Reverse This Curse

“This is the third fucking hole you guys dug! Are you sure this is the right spot?” Farrah asked, kicking a rock with the tip of her shoe. I sat beside her on the gate, watching as Ronnie dug the hole.
“Shut up Farrah. It’s not my fucking fault the flower we planted to mark it died,” Ronnie scooped out another load of dirt.
I flicked a pebble at him, hitting his back. “Stop being an ass just cause you’re irritated. Apologize to Farrah or you get no sex for a week, regardless of what the letter says.”
“Sorry Farrah,” Ronnie sighed.
Max laughed, “Dude you are so whipped.”
Ronnie shoved the shovel at Max, “Shut the hell up and dig. It’s you’re turn.” He made his way over to Farrah and I and stood between my legs, stealing my water bottle from my hand. He drank a majority of it before screwing the lid back on. “Are you sure we can’t use a metal detector?”
”Where would be fun in that?” Farrah asked, watching her shirtless boyfriend shovel out dirt. “Besides, there isn’t any metal. We put it in a Tupperware, remember?”
“Fuck,” Ronnie muttered under his breath. He grabbed his discarded shirt from beside me and wiped the perspiration from his face. It was a hot day today in California; the boys had abandoned their shirts after the first five minutes of digging. Farrah and I had resorted to going into the house and changing out of our jeans and t-shirts to a bikini top and shorts.
“Can you call your mom and check on the girls?” Ronnie asked Farrah. It was cute how much he worried about Lori.
“Dude, no.” Farrah answered.
“Cara’s been watching the girls since they were born, babe. She knows how to take care of them.” I explained, planting a short kiss to his lips.
Ronnie sighed dramatically, “I know. Don’t forget we need to go by Dad’s tonight. He’s been waiting to meet Haydee since I told him.” He smiled happily.
“Crap. That reminds me...” Farrah said. “Max, when are we going by you’re parent’s house?”
“Tomorrow morning,” he panted as he shoveled the dirt back into the hole. Evidently it wasn’t in that one either. He stood up straight after putting the last bit of earth back in its spot. “Fuck it. I can’t find it anywhere.”

”Hello there,” An elderly lady I recognized as the neighbor said as she walked with her tiny poodle.
“Hi, Mrs. Cruz.” Farrah and I said. Max and Ronnie didn’t know her by name.
“Beautiful day we are having, isn’t it?” She stopped walking a few feet in front of us.
Ronnie looked at her like she was out of her mind (which she probably was. She was never really the sanest person), “If you say so…”
“Well, what are you kids doing?” She clicked her tongue at the mess we were making.
“We buried a time capsule here a few years ago; we’re just trying to find it again.” Farrah explained.
“Oh dear.” Mrs. Cruz patted her hair, almost choking the dog in the process. “Well, you won’t find it there.”
I frowned, “What do you mean?”
”Well you see, Mr. Fluffykins here… well you see he got loose one day. And well,” I cringed at her overuse of the word ‘well’. “Next thing I knew he was over here. Well, he dug up your poor box before I could stop him.”
My face fell, as well as my friends.
“Do you know where it is now?” Max asked, trying to be as polite as someone who just spent the past two hours digging for a box that wasn’t even there, could be.
“Well of course, silly!” Her jingly laughter sang through the air. “When Mr. Fluffykins brought it home it was so horribly chewed up and broken.”
“Are you fucking serious?” Max exclaimed, dropping the shovel.
“Oh my,” Mrs. Cruz patted her chest, not used to people cussing around her. “Well, young man. I would not kid about this.”
”As I was saying….” She glared at Max. “Well, I put it in a box and brought it over here. It’s in the living room I do believe.”

I looked over at Farrah and we had the same look painted on our face; ‘What the fuck?!’.
“Well, thank you Mrs. Cruz.” Farrah said, anxious to get in the house and find the damn box.
“Oh dear, it was no problem at all! You enjoy your day.”
“You too.” I told her, hopping off the fence.
She gave a small finger wave and instructed her dog to walk, and they were on their way.
We all bolted into the house, pausing for only a moment to enjoy the air conditioning before looking around for the box carrying prized memories.
“Found it!” Farrah called out, holding up a dusty cardboard box with the Amazon logo stamped on it.
We all made out way to around the coffee table and sat; I sat beside Ronnie, our hands laced between us.
Farrah tore open the cardboard and pulled out the chewed up Tupperware. She wasn’t kidding when she said it was messed up. We’re lucky that the contents were still intact. She reached in and pulled out a medium sized manila envelope, shaking the dirt off of it. It was silent as she unwound the string and pulled out four separate standard envelopes. She set an envelope in front of the correct recipient before grabbing the rest of the contents and did the same. A ring, a hair bow, a picture, and a drawing sat between Max and Farrah. Between me and Ronnie sat the Batman shirt I was wearing all those years ago when Ronnie came into my room, a picture of the two of us, and a lock of my hair Ronnie had taken.
“Ready?” I asked excitedly. I couldn’t wait to read what Ronnie wrote me.
“Yep.”
Ronnie squeezed my hand before bringing it up to his lips and planting a kiss to it. I sent him a smile before unlacing our fingers and getting to work on opening the letter. I slid my finger under the edge and tore the paper across, revealing the thick bundle of folded papers. There were several squares of folded paper so I dumped them directly onto the table, looking at the two separate letters before me. I looked at Ronnie, wondering which letter I was supposed to open first. He was reading my letter, smiling that cute lopsided grin that stole my heart. When he finished he turned to me, grabbing my face and capturing my lips with his own. A shiver ran down my spine moments later when he broke the kiss and laid his forehead against mine.
“I love you,” he said in barely a whisper, staring into my eyes.
”I love you too,” I told him, kissing him lightly.
“Have you read yours yet?” he asked.
“Not yet. I didn’t know which to read first.” I admitted. He pulled away and looked down at the letters. He studied them for a few moments, remember the contents of each. He picked one up and handed it to me.
I glanced over to see Farrah and Max kissing, Max holding a piece of paper in his hand as he placed tender kisses to her lips. I smiled, happy for my two friends. I’m glad my best friend can be happy once again. I know she was content with Craig, maybe even happy. But he wasn’t Max. She never looked as happy and content as she did when she was with him.
I unfolded the letter and started reading it.


