Sand in Your Shoes
SUMMER IS A BUMMER;
My duffel bag was stuffed and next to the door. I could hear Marie’s soft snoring was a background to the sound of my own brain reeling. I couldn’t help but think of everything that could possibly go wrong in the four days to come. I grabbed my wallet and realized that I would need more money, because these things cost money. I slipped out the door, checking the time, 11:43. I walked down to the lobby and across the street to the M&T bank.
I shoved my ATM card into the slot and waited for the beep to open the door. The rest of the bank was dark, the desks lingering while the ATM area was lit brightly, the fake lights hurting my eyes.
“Penny?” a familiar voice asked.
I squinted and saw John.
“Hey… John,” I said awkwardly. I walked to the ATM next to him, smiling softly and pressing buttons.
“So, what’s up?” he turned, so that his full attention as on me.
“Just getting money,” I giggled, “That’s usually what you do at an ATM.” I pressed the button for 200 dollars as John laughed at me. It felt kind of awkward with him breathing over my shoulder. His hand was suddenly on my back and I got tense. “Umm… listen, I got to go. I’ll see you later, have a nice night.”
“Wait,” he said, his hand still on my shoulder. I turned back towards him. I knew that look in his eyes, it was the same one that he gave me at the party a couple of weeks ago.
“No, John,” I paused, “I really have to go.”
“At 12 o’clock at night?”
“Shit, its 12?”
He took a glance at his watch. “Yeah, 12:08.”
“Fucking shit! Listen, I really really have to go now.” And with that, I was out the door andrunning darting towards the condos. Up the stairs, across the lobby, up some more stairs and into the hallway. Kennedy sat across from my room, his head in his hands, his phone casually placed next to him.
“Kennedy, I’m so sorry, I went to the bank for some cash and John was there and I didn’t realize how quickly the time went by,” I rushed out all in a breath.
“You didn’t tell him anything, right?”
“No, course not.”
Kennedy nodded and sat up, a smile reappearing on his face. “Good. Shall we?”
I nodded, opening the door slowly, grabbing my duffel bag, and checking the note that I had left for Marie. I then locked the door and walked happily beside Kennedy out to the car.
“I can’t believe we are actually doing this.”
“Why?”
“It seems so crazy, outlandish, immature."
“Screw maturity.”
( & )
“Can you tell me why you have been so-oo-whoa sad?” Kennedy and I sang, death cab for cutie gently playing throughout the entire car. The California breeze filled the window and the hot summer air added to the effect. The clock read 3:23 and we had just reached LA.
“Do you want to stop here?” I said, pointing at the Holiday Inn a few miles ahead. Kennedy’s face was soft as he nodded. I have these urges sometimes and this time, it was to just feel his face on my fingertips. I know that it sounds a bit crazy and irrational since I clearly specified about us being ‘friends’, but I really ached for his skin. I must have self control when I start to think of these things.
We walked side by side to the lobby, where a small woman stood at the front desk, looking professional. Kennedy booked us a room as I stared out at the grey-ish sky. The trees shook gently in the night wind and I wanted to run around outside and just feel free.
The walk to the room was quiet and I realized that we had barely talked during the drive. We just sang and sang and sang. We belted our hearts out like our lives depended on it, because there was no one there to judge us. I held my bag and watched as Kennedy slipped the key and let me in. The two beds were calling for us and I threw my bag down and flopped onto one.
“Oh god yes,” I moaned, clinging to the covers in sheer enjoyment of the bed. I smiled as my body melted into a puddle of tired. “I want to go to bed now.” Kennedy nodded and smiled.
“Okay.”
I stood up, walked lazily to my bag and then grabbed some pajamas. I changed in the bathroom and brushed my teeth. After a few moments of adjusting my soffe shorts and tank top, I finally walked out.
“G’nite, Kennedy. Sweet roadtrip dreams,” I leaned into his body, engulfing his scent. His arms lifted up and wrapped around my waist, resting right above the bend of my lower back. The urge came back and I gently dragged my fingers against the coarse skin on his jaw line.
“Night, Penny,” Kennedy smiled, kissing me quickly on the lips. It was one of those friendly kisses, like ones that you give your best friend or mom. But I hoped that it would last longer. I realized the awkwardness of our position after a moment or two and let my arms fall limp. I smiled to assure that I was okay and walked towards my bed, lying down and drifting off to sleep.
