Just Keep Your Head Above

They left at the same time as everyone else, waving goodbye to close friends and walking across a lawn. A lawn that was only green from persistent watering, yet still dying at the edges from the dry Arizona weather. They walked hand in hand, exchanging looks with that dumb, smitten smile on their faces. Void of the real world or what could really go wrong. They were in love, and to them that was enough. The boy walked around his bright yellow car to open the door for her, a couple of other boys walking to their prospective cars made whipping noises. He ignored them, she thanked him as she climbed into the seat.

Sweat formed on the bridge of her freckled, pert nose. Not enough to notice or enough for her to care. She was accustomed to it in the time she had been here. Eyeliner starting to fall from her brown eyes simply because it was hot. She looked at him as he jogged around the car to the drivers side and smiled. His skinny jeans hanging low on his hips and a black v-neck on top paired with black vans for simplicity. She loved it and she loved him.

"What are you thinking about?" He laughed noting her pensive face, paired with her looking up slightly which he noticed she always did when thinking of something pleasant. His big blue eyes grew wide as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, a small smile on his thin pink lips.

"Nothing, just about us," She shrugged sitting straight forward, crossing her skinny legs covered with dark washed skinny jeans. She turned her head playfully as his smile spread. Her heart began racing with the memories of her coming to Arizona, unwillingly and meeting him. He was the only guy who talked to her who hadn't made derogatory comments about her ass and the only guy who looked at her face while they talked. He was different, but she was wary. After a couple of months of persistence, she finally agreed on a date. The rest was history. "It's weird you're graduating and you're going on tour and I still have a year left in school," She chuckled with the bittersweet feeling swirling around her stomach.

"I know, but six more months after I graduate, you do and then you're on the road with me," He smiled, flashing her a bright grin that made her believe that everything in the world would be just fine. He stopped pulling up to the stoplight, normally would be cursed at for its red color, instead he took the opportunity to kiss her lips gently. Both of them smiled pulling apart right as the light turned green again.

"It seems like such a long time to be apart. Granted I did go fifteen years before I met you, so theoretically I could do six months," She said with sweet, sarcastic smirk on her face. He simply turned to glare at her, even though she knew he was joking she hated the idea of him being upset. "I'm just kidding, babe!" She grinned before leaning over with the seatbelt choking her slightly to kiss his cheek.

"I'm gonna miss you," He said meekly, the emotions in his voice weighing it down. Before she could reciprocate, he pulled up to her house and they both got out, knowing that they wanted to spend as much time with each other as possible. He opened the door for her, smiling seeing her hop out gracefully. She adjusted the black cami she had been wearing before he surprised her by showing up to her house randomly. She flipped her recently dyed black hair over her shoulder and waited for Garrett to manually lock his car.

"I always forget about what a nice car you drive," She chuckled turning to see him, sticking the lock in the driver's side door. He stuck his tongue out trying to force a frown on his lips.

"Hey, it has air conditioning and it runs, that's all I could ask for," He stated simply before jogging lightly to catch up to where she was standing her front porch steps. She looked at his dirty blond hair he was growing out and smiled. "Plus, I can always find my car in parking lots, what now?" He added on bringing his arms out in a dominating stance.

"You are so weird," She rolled her eyes with a bright smile on her face, her pin straight hair was sticking to her neck and she was taking wide strides to make it inside the air-conditioned house as quickly as possible. As fast as she was moving to get inside, she still tilted her head to make sure he was right behind her.

"Eh, guilty as charged," He shrugged, before grabbing her hand and pressing his lips to hers firmly. Stealing one more kiss before they got inside, where her parents potentially were. She giggled entering the two-story house, air-conditioining blasting her in a welcoming chill. Just as he had predicted two blonds were sitting on a couch looking over at the noise the door had made.

"Oh hey sweetie, hey Garrett, did you two have fun?" Her mother called out at the two teens who made an A-line for the staircase. Her father simply looked up for a second before returning his attention to the television.

"Hey Misses Armstrong, we did, I guess Cory's not stopping. I'll see you guys in a bit," Garrett said noticing his girlfriend continuing up the stairs without acknowledging her parents. Her mother said something that Garrett couldn't comprehend, so he simply waved and jogged to catch up with the brunette. "Cory? What's up?" He asked, something had to be wrong because she normally was friendly with her mother.

"I'm still pissed at them, they won't let me graduate early 'cause they want me to have a 'normal high school experience'," She explained, bringing up two fingers to make air quotes as she sat down on her plush white bed. He chuckled at how hard-headed she was being, this argument had taken place weeks ago. "Who's normal in high school anyways," She added on bitterly, lowering her eyes down.

"I'm sure they're just thinking of what's best for you," He said sitting down next to her, noting her smooth tanned skin as her shoulders slumped over revealing her chest. He continued to stare until he noticed her eyes on him, her eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"Are you thinking of what's best for you right now?" She asked tossing a throw pillow that ended up on the ground after she slept anyways at him.

"I know what's best for me, right now, is you," He smiled, placing kissing on her jaw bone. His fingers gently tracing her cheeks before his hand cupped her face. He saw the goosebumps raised on her arms from his kissed moving up to her lips pressing gently. He started to part his lips, deepening the kiss, he withdrew his hand from her cheek and placed it on her hip. She reciprocated by parting her lips as well and moving an arm to the back of his head, suddenly he moved her closer to him. His tongue slid into her mouth and massaged her gently before he pushed her back into a plethora of pillows. Her skin was on fire as started rubbing her lower back, inching closer together.

"Garrett," She gasped, as he started kissing down her neck, finding her favorite spot and sucking it lightly. He chuckled as if this was an accomplishment of sorts and continued on before moving his hand slowly up her torso to her breasts. "Garrett," She whispered, this time less... excited. He looked up to see her eyes open, eyebrows raised with concern. "My parents are down stairs," She explained.

"Can we just be really quiet?" He asked trying to kiss her again before she let out a big laugh, and shook her head. He sighed loudly, trying to convey his disappointment. He was still happy as she turned on the TV, she rested her head on his chest as his arm wrapped around her tightly. That was honestly enough for him.

"Let's just go to your house later tonight," She whispered after he had forgotten about the situation, engrossed by the yellow sponge who lived in a pineapple under the sea. He nodded, now excited for all the possibilities the night had in store for them. After a while, Garrett's mom called him and wanted him home and it was dinner time at the Armstrong household. Cory walked him to his car, looked precociously over her shoulder before kissing him. "I'll see you tonight," She smiled after finally breaking the kiss off.

"I can't wait, I love you," Garrett said, barely able to contain the smile on his face. It was those three little words they had just started saying to each other, after many failed attempts on both their parts. They still got the rush and the sparks flying through their bodies from saying it.

"I love you too," She smiled, a wave of adrenaline pumping through her veins as she gave him one last kiss, both of them never wanting it to end until her little brother ruined the moment.

"Cory, stop sucking face and come eat dinner," He screamed. She sighed, debating on whether to kick her brother's ass or finish saying goodbye to Garrett properly.

"Go kick his ass, babe. I'll see you eight o'clock-ish at my house?" He asked as if reading her mind. She smiled, giving him a light peck on the lips before letting him know she would be and running into the house. When she closed the door her heart was still racing. After two years of being together, she had never been so positive she head-over-heels in love with him.