Meet Me Halfway

Aubrey

I had a hard time falling asleep the night before and I couldn’t pinpoint why. Half of me thought it was because I was anticipating a bad dream; the other half thought maybe I was just missing something…or someone. I had woken up and the empty space next to me wasn’t warm or filled with anyone; it was just that – an empty space. I had false hope JR would have been lying next to me when I woke.

I slowly closed the door to the dark room after finishing with the roll of film I took at the aquarium. I figured since I couldn’t sleep, I’d get a jump start on developing the film, because it would be awhile until they were ready. It felt amazing to finally get back into the grooves of things; I had forgotten how much I missed photography. I couldn’t wait to see how the pictures turned out.

As I walked to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of juice, I heard my name being called, “Aubrey?”

I turned my direction towards the stairs, hearing footsteps above me walking across the top floor. I took one step on the stairs looking above to the second floor, waiting to hear my name being called again.

“Aubrey?”

“Yeah? I’m downstairs!” I yelled.

JR appeared over the ledge, peering down at me with a relieved look on his face. “Phew,” he sighed.

I arched my eyebrow. “Were you worried about me or something? Did you think I went missing?” I asked placing my hands on my hips.

“Sorta, I thought you had snuck out,” he admitted.

“Oh really? You honestly thought I would sneak out with a stitched up forehead?” I asked, a little angered he would think that.

He nodded his head. “Well you weren’t in your room and that’s where my thoughts immediately led me to think. But you didn’t so let’s just drop it,” he said walking down the stairs. I rolled my eyes at him and for once didn’t say anything back. He laughed at my gesture and reached for something in his pocket. “Oh here, you left this in the bathroom. Hope you don’t mind that I used it,” he said dropping the iPod in my hand.

I gave him a small side smile. “Thanks. Forgot I had left it in there,” I said looking down at it.

“So what are you doing up so early anyways?”

I looked at the door that opened to the dark room. “I was in there,” I said forming a small smile.

From the corner of my eye I could see him look in the same direction. “Wait, does that mean…”

I nodded my head confirming his assumption. “Yeah, I couldn’t wait to start and now I can’t wait to see how it all turns out.”

Instantly I felt him wrap his arms around me, pulling me into a comforting hug. He felt so warm against my bare skin and he smelled heavenly. I could hear how loud my heartbeat was and wondered if he could feel it against his chest. How could one simple gesture, like a hug, from him make my body react the way it did?

He released me and gave me that smile that I loved to see. “What was that for?” I asked like I had been holding my breath for a long time.

“I’m just happy and proud you’re getting back into it.”

I felt myself blush and nodded in agreement. “Me too. And thanks, for reminding me that I still have it to turn to.”

========================================---| |---================================

After breakfast, we noticed we were pretty much out of food and made a list of groceries to buy after we opened our letters. I didn’t mention to JR that I wanted for us to barbeque, because every Sunday since we’ve come to the beach house, the Vosteen’s and my family would make a Sunday barbeque and play sand volleyball. When I got to my room, I pulled out the box of letters and grabbed the one meant for today.

Hola Trigo!

Hoy es Domingo! So you know what that means! Sunday BBQ! Did your stomach just growl? Because you know how amazing and delicious that sounds. And even though my family and your family aren’t there, I still think you and JR should uphold our Sunday tradition and cook up some mouthwatering food. You can even invite people over to enjoy the food and get a team together for sand volleyball. Go have some fun!

Your best friend for freakin’ ever, Lauren

PS: I hope you’re doing well Aubrey, I hate seeing you unhappy you know.

So Lauren had already read her mind or maybe the other way around; even after death Lauren knew how I was feeling or what I was thinking. Of course I was unhappy at the time she wrote the letter – my best friend was in remission and I felt like I couldn’t do a damn thing about; and I probably couldn’t. I placed the letter back with the other read ones and walked into the loft, waiting for JR to come out of his room.

“All right so what’s the deal with this Sunday barbeque?” I heard him ask as he walked into the loft.

I looked up at him as he took the seat next to me on the sofa. “Wait…you’ve never had been to one of our barbeques?” I asked raising an eyebrow at him.

He shook his head. “Surprisingly, no; which is kinda strange because Sunday’s were my days off. I was probably sleeping the whole day or something,” he said shrugging his shoulders.

“Yeah well, our families just got together on Sundays and made some great food and we played sand volleyball; sometimes just stayed on the beach and relaxed. We made a bonfire once and had s'mores. That was fun,” I said smiling, recollecting those memories.

“Sounds like fun. I guess we should add some more food to our list of groceries.” I nodded in agreement. “Okay we’ll head out in thirty minutes? Sound good?”

“Sounds good to me.”

========================================---| |---================================

It seemed like everyone was doing their weekly shopping today. The grocery store was packed – even for it being ten in the morning. JR and I managed to get majority of the groceries on our list; all we needed was a few more items and the meats to cook.

