Divine Chaos
3
I woke up at one o’clock and sent Hayden a good morning/afternoon text. He never responded which was rare of him. Frowning, I got up and headed to the kitchen, which smelled of pancakes and syrup.
This was normal for us. We’d have brunch almost every Saturday. What wasn’t normal was the fact that Steve was over and enjoying brunch with us. I walked in and he was sitting at the table, drinking what looked like coffee and my mom was at the stove. I said a quick hi to Steve which he responded back and then I walked over to my mom.
She handed me a plate already stacked with 3 of her infamous chocolate chip pancakes. When I reached for the plate she pulled them back and stuck her cheek out which I returned with a kiss. She let me have them. I stuffed the pancakes down my throat, wanting to get over to Hayden’s quickly and away from this table and the awkward conversation it would bring with it.
“Whose roses?” my mom asked, pointing to the vase.
“Mine,” I said smiling. “Hayden brought them to me yesterday.”
“Well that was sweet,” she replied as she added more water to them.
I nodded, the smile still lingering on my face as I thought back to last night.
“So what are you doing today?” my mom asked sitting down next to Steve across from me.
“Me and Hayden are going out with some friends all day today. Probably shopping or something.” I shrugged. We were really going to the lake. I knew if I told her that though she wouldn’t let me go.
“Oh okay,” she gave me a look and went back to eating.
“Why did you look at me that way?” I asked her, setting my fork down to give her my full attention. I knew that look. That judging look that I hated.
“What look?” she asked playing dumb.
“Whatever,” I really, really wanted to go off on her but I bit my tongue for Steve’s sake, and finished the last couple bites of my pancake. I went to my room, threw on my black and white polka dot bikini and then some shorts and a bright orange tank top over it. I called Hayden and at about the fifth ring he finally answered.
“Hello?” he sounded out of breath, his voice husky.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Oh, yeah, why?”
“Nevermind,” I continued, “So I’m about to head your way.”
“What? Why?” he asked quickly.
“We’re going to the lake today. Remember?” I asked feeling confused. I threw on some sandals.
“Oh, that was today? I totally forgot,” I heard a girl’s voice muffled in the background. He shushed the person.
“Who was that?” I asked.
“My mom,” he said simply.
“Oh, well hey, just get ready and me and Val will swing by and pick you up in like twenty minutes.”
He paused the other end of the line completely silent. “Hayden?” I wondered if he had hung up.
“Actually,” his voice busted back through the phone, “I can’t go to the lake today because I’m really sick.” He coughed
“Awe, that’s too bad,” I couldn’t hide the letdown in my voice, “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I just woke up this morning and I felt horrible. Maybe I caught the stomach virus going around school,” he suggested.
“Oh,” I frowned. “Okay, well I’m sorry baby. I hope you feel better.”
“Yeah, thanks. Well, uh, I gotta go,” he said quickly.
“Alright. I love you and get well soon.”
“Love you too,” he said before hanging up.
I sighed and called Val. She and I had been friends since fourth grade. She was the crazier of my friends but I loved her for it and loved how she brought out that side in me too. When I hung out with her I knew I was in for a good time.
“Hola amiga,” she answered.
“Hey girl,” I responded back.
“Are ya ready?” her voice oozed of excitement.
“Hell yeah, but I got bad news,” I alleged.
“What?” she was concerned.
“Hayden is sick so he can’t come with us today.”
“Awe, that sucks,” she sounded disappointed.
“Yeah, I know. He just told me before you called.”
“We’ll still have fun though. I promise. Well hey, I’m leaving the house now so I’ll see you in a few.”
“See ya,” I hung up and raced to my vanity.
I knew we’d be swimming so I only put on a little bit of base and a light coat water-proof mascara. I braided my hair and then grabbed all the essentials for a day at the lake and threw them in my over-sized purse: sunscreen, a bottle of Hemp, bug spray, a beach towel I got from the trip to Mexico we took last summer, and my iPod.
After I got everything packed I heard a honk outside the house. I raced through the living room and yelled a quick goodbye to mom and Steve who were on the couch watching some Hallmark movie. They waved, but I was already out the door and walking to Val’s jeep parked in the driveway.
I jumped in passenger seat of the rusty, red, and dented jeep that smelled faintly of stale French fries and popcorn and we drove away. There was a bunch of trash on the floor which I reached down, picked up, and threw out the open window.
“Litterbug,” Val said.
“Junky,” I accused back. “Seriously, when do you ever clean this poor thing out?”
She thought for a while and then simply replied, “Never.” I laughed at her and she turned the radio up.
The two hour ride to the lake consisted of: singing/screaming the lyrics to the top 40s on the radio, pulling the rest of the fabric off of the roof of Val’s jeep, trying to get truckers to blow their horns for us, and discussing who will be at the lake, who will be hooking up with who in the woods surrounding the lake, and how many drinks it will take to make Val’s brother Dustin puke.
