Forget Last Summer

Brody woke up the next morning to someone knocking on the door to her room. She rubbed her eyes, got off the bed and yawned while she walked to the door. She opened it to see her aunt’s smiling face. She barely croaked out a greeting when her aunt hugged her tightly.

“God you look just like your mother! Although your uncle might not be so pleased with your new hair color; and also we’re so sorry about missing dinner last night, work has been so hectic for the two of us.” When she finished talking she let Brody go and Brody found herself blushing.

“S’okay, Mama Merrick, Zack’s girlfriend Acey totally made some banging food.” The older woman just smiled before offering the girl some breakfast. She agreed before saying she needed to just change real quick. Mrs. Merrick just nodded, leaving the girl to put on a t-shirt and longer shorts. She padded her way downstairs and to the kitchen where Zack was reluctantly eating pancakes. A plate was sitting in front of an empty chair, waiting for Brody and she sat down greeting her cousin and uncle.

“God, Brody, you’re not blonde anymore, huh?” Mr. Merrick just smiled at his niece and Brody shrugged. “I was just tired of it, Uncle Mark.” She explained before drowning her pancakes in syrup and digging into the delicious food that Carla Merrick had made. Zack, still half asleep, ended up watching his cousin eat and seem so awake even though she just woke up also.

“How do you do it, Brody? How are you so bubbly so early in the morning?” He asked, earning a scoff and scold from his mother because he was being rude. Not like he cared, it was just a question and Brody shrugged.

“I’m used to getting up early and having to be happy; it came with having to keep up with my mother.” Instantly she felt as if she said something wrong, the looks her aunt and uncle gave her until her uncle started laughing.

“She is the same Anya from when we were younger. When I was around Zack’s age, she would practically have enough pep in the morning to last me a whole semester of school. And she was only 14!” Brody just nodded as if to say “yup, that’s my mother.” The Merrick family and Brody ate their breakfast before Zack went to shower and Brody opted for TV. She flipped through the channels, bored but when she found Criminal Minds was on, a rerun of course, she stopped. She watched as Reid and Morgan talking around a crime scene. Then Zack came back downstairs and sat down next to her.

“Acey called me and said her and Roxie are gonna come over. So I invited the guys, you get to meet Rian, and we’re gonna go to the Harbor. Acey said she needs to see the fishes at the Aquarium.” Brody giggled, it definitely sounded like Acey to say fishes and felt the need to see them. Brody just agreed and said it sounds like fun. She had never been to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and it was going to be a great adventure. According to Zack, the Harbor was a regular place for them to hang out at much like the Towson Center Mall.

Brody watched more of the Criminal Minds episode before going up stairs. She showered quickly and dressed in cute but comfortable clothes. She dried and straightened her hair before slipping on her Jeffery Campbell wedges. Once done with her appearance, after putting on make-up, she ran downstairs to see that Acey, a girl she never met, Alex, Jack and a boy she never met all in the living room with Zack. “Hey guys!” She greeted before walking up to the group.

“Brody! You’re wearing the Jeffery Campbell’s I want! See, baby, they’re pretty!” Acey showed Zack the shoes that were on Brody’s feet and Zack rolled his eyes.

“And you don’t have the money to get them, miss I don’t have a job,” Acey pouted at Zack but he just smirked before stealing a kiss from her. Brody took that moment to introduce herself to the boy and girl she never met. The girl has long brown hair, set up in loose curls and she smiled as Brody approached her.

“Hi I’m Brody.”

“Roxie, I’m Acey’s best friend. And I happen to be dating Rian,” Brody turned to see the boy she didn’t know, Rian she suspected, who’s brown hair set like a mop on his head. She said hi and introduced herself. Everyone was talking and joking around, except for Alex who sat on the couch with his arms over his chest. He didn’t forget yesterday where Brody didn’t fall for his charm and it was safe to say he’s butt-hurt over it.

An hour later they all piled into two cars: Zack’s and Roxie’s. The girls went in Roxie’s and the boys went into Zack’s. The ride in the girls’ car was filled with loud singing and cigarette smoking. The boys’ car was just full of talk about their show that was fast approaching and that Alex has a new song he wants to show the guys. Once they found a parking garage to park at, the group of teenagers walked around the Harbor. They looked at the water and Brody chased some ducks. Alex said that one day he’d like to play acoustically in the center area where a man was doing magic tricks.

They all got inline to go to the Aquarium, each paying for their own ticket and waited for their time to get inside. It wasn’t terribly busy since it was midday in the summer but the line was long. They passed the time by playing a Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament. It was Alex and Brody up as the finalists when they were let in the Aquarium. “We’ll finish this later.” Alex told Brody, who smirked and saluted him before being dragged off by Jack and Acey. Jack and Acey were the most excited for the fish and various other things they will see.

They looked at all types of fish, even ones they’ve never heard of. At some point, Acey and Zack slipped from the pack and went off to find Jellyfish, Roxie and Rian went off on their own without noticing and Jack kept running off. So Alex and Brody were left to wander the very big Aquarium together. “This is my first time here. Zack’s parents never took us here when I’d visit because they usually worked and left us with a baby sitter.”

