Seashells

June 24th, 2007

"So, who asked who?"

"I asked Matt," Sim said. "Seriously, if you wanna wait around for guys, nothing will ever happen."

"I guess. So where are we going?"

"I dunno, a restaurant or something. We could go see a movie, but..."

"Yeah, I know," I said. No one ever went to movies here, because the movie theater was extremely small and only showed one movie every two weeks or so. And it was never a good movie, so it didn't matter. "How are we getting there? I really don't wanna walk."

Sim smiled. "I'm driving."

"Really? You got your license?"

"Yup. Conditional, though, so technically I'm not supposed to drive with more than two other people in the car with me, but who gives a fuck, you know?"

"I do. What if you kill us?"

She rolled her eyes. "I won't."

I have to admit I was slightly nervous about getting in a car with her, but I really wanted to go on this date. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise," she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

We waited for another hour, getting ready and making sure we looked totally hot (Sim's words, not mine). Then you and Matt got there and I could almost feel myself shaking for how nervous I was. But I told myself that I was friends with you, and this wouldn't be much different from any other day, right?

"Hey hoe-biscuits," Matt greeted us. "What's the plan?"

"Go to a restaurant, piss off some tourists," Sim said.

"Oh, the usual."

"How are we getting there?" you asked.

"I'm driving," Sim answered.

"Oh, cool," you said. "I'm too lazy to get my license. And no car anyway."

"Well, I have to drive my parents' today because... yeah."

We got in the car then and Sim took us to the other side of town. It was kind of scary actually, because while there were not many traffic lights to go through, she tended to almost miss stop signs. Good thing there was no one around.

I don't remember the name of the restaurant we went to. It wasn't anything amazing, but it was pretty fancy for the island (which isn't fancy at all in real world terms).

"Hey, let's get pancakes," Sim said, knowing how much you hated them.

"Shut up," you said. "Pancakes aren't even on the menu."

"Whatever."

We ended up getting really boring stuff. I don't remember what it was and I never wrote it down, so I guess that memory is lost. I think I had some kind of soup.

It was great. We pissed off tourists, just like Sim had said we would. We had the table right next to the bathroom, which was helpful (and slightly gross). I mean, what's better than talking to people going in and out of the bathroom?

I remember at one point there was a guy maybe a year or so younger than us going into the bathroom. "Hi," you said. He just gave us all a weird look and continued with his business. We kept doing whatever we were doing (which was eat our food extremely slowly) until he came back out of the bathroom. He came out ten minutes later and you started talking to him again. "Hey."

"Hi...?" he said with a confused look on his face.

"What took you so long in there? It's been ten minutes."

That was when he just gave you a disgusted look and walked away. Being as immature as we were, we all broke into a fit of laughter that made the waitress shoot us a warning look. We calmed down a bit so we wouldn't get kicked out.

After a while we talked to people again. I joined in, even though normally I would never do such a thing. Talking to strangers was never my strong point and you know that (with the exception of the time we met, but that was because you had ice cream). I think just being around you guys made me more confident. I'll admit I was also trying to fit in and impress you, but there was something else to it. I think you just had positive effects on me.

"You know what's sexy?" Matt said randomly.

"What?" I asked.

"People eating."

That was when we all looked at each other, then as if on cue, dropped whatever utensil we happened to be using at the time. It was like a scene in a bad sitcom. I remember we had a good laugh over that one. It could never be recreated, which just made it more hilarious to us.

We finally finished the main course and ordered dessert. I think we ordered a large chocolate cake because Matt wanted to, even though he knew we probably wouldn't finish it. He probably saw it as a challenge.

"Shit," Sim said suddenly.

"What?" Matt said as he stuffed his face with cake.

"I left my wallet in the car."

"It's okay, me and Matt got it," you said.

"Yeah, but I have some coupons or some shit," she said. "Better to save money than not."

"Oh."

"Matt, come help me look for it," she said, pulling on his arm. His fork fell onto his plate, clattering noisily.

"But my cake!"

"It can wait," she said, and then she dragged him away.

You and I didn't say anything for a few moments, just watching as our friends left the restaurant.

"...they're probably going to go do each other in the back seat or something," you said.

"I know. I'm pretty sure Sim has her wallet in her purse."

You laughed. "She's such a genius."

"Yeah, I'd be pretty surprised if they weren't going out there to make out or something."

"Well..." you said. "If they're doing it..."

"This is a public place, Aden."

"Doesn't mean anything," you said, raising your eyebrows suggestively. I rolled my eyes and shook my head with a smile. You said, "We haven't gotten to talk in a while, Cass."

"Yeah we have. Remember when you showed me your seashells?"

"Yeah, but I dunno. This is different."

"Because there's a lot of other people around?"

You didn't say anything for a few moments and I wondered if I had said something I shouldn't have. But then you said, "Where are we, Cass?"

"In a restaurant?" I said.

"No, I mean... You know what's happened between us. You came to visit me."

I knew you were referring to the time you kissed me in a classic airport scene like those in the movies. "We..."

"You don't know either, do you?"

"I... I really like you Aden." Those words were so hard to say. If you didn't feel the same way, I didn't know what I'd do.

"I like me too," you said, and for a second my stomach dropped, thinking you said that to avoid saying you liked me. Then you said, "But I like you a lot more, Cassie."

I opened my mouth to say something, but froze. I had to think it over. Was this real, was it true? Or were you just playing me? So I said, "Where does that leave us?"

"Not like Sim and Matt," you said. "I don't think they like each other that much."

"That's true." I didn't know what to say next. Did I want to be your girlfriend? Yes. But also no. There was the whole distance thing during the school year, but I thought we could overcome that, maybe.

"So... Cassidy," you said carefully. I knew you were probably thinking about the same things as I was. "How about we continue this? And we'll see where it goes from here."

"Okay," I said.

"Sound good?" you asked.

"Yes," I said. Actually, I thought it sounded delightful.