Attractions

“So where are you going?” I asked for probably the tenth time that day. It was middle of July and I was lounging on my bed, watching Star brush her teeth in nothing but her see through robe. I loved it.

She rolled her eyes and spit out the toothpaste, putting her toothbrush back in the holder, next to mine. “If I didn’t tell you five minutes ago, I sure as hell am not telling you now. You know, shouldn’t you be home in New York or something?” she pointed out, gathering her clothes together.

“Leaving already?” I raised an eyebrow.

A devlish smirk was on her pink lips. “You’re coming too.”

“Oh!” I scrambled to my clothes on. “Are we going some place special so that you can tell me where you’re going for the rest of the summer?” I was more than eager to comply with her wishes if it meant that I would know.

“Not quite. I need you to drive me home so I can leave,” she tossed me a sad smile at my pathetic face.

“When will you be back?” I asked, slipping into a pair of jeans.

“September,” she more or less muttered it, hurrying down the stairs.

“What?!” I hollered, stumbling after her. “September?! It’s fucking July!” I yelled as I angrily made toast.

“I know. But you’ll have Natalie to bug and hockey will start soon enough. Who knows Pattycake?” she came up to me, her fingers dancing across my cheek. “You might even forget about me.”

A forced a lopsided grin. “Starlyn Taylor, I don’t think any boy has ever forgotten you.”

She kissed my cheek and grabbed the toast as it popped up from the toaster, taking a bite. “True that. Come on! I’m driving!” she laughed, already grabbing my keys and running out into the hot July sun.

I stood there, trying to squash the pang of loneliness that would soon wash over me. Star was leaving two months and we wouldn’t talk. I knew we wouldn’t. She wasn’t the type of girl up communication. And we were just sleeping buddies. Nothing real. Nothing substantial. Nothing at all.

“Pattycake!” she sang loudly. “Are you coming or do I just get to keep your car for the rest of the summer?”

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my sunglasses. Star was only going to be gone for two months. That wasn’t too bad. I could get through it. And I could just bug Natalie to make time go faster. I knew she was home while Sharpie went home for part of the summer. Maybe she would break down out of loneliness and tell me where Star was going. . . .

“She won’t tell you,” Star read my mind as I got into my car, music blaring, windows rolled down.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I had nothing to say. So I closed my mouth and pouted all the way back to her house.

“Thank you Patty,” she kissed me before getting out. I looked at the house she lived in and smiled. It was small, but homey.

“Wait; hold on,” I said, turning off the car and got out, ambling towards her front door.

“Patrick. . .” she said, using my full name. “Where do you think you’re going?”

I turned back to her, my lazy smile shining bright. “You know just about everything about me and we always sleep at my place. I want to see where Starlyn Taylor lives.”

That time, it was her who opened her mouth, but shut it again, following me tight lipped. “Five minutes while I grab my bags and that’s it,” she warned.

Good enough for me. While she clicked anc clacked her way to her room in those three inch heels, I explored the kitchen and living room very carefully, trying to soak up anything and everything I could about Star.

Her place was actually quite simple for a girl like Star. She had a couch, a loveseat, a television, and two bookcases filled with different kinds of books. Though there was one thing out of the ordinary, I did notice. She had a scarf rack filled with the entire rainbow in the corner of the living room.

“This is cool,” I said, touching a green silk scarf.

She reappeared, one bag in hand. “Oh thanks!” she beamed and I was slightly surprised. She was coy, she was feisty, she was sexy, she was cool, calm, and collected, but never have I actually seen Star smile like that before.

She dragged out three other bags and turned to me, hands on her hips. “Okay, out.”

“You’re not even going to let me carry your bags for you?” I smiled innocently, picking up her three, really heavy bags. “Shit Star! What is in these!”

She blushed slightly. “Clothes. . .”

“Jesus, you can really pack it in there,” I grunted, putting her bags in the trunk of her car. “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you to the airport?” I tried, hoping I was right.

“No, because then you’d have to pick me up, and you should be in training camp that day.”

“So you have fly to get there. . .” I thought out loud.

“Which narrows it down to anywhere sweetie,” she winked and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Nice try though. I do applaud you.”

I sighed and wrapped my arms around her frame, breathing her in one last time for the next two months. “I’m going to miss you Star,” I dared to admit to her.

“I’m going to miss you too Patty. Maybe I’ll call you sometime,” she smiled and let go, getting into her car. “See you in September.”

I waved, watching her back out of the driveway and disappear around the corner before I chose to leave.

It was going to be a long two months.