Seasons.

I sat down on the lawn chair farther away from the people that were around me. I sipped on my lemonade looking at the pool. The water was still, but I thought about all of the chlorine in there. I don’t really like swimming in pools. It just weird’s me out thinking about all the chemicals swimming around me. I don’t know. It’s not always been my thing. That’s why I like swimming in lakes or seas better then pools.

I tapped my feet on the access water from earlier today. I looked up at the sky noticing that the sun was going away, which made me smile. “What are you smiling about?” Someone asked. I looked over to see Stephen looking at me with a drink in his hand. He took a seat down beside me and waited for an answer.

“I’m smiling because the sun is going away,” I replied. “I’m not a big fan of it.”

“Why don’t you just move to Canada or something?” He asked with a laugh.

“I just might,” I laughed. “Want to come?”

“Dude!” He exclaimed. “Free health care? The C.N. Tower? Count me in.”

“Cool.” I nodded. “When do you think we should leave for our adventure?”

“As soon as possible. . .” Stephen smiled. “It’s fucking Canada!”

It went to silence, and I looked over Stephens head looking at everyone else. My dad was making some burgers on the barbeque and everyone was sitting down eating. Laughing and talking away. This was what I liked. This was something that I’ve been looking for. People that just want to have a good time and be happy. Instead of sitting at home with Carson every night crying for various reasons. This was a lot better.

“So how’s your night going Stephen?” I asked him.

“It’s going pretty good,” He nodded. “your dads cooking is the best. I just wish that Hannah would talk to me more. I mean, I can tell she’s shy and all. But I thought I was pretty shy, she’s way more shy then I am. And I didn’t even know that was possible.”

“Well, she seems like a nice girl.” I looked at her with his knees pushed up against her chest as she drank out of her cup. “She just needs some time to adjust to you, but I bet she will soon. You’re a good guy Stephen. You deserve someone good.”

“Thanks.” He smiled. “I haven’t heard something sweet like that from someone in a long time. You’re a real cool person Jordan. I’m glad that you decided to come up here this summer. It may be long but it’s going to be fun.”

“I’m glad,” I replied. “I really needed to get away from all that stuff. But I’m glad you guys are chill. If you guys were fucking stuck up idiots, I would just have to keep on driving until I found somewhere where I belonged.”

“Well,” Stephen smiled with a shrug. “I think you belong here. But, that’s just me.”

I smiled pulling Stephen into a hug. I pulled away, looking at him. “Thanks Stephen.”

He smiled and pulled me into another hug. “No problem.”

Stephen reminded me a lot of Carson. He was someone that would be there and never let you down. He’s someone that can give you advice in your hardest times, and even thought I’ve only known him for awhile, I can tell that me and him are going to get along great. He was just more of a girl then Carson was. Carson was more of a man then Stephen. But that’s to no offence to Stephen. I’m not calling him a girl or anything, he just has more of the girl side to him that some guys have.

“So, did you hear?” Stephen looked at me with a seductive look.

I raised my eyebrow. “Did I hear what?”

“I hear that John has the hots for you.” He looked at me. “I know, I know. It might sound weird because John is an idiot immature kid, but I still love him. He’s a good kid and it’s not often that he gets a crush. I haven’t seen him have a crush in the longest time.”

“Why would he have a crush on me though?” I asked. “And I’m not saying that to be the depressed loner kid that thinks no one likes her. I mean, I believe there could be guys out there that actually like me, but I’d never see it being John. I mean I’ve never even hung out with him alone or anything. Hell, I’ve only known him for the past couple of days.”

“I don’t know.” Stephen shrugged. “I mean, I can admit that I like, or crush on Hannah. And I only met her this afternoon. And did you see Carson when he laid eyes on Jess? I mean he went insane. Y’know, anything can happen. Just don’t doubt it because it’s you.”

“Yeah, I know.” I replied. “But, I do - Awe! You like Hannah?”

“Dude, we went over the whole thing about her being shy and me trying to talk to her all day and stuff like that right?” He replied. “I thought that would have sent some sort of signal to you or something.”

“I guess I missed it.” I giggled. “Sorry, I’m an idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot.” He replied. “But anyways back to John. I know that he hasn’t asked to hang out with you alone yet or anything, but I think it’s because he likes to be play badass. He likes to be the guy that has girls who like him all the time but never has a girlfriend. I don’t know how he pulls it off, but he does.”

I looked over Stephen one more time at everyone else. John standing there in his black wife beater and black short shorts. He laughed at Josh for probably saying something completely stupid. I never noticed how cute John was though until now, and it was from a distant. His curly brown hair and his smile that could make any girl swoon. I sighed looking back over to Stephen. “Still, there’s no way that he could like me!”

“Shut up!” Stephen sighed. “If he didn’t like you then why did he come to me today and ask me if he should take you up to the mountains to watch the meteor shower tonight?”

“I thought we were all going to watch it from the roof though?” I asked Stephen.

“Yeah, well that’s what I thought too.” Stephen replied. “But then John came up with this idea and when he told me, I couldn’t really complain. I mean, you need to get someone into your life. I know it may seem fast since you had a crush on that dirt bag asshole from your school, but moving on, and finding someone genuine quick usually works. That’s why I’m trying my best with Hannah.”