When we finally arrived at the gravel road leading a pathway through the woods and to the lake I blew out a sigh of relief. I was starting to get restless. We drove down the two mile road and found a parking place next to Dustin and Jessica. There were already about twenty people there but more would come when it started getting dark.
We got out and started walking over to the pier. When Val saw Johnny she practically tackled the girls in front of us to get to him. She jumped in his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. I smiled as I approached them and they pulled out of their embrace to join me. We heard Dustin before we saw him. He was on the pier, yelling and laughing with his friends. It wasn’t even seven yet and he was already drinking.
I slid out of my shorts, tank top, and my sandals too and I dipped my toes in the cold lake water. I looked around and found Val talking to Devin and Kayla, but I didn’t really like Kayla that much so I walked the opposite direction towards the pier. There was a group playing volleyball with a torn net and I had to dodge a ball that almost hit me. I picked it where it landed on the ground and threw it back to them.
Sandy, another one of my girlfriends, left the game to come up and ask me where Hayden was. I explained as she walked with me down the pier and sat with me at the very end, our feet dangling off the edge. There was a light breeze blowing in our direction and it felt good.
“That sucks,” she said, her kinky red hair blowing away from her freckled face.
“Yeah,” I agreed. But before I could say more I was being lifted up and thrown off the pier and into the lake.
I came up to the surface, my nose burning from the water that got in, and I saw Sandy being hurled in behind me. The culprits were Dustin and Ricky, now high fiving each other and laughing at us. I flipped them off just as I heard Sandy’s high-pitched voice behind me.
“Oh my god you fucking assholes!” she screamed at them, scrambling over to the shore. “I can’t believe you—“ her rambling kept going on and on. I just shrugged and started swimming backwards, feeling the sun hit my face.
The water was cold but I could already feel my body become immune to the temperature. I swam over to the side of the pier until I saw Val and then I yelled at her to come and join me. She smiled and held up one finger, going back to whoever she was talking to. Then she came, along with a group of people and they all jumped in.
We swam for a little and then it started getting dark so we got out and the guys went around collecting drift wood for the bonfire they were making later tonight. I dried off as much as possible and put my shorts back on, but staying in just my bikini top. After me and Val sprayed down with Bug Off! we headed over to the coolers and grabbed a Bud Light. Some guy with a bandana around his head had brought his guitar along and was playing by the bonfire. He and this girl were singing softly some song from some indie band I’d never heard of.
We sat in the sand and talked all night. Couples paired off, walking, kissing, cuddling, and watching the stars. I found myself missing Hayden even more and wishing he was with me tonight. I sent him a text letting him know so and then I laid back and watched the stars, listening to the sounds of couples making out, laughing, and talking over the guitar’s strum.
This was normal for us. We’d have brunch almost every Saturday. What wasn’t normal was the fact that Steve was over and enjoying brunch with us. I walked in and he was sitting at the table, drinking what looked like coffee and my mom was at the stove. I said a quick hi to Steve which he responded back and then I walked over to my mom.
She handed me a plate already stacked with 3 of her infamous chocolate chip pancakes. When I reached for the plate she pulled them back and stuck her cheek out which I returned with a kiss. She let me have them. I stuffed the pancakes down my throat, wanting to get over to Hayden’s quickly and away from this table and the awkward conversation it would bring with it.
“Whose roses?” my mom asked, pointing to the vase.
“Mine,” I said smiling. “Hayden brought them to me yesterday.”
“Well that was sweet,” she replied as she added more water to them.
I nodded, the smile still lingering on my face as I thought back to last night.
“So what are you doing today?” my mom asked sitting down next to Steve across from me.
“Me and Hayden are going out with some friends all day today. Probably shopping or something.” I shrugged. We were really going to the lake. I knew if I told her that though she wouldn’t let me go.
“Oh okay,” she gave me a look and went back to eating.
“Why did you look at me that way?” I asked her, setting my fork down to give her my full attention. I knew that look. That judging look that I hated.
“What look?” she asked playing dumb.
“Whatever,” I really, really wanted to go off on her but I bit my tongue for Steve’s sake, and finished the last couple bites of my pancake. I went to my room, threw on my black and white polka dot bikini and then some shorts and a bright orange tank top over it. I called Hayden and at about the fifth ring he finally answered.
“Hello?” he sounded out of breath, his voice husky.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Oh, yeah, why?”
“Nevermind,” I continued, “So I’m about to head your way.”
“What? Why?” he asked quickly.
“We’re going to the lake today. Remember?” I asked feeling confused. I threw on some sandals.
“Oh, that was today? I totally forgot,” I heard a girl’s voice muffled in the background. He shushed the person.
“Who was that?” I asked.
“My mom,” he said simply.
“Oh, well hey, just get ready and me and Val will swing by and pick you up in like twenty minutes.”
He paused the other end of the line completely silent. “Hayden?” I wondered if he had hung up.
“Actually,” his voice busted back through the phone, “I can’t go to the lake today because I’m really sick.” He coughed
“Awe, that’s too bad,” I couldn’t hide the letdown in my voice, “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I just woke up this morning and I felt horrible. Maybe I caught the stomach virus going around school,” he suggested.
