With These Words

I sat down in the red camping chair that was set up in the corner of Kyle’s backyard.

“Nice clothes,” Haley smirked as she walked up to me, her fingers laced with Austin’s.

I looked down at the baggy black shorts and plain green t-shirt I was wearing. They were Kyle’s.

“Well it’s not like Kyle’s all that fashionable,” I mumbled and Austin laughed.

“Do you want to stay for the bon fire?” She asked dropping down in the chair next to me.

I shrugged. The answer was no, but I couldn’t say that with Austin hovering over my shoulder.

“Are you having fun?” He asked sitting down on the other side of Haley.

“Yeah,” That wasn’t a complete lie. I had enjoyed talking to Caleb, and dunking Kyle’s face in the pool before we got out wasn’t too bad either.

“Well I’m glad to finally meet ‘the bakery girl’,” He smiled. “I’m Austin.”

“Georgia,” I nodded and offered him a small smile.

“Guess all that work you put into your hair was for nothing, huh?” Haley touched my damp hair.

“It would appear so,” I sighed and leaned back in the chair.

“Georgia!” Kyle came up behind me. He dropped a blue hoodie in my lap. “I was looking for you,” He pulled one of the patio chairs up next to mine and sat down. “It gets pretty cold out here after dark.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled folding the sweat shirt in my lap.

He sighed and ran a hand through his wet hair. “Where’d everyone go?” He asked looking at Austin.

“Caleb’s picking up some ice cream. Kent took Melanie home. Marc said he had a date, but I’m not entirely sure how true that is. And Jonathon’s cleaning up the grill.” Austin thought for a minute. “Yeah, I think that’s right.”

Haley smiled and gave his hand a squeeze.

I looked away. I really was going to have to ask her what was up with all the boys at the clubs. Austin seemed much better than all the drunk men who tried to feel her up while she danced.

“Are you excited?” Kyle asked interrupting my thoughts.

“Excited for what?” I looked up at him.

He smiled cheekily. “What could be better than a bon fire with me?”

A bon fire with out you.

Austin snorted. “You don’t have to answer that,” he looked at me. “It would only hurt his feelings anyway.”

Kyle threw the empty plastic cup he was holding in Austin’s direction, but Austin ducked out of the way. “It’ll be fun,” Kyle assured me. “And besides,” he shrugged. “There’s smores.” He flipped the hood of his sweatshirt up over his head and leaned back in his seat.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked the time. I’d officially been at this barbeque for three hours, and it was looking like it could easily go on for three more.

“Hey!” Caleb threw open the sliding glass door and we all turned in our chairs to face him. “Come help me carry stuff!” He called.

“Carry what?” Kyle asked standing up. “I thought you got ice cream?”

“Yeah,” Caleb nodded. “And some other stuff.” He motioned for them to follow him inside and then disappeared.

“You coming?” Kyle looked at Austin.

Austin sighed and reluctantly let go of Haley’s hand. “I’ll see you,” he smiled leaning down to press his lips to her forehead.

Kyle looked at me and rolled his eyes after giving me a goofy grin.

As soon as they slid the door shut, I whipped my head around to look at Haley.

“What?” She slid lower in her chair to get comfortable.

“What do you mean ‘what?’?” I asked as she stuffed her hands in the front pocket of her sweatshirt. “You and Austin?”

She looked at me. “What about it?”

“Why do you insist on flirting your face off with all these lame club guys when you have a guy like him,” I pointed towards the door. “who’s completely into you.”

She shook her head and looked towards the pile of logs in front of us.

“What?” I asked when she didn’t say anything.

“It’s a little more complicated than that,” she shrugged. “It’s not all black and white.”

“What?” I repeated. “How can it be more complicated?” The door slid back open signaling we would no longer be alone. I lowered my voice. “He likes you, clearly. You like him.”

She only shrugged again.

“Check it,” Kyle spoke before I could ask her more questions. He stepped in front of us and held up an arm full of water bottles. “You want?” He asked holding one out to me.

“I think I’ve had enough water,” I told him with a shake of my head.

“What did Caleb buy?” Haley spoke up.

Kyle rolled his eyes. “He bought this smores maker.” He dropped all the water bottles in Austin’s vacant chair. “It looks like something my grandma would use.”

Haley laughed. “Maybe you’re not giving the elderly enough credit.”

“I supposed it’s possible,” he returned to his original seat and sat down. He spread his legs out and his knee brushed against mine.

I quickly crossed my legs at the ankle to add more space between us, and Kyle looked down at me. He remained silent though.

“He did get ice cream though right?” Haley leaned forward to look at Kyle.

