Sequel: Palm Trees ›
Seashells
make out mania
June 25th, 2006
You never called me again that year. It was expected though, and it didn't really kill me in the inside or whatever. I had a life back home too, you know. It's not like my whole world revolved around the island and each summer I spent there.
It was still a big part of my life, I'll admit. When it came time again to leave home, I was both excited and disappointed. Excited because I would see my island friends again, including you. Every year, we kind of forgot about each other until summer came around again. Then it was like we were never apart at all. Disappointed because I had friends back home too, and every summer they had fun without me. I missed all the parties, all the drama, and when I went back to school again I was absolutely clueless.
But the island was worth it, I think. Sometimes you just needed a change from the norm, and change was what the island brought. Life on the island was always the same, but at the same time it was always changing. We were growing up.
The first sign came on the day I went back to the island. Everyone was already there, just like every year. I showed up almost last, as usual. It was my brother's fault, since he always wanted to stay for the end of the school year parties at home.
Sim was waiting for me, and she came up and hugged me right when I got off the ferry. You were there too, and you just smiled at me. Sure, that was nice, but I kinda wanted a hug too. Not that I would admit it at the time.
"Cassie!" Sim said. "You've missed so much!"
"What?" I said, confused. As far as I knew, she had only been on the island for about a week before me.
"You know some of the older kids? Like Jared and Sarah and stuff."
"Yeah." Of course I knew them - they were my brother's friends and they were always around at my house. There was nothing wrong with them, it just got kind of annoying when I saw them almost everyday.
"We're in with them!" she nearly shouted with excitement. Now, I'm pretty sure she meant she was in. Her personality was always outgoing and... semi-explosive. I could see perfectly how she could fit in with older kids. As for me, though I wasn't exactly the shy type who never talked to anyone, I was just seen as that friend's younger sister. Just neutral, I guess.
"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling slight excitement. No matter where you are or who they are, getting accepted into a new social group was always exciting, if only a little bit in some cases.
"Meet me behind the ice cream parlor at five today."
"Umm, okay?" I said, wondering what she'd have in store for me. I looked at you, and you nodded. So you were going to be there too.
My family went to our house after that, and we settled in. We went to the beach for an hour or so, and then I decided to go home and take a shower before meeting you at the ice cream parlor. My brother did the same, and I thought that was weird until I remembered that we were meeting up with his friends. Which made everything even weirder.
He left the house before me, since he didn't have to spend time doing his hair or make up or making sure his skirt wasn't tucked into his underwear (sometimes I hated being a girl).
After a slightly long walk, I made it to the ice cream parlor. It was mostly deserted and the guy behind the window looked bored out of his mind. I looked up at the blue and white sign reading "Beaches and Cream" (a lame play on the words "peaches and cream") and sure enough I was at the right place. But there was no one there. For a second I thought you guys were playing a trick on me, then I remembered that Sim had told me to meet you behind the the ice cream parlor.
When I stepped behind the building, the first thing I saw was my brother. And a girl. And they were basically eating each other's faces off. I turned away, because that is not the kind of thing a little sister wanted to see. I didn't say anything though and I don't think he noticed as I slipped past them. Good, because that would have been really really awkward.
Then I passed by his friend Jared, who was with his girlfriend Sarah. It was a shame since there was nothing really special about Sarah and Jared happened to be really hot. See, they weren't going at it like my brother and the girl who I forget the name of, but their lips were still connected and I had no idea how they could breathe. I mean, it's not like I'd never kissed a guy before (thanks to a rather unfortunate game of spin the bottle at home) but still.
Anyways, I remember thinking, "is this place some kind of make out mania?" Turns out it was and I would have known if we had just been on the island a week earlier. I wondered how my brother knew, then decided I didn't want to know.
I kept looking for Sim, and it was kind of hard since there were stacks of boxes that were taller than me everywhere. Then I spotted her long, curly black hair flowing down her back. Sure enough, someone's arms were around her waist.
"Sim?" I said.
"Cassie!" she said, immediately turning around. I didn't answer, because I kept looking past her. I just kept staring at the boy with his arms still around her, an almost dazed expression on his face. I couldn't take my eyes off of him, because it was... you.
