Butterfly

September 31, 2005

I’ve done it, I know I have. Now I know things will never be the same between me and Grace again. I shouldn’t have gone to that stupid dance in the first place.

I was just sitting with Tommy in one of the corners of the gym and we were having a pretty decent time. I’m still pretty awkward around guys, but I was getting better. Anyway, Tommy kept smiling at me and I kept blushing furiously. It was then that I noticed Grace dancing with her friend Brooke. I got this weird feeling. I think it was jealousy. Not like that! Just… the fact that she found a new best friend. But I guess that’s what I did to her, too.

I was…angry, I guess. So I took Tommy to the dance floor and I pushed and shoved my way near Grace. I watched her as Tommy and I danced, and I guess Tommy saw what I was looking at because he coughed, “Loser”. Grace heard him. To keep up with the charade, I laughed. It felt awful, and to make matters worse, I coughed, “Freak”. I know those aren’t the most hurtful words a person can say, but Grace started crying and left for the bathroom with Brooke following her.

Then I guess Tommy felt the need to kiss me right there, with Grace watching.

He stole my first kiss. –Rose

/ “I got us some more rocks!” Rory said as he dropped five rocks as big as his fist.

“That’s good; you could put them there until we figure out what to do with them next.”

“Alright- That rock should go over there! Not there!” He pointed at the rocks I had so neatly arranged in a circle.

“Are you criticizing my circle?”

“Maybe.”

“Well, you do it then.”

“Fine, I will.”

I stuck my tongue out at him, which he returned. It got a little chuckle out of the both of us.

I sat down by Rory as he rearranged my circle, “Are we carving something thoughtful into stone eventually?”

“Oh, good idea!”

I looked at Rory. His muscles were working firmly as he lifted some of the heavier rocks.

Years of sports had done him well. He was lean and not overly muscled; he had bass player hands and strong arms. His blonde hair flopped casually across his face. His features had only matured over the years.

“What? Do I have something on my face?” I blushed, he caught me staring again.

“No, you’re fine.”

July 4, 2002

One of my favorite holidays has always been the Fourth of July. I can’t explain it, but it always brings out a sense of patriotism within all of us. It unites us within a nation, whereas other holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah separate us based on religion. The fourth was just a day for everyone to gather around a fire and just be a family.

So, naturally, I was spending the holiday with Rose (and Rory) at their vacation home on the coast of the Long Island Sound. It was my first trip away from home that lasted longer than a day. In fact, I was spending the week with the Artwood family.

Rose didn’t have any cousins. She was always saddened by this, because she thoroughly enjoyed people but didn’t have a big family. So, I was like family to her. I was the sister/cousin that she never had.

We had already been there for three days. The house was pretty big for the neighborhood.

Newly renovated, it was built to hold many people, particularly guests. It had many small guest rooms within its faux ski-lodge-esque walls. In total, the house had 7 bedrooms. This seemed like a lot to me at first, but then I saw the rooms. There were two large bedrooms, meant for couples. Then there were the kid’s rooms, each room equipped with bunk beds.

Rose and I decided to share a room, despite there being enough room for me to have my own room.

Rory and his friend, Martin Sullivan decided to do the same thing. They were right next door, we had a connecting bathroom.

It wasn’t as awkward as I thought it would have been. The four of us just went to the beach every day. We played games on the beach and didn’t really go in the water all that much. I hadn’t reached a self-conscious age yet, so I was alright in my tankini. I couldn’t say this much for Rose.

‘Are you sure I look ok?’ was heard multiple times within the day.

Finally it was the fourth. That night promised fireworks, bonfires, sparklers, and many choruses of “America, the Beautiful”.

“Hey Grace? What shirt do you like better? The white one or the blue one?”

“I like the blue one, it’ll bring out your eyes.” Rose agreed and tugged on the shirt before we left.

The beach was crowded when we got there, but Rory had saved us seats n the rocks by the edge of the water. The seats were perfect for the viewing of the fireworks, which were being set off on the next beach over.

I sat next to Rory, while awkwardly adjusting myself on the rock without falling in the water.

“Maybe Rose won’t have us kiss this time.” Rory whispered in my ear.

I side-smiled at him, and I thought I saw the glint of something else in his eyes. Sadness? Disappointment? I couldn’t tell.

The fireworks ended as soon as it started, so it seemed. But the rest of the night was ours.

“Let’s go to the end of the pier.” We all followed Rose, always the aggressive planner.

This particular pier did not have railing, which proved to be slightly dangerous and embarrassing later on.

Rose sat down at the edge of the pier. Luckily, the water was calm that night, or else we would have been soaking wet by the time we stepped onto the pier.

“What are we doing here, Rose?” Martin just looked so bored, I felt bad for Rory.

“We’re going to play a game!”

“What are, like, eight?”

Rose gave Martin a death glare then turned to me and said, “We’re going to play Truth or Consequences. Rose, you go first. All you have to do is answer the question, or else something bad will happen.”

I gulped nervously, “Ok, shoot.”

“Do you like Rory?”

”What?”

Rory and I exchange glances, having said the exact same thing simultaneously.

“You heard me, now answer!”

“I-I, um…”

It was then that I saw Rose whisper in Martin’s ear. I couldn’t bring myself to look at Rory, I was too embarrassed.

“Fine, don’t answer. CONSEQUENCE TIME.” Rose shouted.

I felt a shove from behind my back right before I plunged into the chilly water. Water filled my nose and mouth, making it hard for me to breathe. I struggled to get to the surface. It became harder and harder for me to swim, I was fading away when I felt arms grab me from underneath. We broke through the surface and I gasped for air.

Martin helped me onto the edge of the pier. Rose looked apologetically down at me, then glanced murderously at Martin.

“You idiot! I told you to pick her up and throw her in! Not shove her in! You could have killed her!”

It was then that I decided to thank my savior, Rory.

“Did you really dive in to save me?”

“Well, yea. You could’ve drowned, you didn’t see it coming.”

“Thank you,” I glanced at his arms, still around me.

He let go, blushing as he realized how intimately close we were. Out of the corner of my eye,
I saw Rose try to hide a smile. She gave a thumbs-up sign to Martin.

I smiled before I fell asleep that night, dreaming of my knight in shining armor.

”Are you ok, Grace?”

“Yep, thanks.”

“For what?’

I smiled, “For just being here.”