Just Keep Your Head Above

"Ah do you guys remember that one time we were all sneaking around and fucking Cory decides she wants to go swimming, even though I had a pool, we some how get convinced to sneak into the high school and go skinny dipping in the school pool?!" Halvo said with a fond smile, a smirk on his lips as he looked at Garrett who had a giant nostalgic smile on his face as well.

"Oh shit yeah! So we all get there and no one brings their bathing suit except for Cory, so well all strip down to boxers and jumped it," Charlie laughed, tears brimming his eyes. All of our stomachs were sore and our eyes lined with tears from laughing so hard. I had answered my own question, I definitely branched out in the past couple of years and apparently was a bit of a wild child. "Then we all get called into the principal's office a week before graduation, saying they had us on tape trespassing!" Charlie said, stuttering from laughing so hard.

"Ah yes, Miss. St. Cloud, such a MILF," John said remembering fondly, I tilted my head and someone hit him. "What, I totally charmed her out of letting us skate if you don't remember!" He said raising his arms in self-defense. We had just eaten about ten pizzas and my stomach was full to a content level. I sipped on the water bottle Misses O'Callaghan gave me, listening to all the stories. Eventually people had to go home, the group ended up dwindling to five people, John, Garrett, Charlie, Tim and I. Charlie, Tim and John started talking about eight-three twenty-one or something like that, which seemed odd, leaving Garrett and I in an awkward silence.

"Do you wanna go for a walk maybe?" He asked nodding towards the front door. His hands were fidgeting with some frayed edges around a hole in his skinny jeans. I bit my lip looking to Charlie, who hadn't looked up from the conversation at all and looked back at Garrett, he intrigued me to say the least. This wasn't my type when I left California, my type was buff surfers, I wondered how he captivated me.

"Sure," I smiled, biting my lip a little. Garret seemed taken back as if I would say no, then a giant smile grew on his lips. He reached to grab my hand before putting his into his pocket. This confused me, but I followed him out into the night air. It had cooled down to a nice 90 degrees and I shared the sidewalk with him for about a block in silence.

"It really sucks you can't remember anything," Garrett finally broke the silence. I looked over at the boy pensively staring at he ground before meeting my eyes.

"Just a little," I said sarcastically, a sweet smile spreading across my lips to know I was just kidding. He shook his head in laughter, turning his head away from me. We let the laughter die out into a comfortable silence, nothing could be heard but faint noises of the night.

"We were in love," Garrett said, some pain evident in his voice and the way his eyebrows cocked upwards. He down at me from his height and gave me a half smile. I believed him and I listened curiously.

"You were kinda quiet when the group was sharing memories," I said suggestively, hoping to probe into memories between us. We kept walking our eyes on our feet as he turned a corner, I kept walking straight and our shoulders bumped, before I adjusted myself and walked along with him, both of us apologizing profusely.

"I didn't think your brother would wanna know the memories I would've shared," Garrett smiled, catching on to what I had been going for. A fond smile spread across his lips and now I was insanely curious. I loved his smile, the mysteriousness behind it. "I first saw you walking around the hallway, looking completely lost. You had on this cute summer dress and flip flops, which already set your apart from all the other girls and immediately I was curious. I asked you if you needed help and you blew me off, pretending like you didn't need it. Later, you walked into my first period class ten minutes late, blushing insanely and saying you got lost. When you saw me, you flashed me this smile, this smile I'd never seen before and that's when I knew I needed to get to know you." Garrett pressed his lips together when he finished at looked at me, curious to see my reaction.

"Knowing me, I'm sure that's not the end of that story," I laughed, knowing how stubborn I was and still am. I looked up at Garrett, that's when I noticed he had the prettiest blue eyes.

"Oh my God, I'd never tried so hard or gotten shot down so many times! I tried every pick-up line in the book until October, you were with your group of friends, laughing and talking finally I realized what I had to do. I walked up to you and you raised an eyebrow, like you were expecting another juvenile pick-up line, and I took a deep breath. God, I'd never been so nervous in all my life, I told you verbatim, 'I know you think that I'm not someone you'd be interested in or someone you'd ever want to date, but I think it's bullshit you won't even give me a try. I know you think all I want to do is go out with you because you're good looking, but get over yourself, I want to go out with you because you make fun of things openly, and you smile like it's Christmas every day, and because you walked in ten minutes late instead of letting me help you. And, well, also because you're good looking, but yeah, I understand if you never talk to me again' and everyone's jaws were dropped, I started walking away when you called out my name, looked me dead in the eye like you were gonna slap me, then said 'pick me up Friday at eight' turned around and went right back to your friends and I was walking on air the rest of the day," Garrett said, I didn't interrupt him at all. I was so curious to know what had happened and how my relationship with a stranger had developed.

"Wow, you're quite the romantic," I laughed, imagining us as two awkward fifteen year olds, and the balls it must have took him to walk up and say that in front of a group of girls. Apparently I was quite the maneater. I was growing quite fond of Garrett, his mannerisms and the way he looked at me. Just in the way he looked at me I saw the love in his eyes. "So how did Friday at eight go?" I asked, trying to hide the blush on my cheeks as our hands brushed awkwardly. He chuckled looking up at the sky.