“Oh,” I frowned. “Okay, well I’m sorry baby. I hope you feel better.”
“Yeah, thanks. Well, uh, I gotta go,” he said quickly.
“Alright. I love you and get well soon.”
“Love you too,” he said before hanging up.
I sighed and called Val. She and I had been friends since fourth grade. She was the crazier of my friends but I loved her for it and loved how she brought out that side in me too. When I hung out with her I knew I was in for a good time.
“Hola amiga,” she answered.
“Hey girl,” I responded back.
“Are ya ready?” her voice oozed of excitement.
“Hell yeah, but I got bad news,” I alleged.
“What?” she was concerned.
“Hayden is sick so he can’t come with us today.”
“Awe, that sucks,” she sounded disappointed.
“Yeah, I know. He just told me before you called.”
“We’ll still have fun though. I promise. Well hey, I’m leaving the house now so I’ll see you in a few.”
“See ya,” I hung up and raced to my vanity.
I knew we’d be swimming so I only put on a little bit of base and a light coat water-proof mascara. I braided my hair and then grabbed all the essentials for a day at the lake and threw them in my over-sized purse: sunscreen, a bottle of Hemp, bug spray, a beach towel I got from the trip to Mexico we took last summer, and my iPod.
After I got everything packed I heard a honk outside the house. I raced through the living room and yelled a quick goodbye to mom and Steve who were on the couch watching some Hallmark movie. They waved, but I was already out the door and walking to Val’s jeep parked in the driveway.
I jumped in passenger seat of the rusty, red, and dented jeep that smelled faintly of stale French fries and popcorn and we drove away. There was a bunch of trash on the floor which I reached down, picked up, and threw out the open window.
“Litterbug,” Val said.
“Junky,” I accused back. “Seriously, when do you ever clean this poor thing out?”
She thought for a while and then simply replied, “Never.” I laughed at her and she turned the radio up.
The two hour ride to the lake consisted of: singing/screaming the lyrics to the top 40s on the radio, pulling the rest of the fabric off of the roof of Val’s jeep, trying to get truckers to blow their horns for us, and discussing who will be at the lake, who will be hooking up with who in the woods surrounding the lake, and how many drinks it will take to make Val’s brother Dustin puke.
When we finally arrived at the gravel road leading a pathway through the woods and to the lake I blew out a sigh of relief. I was starting to get restless. We drove down the two mile road and found a parking place next to Dustin and Jessica. There were already about twenty people there but more would come when it started getting dark.
We got out and started walking over to the pier. When Val saw Johnny she practically tackled the girls in front of us to get to him. She jumped in his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. I smiled as I approached them and they pulled out of their embrace to join me. We heard Dustin before we saw him. He was on the pier, yelling and laughing with his friends. It wasn’t even seven yet and he was already drinking.
I slid out of my shorts, tank top, and my sandals too and I dipped my toes in the cold lake water. I looked around and found Val talking to Devin and Kayla, but I didn’t really like Kayla that much so I walked the opposite direction towards the pier. There was a group playing volleyball with a torn net and I had to dodge a ball that almost hit me. I picked it where it landed on the ground and threw it back to them.
Sandy, another one of my girlfriends, left the game to come up and ask me where Hayden was. I explained as she walked with me down the pier and sat with me at the very end, our feet dangling off the edge. There was a light breeze blowing in our direction and it felt good.
“That sucks,” she said, her kinky red hair blowing away from her freckled face.
“Yeah,” I agreed. But before I could say more I was being lifted up and thrown off the pier and into the lake.
I came up to the surface, my nose burning from the water that got in, and I saw Sandy being hurled in behind me. The culprits were Dustin and Ricky, now high fiving each other and laughing at us. I flipped them off just as I heard Sandy’s high-pitched voice behind me.
“Oh my god you fucking assholes!” she screamed at them, scrambling over to the shore. “I can’t believe you—“ her rambling kept going on and on. I just shrugged and started swimming backwards, feeling the sun hit my face.
The water was cold but I could already feel my body become immune to the temperature. I swam over to the side of the pier until I saw Val and then I yelled at her to come and join me. She smiled and held up one finger, going back to whoever she was talking to. Then she came, along with a group of people and they all jumped in.
We swam for a little and then it started getting dark so we got out and the guys went around collecting drift wood for the bonfire they were making later tonight. I dried off as much as possible and put my shorts back on, but staying in just my bikini top. After me and Val sprayed down with Bug Off! we headed over to the coolers and grabbed a Bud Light. Some guy with a bandana around his head had brought his guitar along and was playing by the bonfire. He and this girl were singing softly some song from some indie band I’d never heard of.
We sat in the sand and talked all night. Couples paired off, walking, kissing, cuddling, and watching the stars. I found myself missing Hayden even more and wishing he was with me tonight. I sent him a text letting him know so and then I laid back and watched the stars, listening to the sounds of couples making out, laughing, and talking over the guitar’s strum.