“That’s not on the list,” JR said as I placed the box of brownies in the basket.

I retracted them, feeling as if I had been caught by my mom when I tried sneaking junk food in the cart. “I know, but I’m craving some,” I said holding them in my hand.

“Aubrey, they’re not healthy. You shouldn’t be eating stuff like that,” he said staring down at the list in his hands.

“Yeah okay mom, thanks for the advice, but I’ll take my chances,” I said placing the brownies back in the shopping cart.

He shook his head and I saw a small smile form on his lips. “Look, I’ll pay for them separately if you’re that adamant on not wanting them.”

“It’s just that you already have cookies and baking stuff on here,” he said holding the list up. “And you put ice cream down. That’s just a lot of junk food. If you’re gonna be eating all of it, you have to at least work out with me every once and awhile.”

I cringed at the words “work out”; it wasn’t my forte and the only thing I did to stay in shape was run, but even that I hated doing. I took one last look at the box of delectable brownies, going through the pros and cons on buying them; then finally tossed them in with the rest of our items. Maybe working out won’t be so horrible.

“You must really want those brownies then,” he commented with a smirk on his face.

“You make it sounds like the work out is going to be painful.”

“Nah, I mean, maybe to other people, but you look like you’re shape. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

We continued down the rest of the aisles grabbing things we needed and in my case, things we didn’t need, until we came down to the stuff for the barbeque.

“So, how about I get the meats and you go grab the chips and dips. Okay?” he said scratching something off the list.

“Okay,” I said venturing off towards the aisle that had the chips and other salty foods.

I couldn’t decide what two dips to get; whether to try something new or just get what Lauren and I would usually pick. Decisions, decisions.

“You make picking out food seem difficult,” I heard someone say next to me.

“I just don’t know if I should pick something I already know or try something new,” I said stroking my chin.

“I’m sure it can’t be that hard to decide to Aubrey,” the guy said.

I turned my head in his direction and smiled. “Kevin!” I exclaimed because I had finally seen someone that didn’t hate me.

“I was starting to think you didn’t remember who I was,” he said welcoming the hug I was giving him.

“Oh Kevin how could I forget my lab partner. You were a pivotal factor of me graduating,” I said smiling up at him.

He chuckled. “Yeah right. You’re hilarious. So what’s been going on? How’s Berkeley?” he asked placing his hands in his pockets.

I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s going good, just one more year and I’ll be done. Whata ‘bout you?” I asked not really wanting to talk about myself.

“Just working here to pay for school. I have about another year to go too. Seems pretty crazy we’re almost done with college.”

I frowned a little, not because of the realization that college was coming to an end, but because Lauren wasn’t here to be a part of it. “Yeah. Crazy,” I said in a melancholy tone.

Kevin must’ve noticed the sadness in my voice; he placed a comforting grip on my shoulder. “I’m sorry about Lauren. I um…never got to say my condolences. Sorry I’m a bit a late on that,” he said giving me a half smile.

I returned one back and nodded my head. “Thanks. You know, picking out dips would be a lot easier if she were here,” I said trying to lighten the mood.

He laughed and grabbed a can of one of the many dips available. “Here. One less dip to think about,” he said handing it to me.

“You’re so helpful,” I said grabbing one more.

“You having a party or something?”

“Um…kinda. It’s something we always did on Sundays. Wait, what time do you get off of work?” I asked.

“Uh at one.”

“That’s perfect. You should come on by the beach house. We’re cooking barbeque, playing volleyball, and cooking s’mores over a fire. You can even bring someone if you want,” I added hoping he’d give in.

“Sure, why not. I’ll bring my girlfriend. But uh…who’s “we”?”

“Aubrey! Does it really take that long to grab some chips and dips?” I heard JR ask from behind me.

I pointed my thumb behind me. “That would be the “we” I spoke of,” I told Kevin and then turned around to face JR. “Sorry, I was catching up with an old friend.”

He looked stern and cold as he walked up to Kevin and extended his hand. “Hi. I’m JR Celski.”

Kevin shook his hand and nodded his head. “Oh yeah, you competed in the Olympics last year. Are you two dating?” he asked pointing to the both of us.

My eyes widen and I quickly shook my head. “No. He used to go to Lakewood and was friends with Lauren too,” I explained.

“Oh yeah. This is the guy you complained to me about during lab,” Kevin said laughing about it.

JR looked back at me with narrowed eyes. “You what?”

“Oh gosh, we-we need to go. It was nice seeing you again Kevin and we’ll see you and your girlfriend later at the beach house. Bye!” I said grabbing JR’s bicep and pushing the cart in the opposite direction.

“So what did Kelly say?” I asked hoping to squash the recent conversation with Kevin.