"Terrible, I picked you up and your dad verbally abused me. You looked gorgeous, you wore this weird shirt thing and short shorts, you knew you looked good too. I took you to this restaurant in the mall, it was awkward because we walked there. The waiter spilled water on you, but you laughed it off. You told me you liked 80s hair metal and I told you I did too. We both liked old zombie movies and psychological thrillers. We both liked making fun of things on TV and laughed the whole time. I walked you home, and chickened out on giving you a goodnight kiss. As I was walking away you called out my name and planted on one me. Honestly, I was scared you didn't want me to kiss you, but I kissed you back then your dad came out and chased me out of the lawn. I got home I texted you saying I had a good time, you texted me back saying, 'Next time it'll be even better' with a smiley face," Garrett said occasionally looking away from where he was walking to look me in the eye. I smiled then it hit me, a memory cold ice water getting splashed on my grey halter top, me being grateful it wasn't white. Garrett looked horrified staring at me with his jaw dropped until I cracked a joke and we both laughed. I gasped and stopped right in my steps.

"Are you okay? Core?" Garrett asked, grabbing my shoulders and ducking down to look me in the eyes. I stopped being glazed over and looked back at him with a terrified and excited smile.

"I remember, I mean just a little bit, but still. I remember the water dropping on me and us laughing about it," I said starting to get more excited as I repeated it. Then nothing. No continuation of the date or how the night ended with a kiss and an angry father. "That's it though," I said, sadness pouring into my voice. I racked my brain, desperate to know more about him and us.

"Cory, that's awesome. If you can remember that, I'm sure you can remember other stuff. At least it's not completely permanent memory loss like the doctor said!" Garrett said pulling me tightly into his arms. My heart quickened in pace and his enthusiasm was contagious, causing a small smile to spread across my lips. I turned and saw that he had walked me home from John's house, I looked back to him as he stood up straight again.

"Thanks for walking me home," I smirked, "I probably wouldn't know how to get here if you didn't." We both laughed as he looked up nodding, burying his hands into his pockets. He looked up at the front of the house, noting all the lights being on and he smiled down at me.

"Can I try something? I mean let me know if you don't wanna or anything..." He drifted off staring into my eyes, with such an intensity. It didn't make me feel uncomfortable though, it just made him look passionate.

"Uh, sure what?" I asked shifting a little. I would be willing to try something as long as it didn't involve any felonies or something. Garrett shifted his feet, making me slightly nervous at how nervous he was.

"Could I, uh, kiss you?" His voice barely audible, a gentle whisper as his face came closer to mine. His eyes looked tentative, trying to read mine. "I mean for the sake of science," he cracked a little louder, his eyes brooding. I nodded, staring at his pink lips that seemed so inviting. Slowly, his hand came out of his pocket and touched my cheek gently. I closed my eyes and our lips pressed together, sending shivers up my spine and goosebumps all over my body. It was electric. We parted after that, just a peck, but my jaw was dropped. "Anything?" He asked, I shook my head bringing me back to reality.

"Nope, nothing," I said after remembering what the purpose of it was. I had hoped everything would come rushing back to me. All of our memories and good times, the entire two years of our relationship together.

"Damn, well maybe next time," He shrugged as he started walking me up to the door. He stopped and his fingers gingerly touched my cheek, tucking a wisp of hair behind my ear and sending my body into a fit. My stomach fluttering and my heart racing. He looked at me with the same intensity as earlier. "Do you wanna hang out tomorrow?" He asked, shoving his hand back into his pocket, my heart dropped slightly disappointed he didn't kiss me again.

"Yeah, definitely," I grinned. He started to lean in, my heart started racing again. My eyes fluttered as I closed them, when suddenly the door swung open almost giving me a heart attack.

"Again with this Nickelsen?" My dad laughed feigning anger. My heart was still racing from getting scared out of my wits. I mentally cursed at my dad for his timing, "Remember what I told you, I got a shotgun and a shovel," he said pointing a threatening finger at Garrett, who raised his hands up in surrender.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Core," Garrett said after running down the steps turning around with one hand in his pocket. "Night Mr. Armstrong," he said saluting my father, who shook his head and laughed walking back into the house, but leaving the door open as a less-than-subtle hint for me to come inside.

"Wait, don't you need my number?" I called out across the yard. Somehow he had managed to walk back to the sidewalk we'd been on. He shook his head a giant grin plastered across his face.

"You're my girlfriend, I already have it!" He laughed before saying goodnight one more time. I blushed, forgetting that minor detail, I yelled out goodnight to him too before walking into my house and closing the door. My heart was racing and my mind was spinning. My parents took notice and made fun of me accordingly, but I was too high to even care. Crashing on the couch next to them with a spaced-out smile on my lips, ignoring the show on TV. I had been swept off my feet in one night.