“Yeah,” Kyle nodded and folded his arms across his chest. “I’m pretty sure Austin is getting you some.

She smiled. “He knows me too well.”

“Hey, Georgia!” Caleb appeared at the door again. “You want some ice cream?”

I looked over me shoulder, and he waved a pint of ice cream in the air.

“Yeah,” I moved to get up, eager to add even more distance between Kyle and myself. “Sure.”

“I’ll get it,” He stepped back inside the house. “I hope you like peanut butter!”

“Ok…” I mumbled as he closed the door. I slumped back down in my seat.

“You have no idea what you just did,” Kyle smirked.

“What?” I looked over at him.

He just shook his head and looked away.

“When are we starting the fire?” Haley asked rubbing her hands together.

“Why not now,” Kyle slipped a book of matches out of his pocket and headed towards the pile of logs in front of us.

“You sure you know what you’re doing?” Haley sounded hesitant. “You and fire don’t really seem like a good combination.”

He laughed. “Don’t worry. I’m a pro.” He skillfully lit the matches and set fire to the logs in three different locations. “That should do it,” He stood up and brushed his knees off. He took a step back to admire his work. A slow thin stream of smoke rose above the pile.

“Ice cream!” Austin announced walking across the patio. He placed a bowl in front of Haley.

“Thanks,” She took it in her hands and quickly picked up the spoon, eager to start eating.

“My lady,” a bowl appeared in front of me.

I looked up and Caleb smiled down at me.

“What is this?” I asked taking the bowl.

“What do you mean what is it?” Caleb frowned. “It’s ice cream.”

I looked at the bowl. I couldn’t even see the ice cream through the layers of toppings.

“Is that cereal?” I asked poking around a lump of peanut butter.

“Yes,” He pointed the sticky white goo clinging to the sides of the bowl. “And that’s marshmallow fluff.”

“Wow,” I continued to poke around the bowl. “I definitely was expecting something more like plain old chocolate.”

“How boring,” Caleb took Kyle’s chair. “This,” He smiled. “Is much much better.”

I looked over at Haley’s ice cream. It looked like a swirl of fudge and peanuts.

“Just try it!” Caleb laughed. He took the spoon from me and collected a combination of peanut butter, chocolate sauce, chocolate chips, and frosted flakes.

“Where’s the ice cream?”

“It’s in there somewhere,” he held the spoon out to me. “I know you’ll like it.”

“You’ve known her for like…a day.” Kyle looked at Caleb doubtfully. “You don’t know what she likes. For all you know she could be allergic to peanuts.”

“You’re not are you?” Caleb looked at me. “Because if you are, I’m going to recommend you don’t eat that. I mean,” He smiled and held his hands up. “I’m not a doctor or anything but…”

I laughed. “No, I’m not allergic. But I am worried I might go into a coma from all the sugar.”

Kyle rolled his eyes and pulled up another patio chair on the other side of Caleb.

“Don’t make me treat you like you’re five,” He smiled positioning the spoon in front of my lips.

“What?” I laughed again.

“Oh, I get it,” Caleb laughed too. “You just want to hear ridiculously life-like train noises.”

“Oh yes,” Kyle kicked a stick into the fire. “We all want to hear those.”

Caleb ignored him. “Don’t make me do it,” he grinned.

“Yeah,” Kyle looked at me. “Please. Don’t make him do it.”

I looked from Caleb to Kyle, then back to Caleb. “No need for the spectacle,” I told him. “I will comply with your childish wishes.” I opened my mouth.

“Good,” Caleb slipped the spoon in my mouth.

I took it from his hand and swallowed.

“Thoughts?” He asked me excitedly.

“It was…” It was hard to talk with peanut butter stuck to the roof of my mouth. “good,” I nodded and swallowed again.

He smiled, pleased with himself.

“Thanks,” I told him scooping up another small bite.

“Sure, sure,” He leaned back in the chair and made himself comfortable. “My pleasure.”

“So I heard you got a smores maker,” I mused, swirling the spoon around in all the chocolate sauce.

“Yeah,” He smiled. “It was only like fifteen bucks too.” he looked at me. “Sweet, right?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “I’ve never seen one before.”

“I guess that makes you deprived.” He thought for a moment. “or severely old fashioned.”

“It’s not new technology, Caleb,” Kyle shook his head. “It’s a wire basket.”

“You know what?” Caleb stood up. “I’m just going to go get it. You’re going to want one.”

“A smore?” I asked as he stood up.

“Yeah,” He continued towards the door.