I cannot even imagine what tomorrow will bring.
I shoved my ATM card into the slot and waited for the beep to open the door. The rest of the bank was dark, the desks lingering while the ATM area was lit brightly, the fake lights hurting my eyes.
“Penny?” a familiar voice asked.
I squinted and saw John.
“Hey… John,” I said awkwardly. I walked to the ATM next to him, smiling softly and pressing buttons.
“So, what’s up?” he turned, so that his full attention as on me.
“Just getting money,” I giggled, “That’s usually what you do at an ATM.” I pressed the button for 200 dollars as John laughed at me. It felt kind of awkward with him breathing over my shoulder. His hand was suddenly on my back and I got tense. “Umm… listen, I got to go. I’ll see you later, have a nice night.”
“Wait,” he said, his hand still on my shoulder. I turned back towards him. I knew that look in his eyes, it was the same one that he gave me at the party a couple of weeks ago.
“No, John,” I paused, “I really have to go.”
“At 12 o’clock at night?”
“Shit, its 12?”
He took a glance at his watch. “Yeah, 12:08.”
“Fucking shit! Listen, I really really have to go now.” And with that, I was out the door andrunning darting towards the condos. Up the stairs, across the lobby, up some more stairs and into the hallway. Kennedy sat across from my room, his head in his hands, his phone casually placed next to him.
“Kennedy, I’m so sorry, I went to the bank for some cash and John was there and I didn’t realize how quickly the time went by,” I rushed out all in a breath.
“You didn’t tell him anything, right?”
“No, course not.”
Kennedy nodded and sat up, a smile reappearing on his face. “Good. Shall we?”
I nodded, opening the door slowly, grabbing my duffel bag, and checking the note that I had left for Marie. I then locked the door and walked happily beside Kennedy out to the car.
“I can’t believe we are actually doing this.”
“Why?”
“It seems so crazy, outlandish, immature."
“Screw maturity.”
( & )
“Can you tell me why you have been so-oo-whoa sad?” Kennedy and I sang, death cab for cutie gently playing throughout the entire car. The California breeze filled the window and the hot summer air added to the effect. The clock read 3:23 and we had just reached LA.
“Do you want to stop here?” I said, pointing at the Holiday Inn a few miles ahead. Kennedy’s face was soft as he nodded. I have these urges sometimes and this time, it was to just feel his face on my fingertips. I know that it sounds a bit crazy and irrational since I clearly specified about us being ‘friends’, but I really ached for his skin. I must have self control when I start to think of these things.
We walked side by side to the lobby, where a small woman stood at the front desk, looking professional. Kennedy booked us a room as I stared out at the grey-ish sky. The trees shook gently in the night wind and I wanted to run around outside and just feel free.
The walk to the room was quiet and I realized that we had barely talked during the drive. We just sang and sang and sang. We belted our hearts out like our lives depended on it, because there was no one there to judge us. I held my bag and watched as Kennedy slipped the key and let me in. The two beds were calling for us and I threw my bag down and flopped onto one.
“Oh god yes,” I moaned, clinging to the covers in sheer enjoyment of the bed. I smiled as my body melted into a puddle of tired. “I want to go to bed now.” Kennedy nodded and smiled.
“Okay.”
I stood up, walked lazily to my bag and then grabbed some pajamas. I changed in the bathroom and brushed my teeth. After a few moments of adjusting my soffe shorts and tank top, I finally walked out.
“G’nite, Kennedy. Sweet roadtrip dreams,” I leaned into his body, engulfing his scent. His arms lifted up and wrapped around my waist, resting right above the bend of my lower back. The urge came back and I gently dragged my fingers against the coarse skin on his jaw line.
“Night, Penny,” Kennedy smiled, kissing me quickly on the lips. It was one of those friendly kisses, like ones that you give your best friend or mom. But I hoped that it would last longer. I realized the awkwardness of our position after a moment or two and let my arms fall limp. I smiled to assure that I was okay and walked towards my bed, lying down and drifting off to sleep.
I cannot even imagine what tomorrow will bring.
♠ ♠ ♠
didnt check for mistakes.;]