“Um…she said she’s coming and bringing five other friends.”

“Great!”

“Aubrey don’t think you changing the subject will make me forget about what Kevin said.”

Well, it didn’t hurt to try.

========================================---| |---================================

It took us a while to finally agree on what to cook first and how to cook the meat, but everything looked delicious as we set up the eating area in the back patio. Despite the yelling at each other and thinking the other was burning the food, I think we made a great team of putting everything together.

“Looks like we’ll be eating left over for a while,” JR said walking up next to me.

“I’m fine with that,” I said placing my hands on my hips.

“Can I ask you something?” he asked after a moment of pause.

I looked at him and nodded. “Does it bother when people ask if we’re together?”

The question came to me as a shock and was completely random. I never gave any thought to it, because Kevin was the only person who asked me if JR and I were together.

I shook my head. “No. I mean no one’s asked me, besides Kevin, but I think it surprises me more than bothers me. Why? Does it bother you? I’m sure it does since you have girlfriend right?”

“No having a girlfriend doesn’t make a difference. It doesn’t bother me either, I was just asking.”

Before I could respond, the doorbell rang and JR got up to get the door. A couple of minutes later he returned with six other people, one I recognized as Kelly. I smiled and said hello, placing past feelings aside and pretending this was our first time meeting each other.

“Well everything’s ready, so dig in whenever you want,” I said bringing out the paper plates.

A few minutes later and Kevin arrived with his girlfriend, Sandy. Everything was going great and everyone seemed to be enjoying everyone else’s company. I was actually starting to like Kelly and her friends, whom didn’t seem as annoying as they were in high school. I guess some people do change later on in life.

“I can’t believe you guys cooked all this. It was absolutely amazing. Thank you,” Kelly said finishing off the last bite of her fajita.

“You’re welcome,” JR and I said in unison; we both smiled and blushed at each other.

“You two are so cute together,” one of Kelly’s friends, Rachel, said addressing JR and me.

Kelly nudged her in the arm. “They’re not together,” she tried whispering to her; Rachel gave us an apologetic look and mouthed sorry.

We all talked for an hour, letting the food settle in our stomachs before we went down to the beach and played volleyball. The sun was still shining brightly in the sky, so it was a perfect time to play. JR and I decided to be captains, dividing the teams five on five. Nobody knew what the hell they were doing, but all in all it was fun and JR wasn’t too much of a sore loser.

“All right, the last thing to end this wonderful Sunday afternoon, s’mores!” JR exclaimed holding up the bag of marshmallows.

I followed behind him with the graham crackers and chocolate, while he handed everyone a wooden skewer. Once everyone had their s’mores assembled, we went down to light the bonfire so we could roast our marshmallows and finish making our s’mores.

“Your marshmallow’s on fire!” Kevin told Sandy, telling her to hurry up and blow out the flame.

Everyone laughed at how overdramatic he was being and continued to let their marshmallows melt over the flame. It had been such a long time since I’d tasted a s’more that I actually moaned in pleasure when I bit into it – embarrassing. JR couldn’t stop laughing at me.

The sun had finally fallen behind the ocean, allowing the stars to shine dimly alongside the moon; I always seem to miss when the sky changes from burnt orange to array colors of blue. The wind blew coolly, making the flame of the fire swish from side to side.

“Well we should head on home. This was tons of fun. If you guys do this again, please let us know,” Kelly said getting up from her chair.

We waved good-bye to everyone as they went around the house to the front, leaving JR and me sitting by the fire next to each other. I started to shiver and felt JR’s strong arm wrap around me, instantly warming me up.

“Today was fun huh?” he said staring up at the moon.

I smiled at him. “Yeah it was really fun.”

He turned his head my way and smiled, making my heart flip in my chest. He reached his hand for my chin, stroking his thumb along my cheek causing me to smile more. His brown eyes looked into mine and his face slowly came closer to mine. I closed my eyes and could feel his hot breath against my lips, waiting for them to touch mine.

“Hey I forgot my jacket,” I heard a voice say from around the corner of the stairs.

We quickly pulled away from each other and scooted apart. Kevin appeared before us and waved.

“Sorry, I just realized I left my jacket here somewhere,” he said looking around the floor for it.

“This it?” JR asked holding up a black jacket to which Kevin nodded and left after he grabbed it.

It was a bit awkward when it was just JR and me alone again. We came very close to kissing; a part of me was glad someone came to interrupt and the other half just wanted it to happen. But it didn’t, so that had to be a sign for something right?

“Well I’m going to bed. Good night,” I said taking a step up the stairs.

“Aubrey, wait…” he said.

“It’s okay JR. Nothing happened, so you don’t have to feel guilty with Ashley. We’ll just forget about it,” I said running up the stairs.

I was only fooling myself, because I knew it wouldn’t be easy to forget.