You never called me again that year. It was expected though, and it didn't really kill me in the inside or whatever. I had a life back home too, you know. It's not like my whole world revolved around the island and each summer I spent there.
It was still a big part of my life, I'll admit. When it came time again to leave home, I was both excited and disappointed. Excited because I would see my island friends again, including you. Every year, we kind of forgot about each other until summer came around again. Then it was like we were never apart at all. Disappointed because I had friends back home too, and every summer they had fun without me. I missed all the parties, all the drama, and when I went back to school again I was absolutely clueless.
But the island was worth it, I think. Sometimes you just needed a change from the norm, and change was what the island brought. Life on the island was always the same, but at the same time it was always changing. We were growing up.
The first sign came on the day I went back to the island. Everyone was already there, just like every year. I showed up almost last, as usual. It was my brother's fault, since he always wanted to stay for the end of the school year parties at home.
Sim was waiting for me, and she came up and hugged me right when I got off the ferry. You were there too, and you just smiled at me. Sure, that was nice, but I kinda wanted a hug too. Not that I would admit it at the time.
"Cassie!" Sim said. "You've missed so much!"
"What?" I said, confused. As far as I knew, she had only been on the island for about a week before me.
"You know some of the older kids? Like Jared and Sarah and stuff."
"Yeah." Of course I knew them - they were my brother's friends and they were always around at my house. There was nothing wrong with them, it just got kind of annoying when I saw them almost everyday.
"We're in with them!" she nearly shouted with excitement. Now, I'm pretty sure she meant she was in. Her personality was always outgoing and... semi-explosive. I could see perfectly how she could fit in with older kids. As for me, though I wasn't exactly the shy type who never talked to anyone, I was just seen as that friend's younger sister. Just neutral, I guess.
"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling slight excitement. No matter where you are or who they are, getting accepted into a new social group was always exciting, if only a little bit in some cases.
"Meet me behind the ice cream parlor at five today."
"Umm, okay?" I said, wondering what she'd have in store for me. I looked at you, and you nodded. So you were going to be there too.
My family went to our house after that, and we settled in. We went to the beach for an hour or so, and then I decided to go home and take a shower before meeting you at the ice cream parlor. My brother did the same, and I thought that was weird until I remembered that we were meeting up with his friends. Which made everything even weirder.
He left the house before me, since he didn't have to spend time doing his hair or make up or making sure his skirt wasn't tucked into his underwear (sometimes I hated being a girl).
After a slightly long walk, I made it to the ice cream parlor. It was mostly deserted and the guy behind the window looked bored out of his mind. I looked up at the blue and white sign reading "Beaches and Cream" (a lame play on the words "peaches and cream") and sure enough I was at the right place. But there was no one there. For a second I thought you guys were playing a trick on me, then I remembered that Sim had told me to meet you behind the the ice cream parlor.
When I stepped behind the building, the first thing I saw was my brother. And a girl. And they were basically eating each other's faces off. I turned away, because that is not the kind of thing a little sister wanted to see. I didn't say anything though and I don't think he noticed as I slipped past them. Good, because that would have been really really awkward.
Then I passed by his friend Jared, who was with his girlfriend Sarah. It was a shame since there was nothing really special about Sarah and Jared happened to be really hot. See, they weren't going at it like my brother and the girl who I forget the name of, but their lips were still connected and I had no idea how they could breathe. I mean, it's not like I'd never kissed a guy before (thanks to a rather unfortunate game of spin the bottle at home) but still.
Anyways, I remember thinking, "is this place some kind of make out mania?" Turns out it was and I would have known if we had just been on the island a week earlier. I wondered how my brother knew, then decided I didn't want to know.
I kept looking for Sim, and it was kind of hard since there were stacks of boxes that were taller than me everywhere. Then I spotted her long, curly black hair flowing down her back. Sure enough, someone's arms were around her waist.
"Sim?" I said.
"Cassie!" she said, immediately turning around. I didn't answer, because I kept looking past her. I just kept staring at the boy with his arms still around her, an almost dazed expression on his face. I couldn't take my eyes off of him, because it was... you.