker at her.

She batted it away. "How long have you known me, Gordo?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you have become girly in your old age." Gordo smirked.

"So have you." She smiled sardonically back.

Gordo gave her a dirty look.

We listened to the crackling of the fire as the sun went down leaving us basking in firelight. Gordo and I roasted the last of the marshmallows as Miranda yawned.

"Hey, Gordo." She said tiredly.

"Yeah." He said quietly.

"Can John and I sleep in the bed?" I could her the caution in her voice.

"Uh, well yeah but please don't dirty my sheets." He smirked.

"Shut up Gordon!" She squealed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm going to sleep." John stood and followed her leaving Gordo and I in complete silence.

"So, Liz any idea about college yet?" Gordo asked, the fire illuminating his face.

"I'll decide in a little while. I do like UCLA but I don't know what I'd want to go for. Not everyone can be as lucky and know what they want to do like you." I joked but he didn't laugh.

"Liz, I'm really going to miss you." He wasn't making eye contact with me.

"I'm going to miss you too Gordo." I replied quietly as every muscle in my body tensed.

He stood from his chair and sat next to me. "I've wanted to give you this for a while." He dug in his jean pocket and pulled out a chain with a ring dangling from it. "It's my class ring. I guess I just want you to have it and whenever you wear it think about this great summer. Our last summer of innocence." I took it from him and fingered the blue stone that shined against the fire.

"That's really sweet Gordo." I reached to hug him and as we broke apart I wanted to kiss him and tell him not to leave but instead, I asked him to put the necklace on me. I swept my hair up so he could find the chain. His fingertips grazed my neck and I felt the hairs stand on end. I turned to face him.

"Gordo, here." I took the sweatshirt I had put on, off my back and handed to him.

"What's this for?" He asked, holding it in his hands.

"So you'll remember this summer." I smiled as he put it over his head.

"It smells good." He said.

"It does?" I asked knowing it probably smelled like lake or something.

"Yeah, it smells like you."