Haydee,

I don’t know what to say really, but I’ll try my best.
Haydee I want you to know that I am head over heels in love with you. To be honest, I didn’t think I would be. When I first met you, it was more about the chase. You were so different than all the girls I had been with. You didn’t give into my wants; you made me work for it. And before I knew it, I was falling for you. You’ve changed me so much from the guy who used girls like tissues.

Because I’m not a fortune teller I prepared for all sorts of circumstances.

If we’re still together:

Look into my eyes - you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart - search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
I smiled, singing the old Bryan Adams song in my head. I leaned into Ronnie and continued to read.


If I broke your heart:

please forgive me - I know not what I do
please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you
don't deny me - this pain I'm going through
please forgive me - if I need ya like I do
please believe me - every word I say is true
please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you

still feels like our best times are together
feels like the first touch
we're still gettin' closer baby
can't get close enough
I'm still holdin' on - you're still number one
I remember the smell of your skin
I remember everything
I remember all your moves - I remember you
I remember the nights - ya know I still do

so if you're feelin' lonely..don't
you're the only one I'd ever want
I only wanna make it good
so if I love ya a little more than I should
I felt my eyes water and I coughed, trying to hide that fact. “What was up with you and Bryan Adams?” I laughed lightly.
I didn’t wait for his answer before I went back to reading.


Haydee, you know I’m not one for writing love songs…
But I’d write you a thousand just to keep you with me until the day I die.

Love,

Ronnie.

I turned around and looked at Ronnie to see his embarrassed smile looking back down at me. “Did you like it?”
“I loved it.” I told him, reaching up enough to feel his soft lips against my own. I reached down to grab the other paper but Ronnie grabbed it before me.
“You can’t read this one till tonight. When we’re alone,” He smiled. “I wasn’t kidding when I said that what I wrote would make you want to jump my bones where we stand.”
”Can’t wait.”
I kissed his cheek and held my letter out to a teary eyed Farrah.
She grabbed it from me and handed me her letter.

I ignored the comments coming from the boys about how it wasn’t fair that we were reading personal letters and began reading.

Dear Farrah.

Every girl until you, has been acquired in a frenzy of lust and status. I used to be the guy who needed to be popular and have every girl possible. I didn't care for love because I never knew how it felt to be in love. It was like I was missing something, as lame as that sounds haha. Then I met you. I thought you were perfect, every single last thing about you. Your eyes, your lips, your smile, your laugh, your ears, your nose, and that cute little birth mark you have on your left elbow. All the time spent with you has made me a better person; it's changed my outlook on life, and my future. Being with you has taught me so many things about myself as well. Every minute spent with you brightens up my day, when i'm in a shitty mood you know how to make me smile, and laugh. I seriously don't know how I've overlooked you for so many years. It's ridiculous; I mean I’m pretty sure I would've noticed someone like you, loud with an idgaf attitude. As cheesy as this sounds, you complete me. Ha ha i really hope you'll be able to read my hand writing. I hope that years from now we'll be together, with a family of our own. I love you with every ounce of my being. I want to marry you Farrah. :D

Your Dork, Maxwell Scott Green.

“Awwww!” Farrah and I coo’d in unison at the end of reading.
“Who knew Ronnie was such a softie!” Farrah reached across the table and pinched his cheeks. Ronnie pushed her hand away, “Oh shove it, Farrah.”

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Farrah and I sat at the dock the next day, our feet dipped into the water as we watched the surfers in the water. I rested my head on Farrah’s shoulder. “Rah Rah, sometimes I feel like all of this is just a dream. That I’m going to wake up over at your house and you’re going to harass me about being late for school again.” I chuckled.
”I know what you mean. Hei Def” Farrah leaned her head against mine. “And when we go to school we’ll see Ashlee and her crew hanging all over Ronnie and Max again. And we’ll do some insane prank on them.”
”Good times,” I mused, remembering the gym shirt incident.
“It’s weird to think that it’s been four years since then.” Farrah kicked at the water, scaring a tiny fish away.

“You guys ready to go?” Ronnie called out from the other end of the dock, Max beside him.
“Hurry up! Mom and Dad are expecting us!” Max said to Farrah, a smile adorning his baby face.
We had to postpone our plans due to the fact that none of us wanted to drive home last night. We were going to Ronnie’s dad’s place as soon as we picked Lori from Cara’s. Farrah and Max were heading to his parent’s house.
I stood up, helping Farrah up. “Let’s go, biotch.”
“Carry me there, ho.” Farrah insisted.
I laughed, “Whatever. Get on.” With that Farrah jumped onto my back.
I walked towards our boyfriends, carrying my best friend of sixteen years on my back to go see our children.

If I could have any wish granted, it would be that we could stay like this forever.