Alex didn’t know what to say. She was just confiding in him, kind of, and he thought she didn’t like him. But he managed to say something after a few minutes of silence. “This was one of the first places I came to when I moved here from England.”

“Oh, you’re from England?” Brody was surprised. Of course, Alex lost his accent over the years unless he’s at home where both his parents still kept their accents. Brody thought it was nice that Alex would share this information with her. He just nodded with a small smile playing on his lips. “That’s cool. I went to England last summer with my mom. I spent most of the time in the hotel room as she did business things.” Brody didn’t understand why she told him all that information. But she did and she felt a little glad she had someone to talk to.

Brody and Alex talked as they walked; eventually they finished their Rock, Paper, Scissors battle and Brody one with a paper over rock. They eventually left the Aquarium without the others and went to a Panera Bread across the street past the Hard Rock Café. Alex told her a story about how Jack almost got them banned from this Panera and Brody found it to be hilarious. Once the finished eating, they got text messages and calls from their friends saying to meet them at the Water Taxi. “Why are we going on a Water Taxi?” Brody asked as nerves began to fill her. She hated boats and water and she didn’t feel safe.

“It’s just this boat thing that’s gonna take us to Fell’s Point. Fell’s is probably one of my favorite places and there’s some cool shops and stuff.” Alex explained but he noticed her shaking. “Are you afraid of boats or something?”

“What? No!” She lied but Alex saw through it. He smirked, grabbing her shaking hand. “I’ll keep you safe.” He offered her a smile and she smiled back, a small blush forming on her cheeks. They walked on, still holding hands, and met up with the rest of the pack at the Water Taxi. They walked onto the boat, paid for their tickets and sat down all together near the back. Alex wrapped an arm around Brody, who tried hard not too freak out, and the gesture didn’t go unnoticed by both Roxie and Acey who sat with their boyfriends behind Alex and Brody. Acey and Roxie shared a glance to each other and smirked. They were definitely going to bring this up with the other girl later.

The group walked around and talked up and down Thames St. and South Broadway. They went into shops, Brody bought herself a whole new outfit and another pair of Jeffery Campbell’s while telling Acey she can have the ones she’s wearing. The girls ended up shopping together as the boys hung out in different places. Acey and Roxie took the opportunity to talk about Alex.

“So, Brody, we saw you and a certain boy getting quite cozy.” Acey started, which made Roxie turn to her and laugh, calling her stupid for saying that. “Shut up.” Acey pouted and Brody watched the two girls with a confused face.

“She means Alex,” Roxie explained and Brody shook her head laughing.

“Well Alex and I were just hanging out. We were left alone at the Aquarium, got to talking and when we went to the Water Taxi I kind of showed him I’m afraid of boats and water. It was nothing serious, he said he’ll protect me and he did.” Brody didn’t see the big deal. Alex was just being friendly.

“Oh, okay but fair warning, he’s kind of a slut.” Acey told Brody, this only made Roxie shake her head and Brody shrug. Brody’s a big girl; she can take care of herself. They shopped some more until Jack came into a store looking for them saying there’s a raging party at Joey Pratt’s house and there’s an opportunity for the guys to tell people about their gig next week.

“Yes! Booze!” Roxie yelled before leaving the store after Jack, running into her boyfriend’s arms giggling. Acey and Brody followed the crazy girl and the friends left the Harbor back to Zack’s house. Zack and Brody were dropped off to get ready, if needed, and everyone else did the same. Brody and Zack were going to meet them at Joey’s house since Joey went to Dulaney High School with the rest of the pack of friends which is a totally different area than Towson.

Brody didn’t change except she put on her new Jeffery Campbell’s and waited for Zack to change into a plaid shirt but kept the tight dark blue jeans on. Once they were both fully ready they left for the party, Zack explaining how parties usually happened around here and Brody told him she can handle herself. They parked on a street in front of a large house that seemed alone. Perfect party house. The cousins walked in and instantly were pulled from each other through the throng of people. Brody went straight for the alcohol, picking herself up a red plastic cup and filling it with 3/4th whiskey and 1/4th Coke, the way she loved it. She took a sip, and then took a bigger sip and then she downed the rest of her drink. She got herself another and went to look for someone she knew. Brody was getting herself nice and drunk when she found Alex Gaskarth sipping a red cup of his own.

“Hey! Alex!” Brody giggled as she almost fell into him, Alex laughed before asking her if she was okay. “I-I’m fine, bro, just a l-little drunk, that’s-s all,” she slurred. Alex smirked putting an arm around her to keep her balanced. They talked, more like slurred, and walked around the party. They drank and drank together. They did shots of Patron and made it a game. Once Brody won and surprised Alex she looked at him with a smile.

“You’re crazy, Brody Wilson,” Alex told her as he leaned in closer to her face.

“Yeah? And you’re cute.” She closed the gap between them and kissed his lips. Little did the two know this tiny little kiss will spark a new summer whirlwind.