Turn Back Time

“Hungry?” John grinned after the movie had finished. He was nearly bouncing up and down in his seat in waiting to impress me with his culinary skills. He seemed to be talented at everything, so why should one more addition to the list surprise me at all?

Pat, who was snuggled into my side shook his head, “I ate so many fucking Peeps, dude. I think I’m going to have a food baby.”

I put my face in my hands, and laughed. “Oh my God..”

“I wasn’t talking to you, Patrick John Kirch.” John snorted, “I was talking to the pretty girl you’ve been monopolizing for the past two hours.” He reached for my hand, and hoisted me out from under Pat’s head. I stumbled over his legs, and just as any script writer would have loved, John’s arms caught me before I fell to my face.

“How cinematic.” He smiled. Garrett, who we thought was still sleeping in the corner, muttered ‘gross’ under his breath. John turned around, “And where’s your date, hot lips?”

Garrett turned away, and closed his eyes again. He fell asleep almost instantly, and was snoring loudly just seconds later.

Pat was stretched out on the couch where John and I had previously been sitting. He had his arms crossed on his chest like a mummy, and his jaw was slack as he breathed slowly in and out. I glanced at John, “Sleeping?” When he nodded, I grinned mischievously, “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

He flashed a mega-watt smile, and on a silent count of three, we lunged forward, and landed on Pat. He let out a terrified squeal, at least an octave higher than any girl I’d ever heard. He sat upright, swinging his pipe-cleaner arms around like propellers, trying to hit us when his eyes went wide, and he sat bolt upright. “Holy fucking shit mother of pearl!”

John and I gave him an identical look. No words were needed from either of us.

“What time is it?” Pat said, turning his hide frantically, back and forth to look for a clock. “Goddamnit, John! Why don’t we have a clock? It’s a perfectly sensible thing to have in a house where all the inhabitants run on a fucking schedule!”

I stared at Pat with my eyebrows furrowed. “Seven thirty… Got a hot date or something?”

He wiggled his eyebrows, “You know it.”

“Did you bother making up a name while you were imagining her, or is she just some mystery to all of mankind now?” John rolled his eyes.

Pat held up his middle finger, like I’d seen him do many times in the past two days. “Her name is Jaycie, and she’s way cooler than both of you, mkay?” He quickly straightened his shirt, and headed to find his car keys. “You’re just jealous!”

“We should totally follow him, and check this girl out.” Garrett said, suddenly wide awake. He jumped out of his chair, threw on his shoes, and grabbed his car keys. “Come on!”

I stood up quickly, accidentally knocking into John’s full class of beer. “Shit.” I muttered. “Can we swing by my house so I don’t look like a sloppy, binge drinker?”

Garrett smacked his hand over his face, and John wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Anything for you, dove.” He winked.

--

I changed quickly into another shirt, and pair of shorts, and ran back down into Garrett’s car. There was no backseat, so all three of us were shoved into the bench seat, hip to hip. Once again, John’s arms found their way around me. Garrett wrinkled his nose. I simply blushed.

“I saw him pull into that mini-golf place.” John said, pointing to the exit on the right. We pulled into the parking lot, and slid out of the car. John did a somersault, stood up, and hid behind the light pole. “We mustn’t be seen!”

Garrett and I dropped immediately to the ground, army crawling through the entrance. We could hear Pat laughing, and poke our heads up from behind a rose bush. “Dude!” Garrett shouted in whisper form, “She’s totally not fake!”

In front of us stood a girl with her back facing us. She had blonde hair that fell to the middle of her back, and she was trying her best not to laugh at Pat, who was fist pumping to the fact that he’d actually gotten the ball in the hole. He fell to his knees, throwing his arms up in the air. “I AM GOD!” He shouted.

I glanced at John, raising an eyebrow, “Well, who wouldn’t want…that…?”

To my surprise, instead of running, and checking Pat into a mental institution the girl bowed, shouting, “I’m not worthy!”

In some awkward way, it was actually cute. “Would you publicly humiliate yourself for me?” I asked, batting my eye lashes, and giggling.

“He’d wear nothing but cowboy boots to a gay bar for you.” Garrett said, barely paying attention to the way John and I were staring at each other. “I want to meet her, and ask how much he paid her.” Garrett jumped out from behind the bush, and strutted over to them in his sagging, too-tight jeans.

John rolled his eyes, “He’s so G he’s almost H.”

“I want to meet her, too.” I grabbed John’s hand, and we stumbled onto the fake grass. “Hi, I’m Maddie, who are you?” I said, sticking out my free hand when we approached her.

Pat was bright purple in the face. “You followed me?”

John grabbed his shoulder, and grinned, “Not at all, man. We stalked you. Big difference.”

“Do you guys always date crash?” the girl, named Jaycie, chuckled.

Garrett grinned, “As far as you know.”

Jaycie’s eyes widened, “Take me with you next time.”

We continued talking for a few minutes before John’s arm slinked around my waist, and he pulled me over to the side of the club house. “You’ve got something on your lips…”

I furrowed my eyebrows,” What—“

“Mine.” He laughed, before his mouth found mine. “Oh, any by the way… Spend the night tonight?”

I gave a half-smile. “If you insist…”