“What?” I stabbed another chunk of peanut butter with my spoon. “I don’t think I’m going to eat again for a month after all this.”

He paused and looked at me over his shoulder. “No,” He took another step towards the door. “I’m pretty sure you’re going to want one.”

“I told you,” Kyle moved a seat closer to me. “It’s risky business letting him make you any type of food.”

“Yeah,” I dug around for the ice cream. “I can see that.”

“You don’t have to eat that…” he watched me prod.

“No,” I scooped up another spoon full. “It’s alright. Just a little…rich.”

“Yeah,” Kyle laughed. “That’s the word. Rich.”

I looked up at him and he smiled. I just shrugged and look away. “It’s the thought that counts right?”

He sighed and rolled down the sleeves of his sweatshirt. “Well I hope you know he’s going to force-feed you smores now.” he looked at me again. “You better hope that he can’t get the plastic off.”

I smiled.

“You’d be surprised,” He smiled too. “It definitely wouldn’t be the first time that commercial packaging gave him a run for his money.”

“What are you giggling about over there?” Austin spoke up. His hand was resting on Haley’s knee, he thumb moving in small circles. Haley took small bites of her ice cream and watched Kyle’s slowly growing fire.

“Nothing,” Kyle shrugged and gave me a wink. “But I’ll give you ten bucks if Caleb comes out here and asks you to open his smore maker for him.”

Austin laughed and looked at Haley. “Do you remember that time he needed me to open his 5-pack of toothpaste?” He looked at me. “Caleb buys in bulk,” he explained.

“Who buys toothpaste in bulk?” I took another bit of the ice cream.

Kyle shrugged again. “It’s his thing. Or something.”

“Yeah,” Austin laughed. “Or something.”

“Or something what?” Caleb asked jogging across the patio, smores maker in hand.

“You’re very nimble,” Kyle observed.

“Yeah, yeah,” Caleb squatted down by the fire. He pulled his smore making supplies out of his sweat shirt pocket and placed them in their proper places.

“Wow,” I laughed lightly. “It is just a wire basket.”

“See!” Kyle looked at me and laughed. “That’s what I’m saying!”

Caleb turned and looked at me. “You only say that because you’re over thinking it. Trust me. In a few moments the only word you’ll be able to utter will be epic.”

I smiled and he turned back towards the fire.

Kyle leaned towards me and spoke softly in my ear. I paused, spoon in mid air. “As a fair warning,” he whispered with a grin. “If you don’t use the term epic when he makes one, he won’t shut up about it.”

“Um, noted,” I mumbled.

He chuckled and returned to his normal slouchy position.

I watched Caleb tenderly hold his basket over the fire, trying to make sure each smore got equal cooking time. I smiled to myself and took another bite. As I munched on the corn flakes, Kyle leaned closer to the fire and rested his elbows on his knees.

“Don’t you like this?” He asked.

I wasn’t sure he was talking to me. “Yeah,” I nodded anyway. “It’s nice.”

“So you’re glad you stayed?” He tilted his head to look at me, letting bits of his blonde hair fall into his eyes.

“Sure,” I nodded again and swallowed what I had been chewing.

He smiled. “So the next time I ask you if you want to hang out with me and the guys you won’t make up some lame excuse?”

“Who said they were all just excuses?” I watched the fire again. It got brighter and brighter as the sky got darker and darker. “I am a busy person.”

He nodded and watched the fire too. “But next time,” He scratched his cheek. “You’ll come?”

I shrugged. “If I’m not busy…” I let my voice trail off.

He laughed and bumped his knee into mine. “You’re full of it.”

“Full of what?” I looked at him. “Sugar? Fat? Heart valve clogging poisons?” I looked at the ice cream. “Then yes, I’m indeed full of it.”

He smiled and shook his head. “You’re full of excuses. Full of fake reasons not to have friends.”

“I have friends!” I protested as I pointed to Haley. “And just because I don’t have thirty other people following me around in the bakery, doesn’t mean I don’t have friends. My other friends just don’t stalk me.”

“Ah,” His smile grew. “So we are friends then.”

“What?” I decided to give up on the ice cream. There was no way I was going to be able to eat the rest of it.

“You said ‘my other friends’. Which,” He pointed to me. “Means we are friends,” He waved his finger around in the space between us for emphasis.

“What?” I repeated. He did have somewhat of a valid point. “I don’t even know you.”

He laughed again. “You say that every time you see me! When are you going to know me?”

“Never,” Caleb interrupted us. I wasn’t aware that he had been listening to our conversation. He stood up and held his wire basket out in front of him. “Know one will ever understand you, Kyle."