“So he’s really going to ask me?” I asked Stephen. “You’re not just being an asshole and trying to get me all excited for nothing?”

“Do I seem like an asshole?” Stephen asked.

“No.” I replied.

“Then there you go.” He smirked.

“You guys!” Carson called from over where the rest of everyone was sitting. “Your food is going to get cold. If you’d rather sit by the pool talking about gay things all night that’s fine with me. But, can I have your food if you’re going to?”

“Shut up Carson!” I yelled back to him. “We’re coming to get our food. Don’t touch it!”

-

I chucked the paper plate in the garbage bag that was on the back of one of the chairs. I whipped my hands off with a napkin and put it in there too. Taylor was right, my dad is a mean cook. I turned around to see Jess standing there in front of me. She looked worried. “Can I talk to you inside?” She asked me. “In private?”

I nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

I turned around following Jess into the house. Taylor and Josh walked out of the house with Ali walking closely behind them. Jess didn’t even look at them though. No smile, or no “Hey, what’s up?” She just kept walking into the house with her head down. Taylor looked at me weird, with a confused look on his face.

“What’s wrong with her?” He asked.

I shrugged. “I have no idea.”

Ali looked at both me and Jess with a sly smile on her face. I bit my lip, my eyebrows buried together looking at her. But she just looked away like nothing was going on, but that made think that something was even more. I just kept following Jess into the house as she kept walking faster and faster.

I walked into the sliding doors and into the kitchen, where no one was. We walked through the kitchen and down the hallway into the living room area. We looked into the living room noticing that my dad was watching T.V. and having a beer, so we both walked out of the room quietly.

Jess opened the door for the basement and began walking down the stairs, so all I could do was follow her down the stairs. I walked into the dark basement and Jess flicked on a light. I walked down the hallway, still trying to keep up with Jess but she was walking really fast. Before I knew it she disappeared into my room. I turned the left and walked into my room to see Jess walking around my room looking at the ceiling.

I raised my eyebrow walking over to my bed and sitting down. I would wait for her to say something because I didn’t want her to get pissed off if I said something wrong. I tapped my hands on my lap as I waited for something to come out of her mouth. She stopped walking around and put her hands on her hips and looked at me.

“He fucking kissed her!” She said loudly. “Or she kissed him. Or, I don’t know! But they kissed Jordan! They fucking kissed right there in front of me and Josh.”

“I don’t really pick up on this.” I replied. “Who kissed who and when?”

“Carson. . .” She sighed looking at the floor. “He kissed Ali! Dude, he’s only known her for a day and it’s like she threw herself right on top of him, which was sort of true. He was sitting down having a conversation with Josh and I and she just fucking sits down in his lap like it’s a massage chair or something.”

“And she just kissed him?” I asked. “Or did he kiss her?”

“I don’t know!” Jess exclaimed. “All I know is that they kissed right in front of me, and they didn’t even do anything. Well, I know Ali wouldn’t because I put the slut name all over her the first moment I met her. But Carson didn’t do anything. I thought he was better then that.”

“I thought he was too.” I agreed. “So you do like Carson?”

“Shut up. . .” Jess sighed looking away from me like she didn’t like him, but it was obvious. I really did not get the whole thing here. I was more of a get to know the person before you begin to like them. But, here it’s a different story. They like or crush on someone at first conversation. It’s weird for me to be put in these situations. But I guess I’ll learn something from it.

“I don’t really like her either.” I replied. “I mean I like Hannah, because she doesn’t talk, and she doesn’t sit on guys laps to increase a boner and plant her lips on him like her teddy bear in the second grade. And besides Stephen really has a thing for her, so I can’t hate her. Stephen is really confident about this.”

“I wish I was confident about me actually beginning to think that I liked Carson.” Jess looked at me, walking over to my bed to sit down beside me. “Well, I don’t know if I’d take it as far as liking, but crushing. I mean he’s nice and cute and funny. And not stupid annoying funny like Brian. Just good refreshing funny.”

“Well, I think there is something we need to do about this Ali girl.” I looked at Jess. “I don’t know what we’re going to do, but I can’t have my best friend letting this girl he doesn’t even know throwing herself all over him. I’d much rather have you throwing yourself all over him.”

“He’ll never like me though.” Jess shook her head. “I’ve always been one of the guys and I always will be. I mean after shows guys always come up to me and give me bro hugs and tell me how insane my drumming was and that we should party some time. But I don’t want that. I want someone to care about me, and like me for me. And to treat me like a girl, not one of the guys that they can watch sports and drink beer with. I want to mean so much more then that.”

I looked at the blanket on my bed. “Yeah, that’s exactly what I thought when Stephen told me that John likes me and when he’s going to ask me to go to the mountains with him tonight to watch the meteor shower with him.”

“Really?” Jess asked. “I knew he had a thing for you.”

“Dude, you need to shut up.” I told her. “We’re worrying about you right now. I think I need to talk to Carson about some things because he’s usually not like this.”

“Yeah.” Jess agreed. “And we need to get rid of that whore too.”