Same Guy

The fire burned rapidly down by the lake as teenagers mingled, red cups in hand. There was laughter coming from every direction almost flowing with the gusts of wind. The smell of alcohol & cigarettes almost comforted Caitlin, bringing her back to the previous summer. Her green eyes roamed the crowd searching for the keg as Meli disappeared off into the distance.

"Caitlin" Jared's voice rang through her ears causing her to turn around before he immediately engulfed her in a extra tight hug. "I wasn't sure if you were going to show." He said smiling into her neck before releasing her.

"I couldn't miss this." She said with a smile, for the obvious reason being it would be the last time she'd see a lot of her fellow classmates & friends. "So what is there to drink?" she asked curiously.

"I brought a bottle of Jager & few red bulls if you're down for some Jager bombs." He said with a smile unzipping his maroon back pack stuffed full of the essentials including his own plastic cups & shot glasses.

"Please, like you even have to ask." She said with a chuckle. The sweet scent of Jager & Red bull swirled around her, making her think of one person... Jordan. She mentally smacked herself for letting him creep into her mind before ditching the red bull & starting on straight shots of Jager. Anything to make her forget about him, she could feel the alcohol taking over her just like so many times before & she liked it.

"You should slow down." the Staal boy next to her suggested before she pushed her shot glass back into his hand letting him know she wanted a refill.

"Last one" she slurred reassuring Jared before he handed her a shot of Jager, he was right it was time for her to ease up... if she kept on going at the rate she was she would either be passed out in her own puke in an hour or having sex with someone she hated. "I'm going to find Meli, I'll be right back." She said before standing up & just about falling back over.

"She's right over there" He said informing her as he pointed pass the fire. "Do you need help?" He asked kindly.

"Nope I see her, thanks." She said laughing for no reason as she stumbled through the people gathered around the fire, dancing & having fun. "MELI" She screamed excitedly hugging her best friend.

"Somebodies feeling great right now." She said laughing at Caitlin. "I guess that means it's time to switch to beer?" She wondered.

"You know me like the back of your hand." Caitlin slurred her words with a smile, it was something she always did. She started off drinking liquor & when she hit the spot where she felt just right she'd switch to beer to keep her buzz from fading & her mouth from becoming dry.

"Let's go I'll help you get a beer." She smiled before dragging Caitlin behind her & towards the tree that the keg sat under. The tree that Caitlin had her first kiss under. As she stood waiting for her friend to fill her a cup of beer she tilted her head back looking up at the stars that she could see through the tree branches & at that moment no amount of alcohol could keep her mind from going back to that very day.



"What are you thinking about?" a 16 year old Jordan asked breaking the silence as he propped himself up off the ground with his right forearm, turning towards her.

"I don't know" Caitlin said staring up at stars that she could see through the branches. Noticing the confused look on Jordan's face she began to explain. "I mean I know what I'm thinking, it's just..." She trailed off.

"It's just what?" He asked curiously, she was silent. "You know you can tell me anything." He stated.

"Sometimes my thoughts get all jumbled & don't know how to put them into words." She said simply not making eye contact with him.

"Maybe I can help you." the blond haired blue eyed boy said as he moved closer to the girl next to him, gently placing his left hand over her right.

"I don't know if we can be friends anymore." She said "just friends..." she quickly corrected herself. "I just don't know, how I feel about you." She said quietly afraid of the response she would get from her longtime friend.

Jordan moved closer to her, lowering his head so there noses were just about touching. "Tell me how you feel now." He demanded his blue eyes gazing into hers.

"I.. I.." She stuttered. "I feel like tiny fireworks are about to go off." She spat out as her green eyes looked away from his.

"I like fireworks." Jordan said with a smile, she could feel his breath on her lips.

"what about my jumbled thoughts?" Caitlin asked nervously as butterflies filled her stomach.

"The sparks will untangle them, trust me." He replied as his eyes closed & his lips came crashing down on hers.



Caitlin's finger tips made there way to her lips as they began to tingle, after a year she could still feel his lips on hers. Meli pulled her out of her train of thought for the second time that night as she pushed a red cup into her unsteady hand.

"Thank you." She said with a smile brushing off everything that she had just remember before downing the whole thing, instantly regretting that she ever stopped doing shots of Jager.

"Where are you going?" Meli asked as Caitlin began to walk away.

"To find Jared, I'm clearly not drunk enough." She slurred confusing Meli as to how she wasn't drunk enough.

"Hi" Caitlin said interrupting Jared who was in a conversation with a few of his friends, she slowly wrapped her arms around his torso squeezing him tight.

"Can I talk to you for a minute" He said as his words meshed together, she could tell he was tipsy but no where near as bad as she was.

"Sure" she said with a smile as they stepped away from the other conversation, closer to the water where there was less people & she could hear him clearly. Jared was silent as he stared at her face that was lit up from the full moon above them.

"You look so beautiful." He said breaking the silence before he started leaning towards her, Caitlin's mind was racing but at the same time she had no idea what to think.