Part 38 (1/2)
We finished up just as Mrs. Amy came by and said h.e.l.lo.
Caleb drove us to a dark parking lot in the woods. I took my sweater off in the car and we piled out. As you came over the dunes you could see the red and orange bonfire lighting the sand and trees behind it. There were probably fifty people out there on the beach.
Beck jumped out of the car quickly, towing Ralph behind her. Caleb and I walked slowly hand in hand. I took my shoes off and put them in the pile along with a lot of other girls who hadn't worn appropriate sand shoes.
Quite a few people called out to Caleb and he waved or said h.e.l.lo, b.u.mped fists. A guy came and offered us drinks.
”I don't drink,” I said as he forced the slos.h.i.+ng warm beverage into my hand.
”It's just soda, cutie,” he said and winked before stumbling away.
I didn't know if he was joking or not but Caleb took the drink from me and threw it in a pa.s.sing trash can.
”I'll get us something we can drink in a minute,” he whispered as we walked over to the fire.
I wondered for just a second what his telling tone meant but forgot all about once I saw the crowd. They all turned to look at us when a guy yelled loudly to Caleb.
I felt my cheeks burn and was glad the red glow of the fire would hide it. And I swear there were a couple girls glaring at me, openly giving me dirty looks. I looked at them curiously as Caleb hugged a guy and b.u.mped backs with their fists.
”Hey, man. Glad you could make it.”
”Yeah. Thanks for the invite. Tristan, this is Maggie.”
”Hi,” I said softly.
”Hey, there.” He smiled widely. ”Caleb, dude, you been holding out. It's nice to meet you, Maggie. Any friend of Caleb is a friend of mine.” I smiled and he looked back to Caleb. ”Where you been, man? I haven't seen you in a while.”
Caleb nodded his head towards me.
”Maggie doesn't live here so I've been traveling back and forth.”
”I didn't think you were dating anyone. I told Ashley to come because you might be here.”
I silently groaned.
”Man, come on. I've told you before; I am not interested in Ashley, at all. Never was.”
”Caleb!” The Ashley in question crooned sweetly from behind us. She even came up to him and grabbed his arm. ”I'm so glad you're finally here. I've been waiting. It's so boring without you,” she whined.
She glanced at me and smiled unkindly. Caleb pulled from her grasp making her pout more p.r.o.nounced.
”We're gonna go get something to drink,” Caleb announced and pulled me by my hand.
Ashley called out behind us.
”I'll take a martini, dirty.”
He cast a rolling eyed look over his shoulder at her.
”Give in a rest.”
”Come see me once you take preschool home to meet curfew.”
He turned back to glare at her.
”Enough, Ashley. You really have to wonder why I never wanted to date you?”
She looked genuinely hurt and I wanted to feel sorry for her. Her look of hurt turned to snideness as she flipped us off before turning and almost tripping over a log. I laughed into Caleb's shoulder.
”Oh, no. Did she really just flip us off?”
”Yeah.” He didn't laugh though. ”I'm so sorry. I wish we hadn't come here, now. This isn't my scene, even though I come to them a lot because there's nothing else to do, but I thought Beck might have fun.”
”It's ok. I'm not worried about Ashley. I'm not worried about anything.” I hugged him around his middle, pressing my face to his chest. ”I'm gonna be with these people in a few weeks anyway, right? I better get used to it.”
”I guess. It's really making me look bad with my choice of friends.”
”I've only met two of them. Let's get a drink and then you can introduce me to anyone you want.”
”Really?” he asked curiously and looked down at me. ”I thought you'd hate this.”
”I kinda do,” I admitted laughing. ”But I want to like it.”
”I know I've probably said this twenty times already but...you are amazing.”
He cupped my face and kissed me with gentle pressure. I stuck my hands into his open jacket, grasping around his back for warmth and closeness. My lips tingled and it spread to my cheeks, then my neck. I pulled back before we got too carried away and licked my lips. I felt him sigh, his breath blowing across my face.
”Drink?”
”Yeah,” I answered in a squeak and looked up to see his smug smirk.
”Caleb!” I turned to see a very nice looking and very tall black guy strolling towards us with a wide easy grin. ”My brother from another mother! Man, where you been?”
They hugged and verbally jabbed back and forth; laughing, then Caleb took my hand.
”Maggie, this is Vic. Vic, this is Maggie. The girl I was telling you about.”
My gaze shot to him in surprise. I didn't know he'd told anyone about us, especially someone from school.
”Maggie, Maggie, Maggie,” Vic crooned and hugged me. ”I can't tell you how happy I am to meet you, girl. You know, my boy hasn't stopped talking about you.”
Twenty Two ”Vic, come on. We only talked like three times,” Caleb said and I could feel his embarra.s.sment and also his glee about this guy liking me.
This was his best friend, the friend he mentioned that day. He had an over p.r.o.nounced southern accent that was very cute. His hair was short and he had an earring in one ear. His sungla.s.ses were hanging from his polo s.h.i.+rt collar and he wasn't wearing shoes.
”Yeah and it was all about this girl, right here,” he shook his head, pointing at my above my head and laughed. ”I've been Caleb's friend for ten years and I've never seen him with a girl, not once. Not even prom, he just skipped it. The guy's a monk.”