Sand Castles

I woke up because the sun was shining right on my face. Being myself, the morning doesn't bother me, so my feet hit the floor with a thud and glide over to the bathroom.

Sometimes I can look raw in the morning. I don't wear make up, and I don't get acne, but still sometimes... today was one of those mornings.

"Breakfast!" Dad screams up the stairs.

"In a minute!" I'm the type that always has to get ready before they're seen by anyone, so I slide on a pair of super duper short, washed out denim shorts and a flowy tan sheer shirt that really needs a tanktop underneath, but I skip that, i can put it on later. Of course, the bra I'm wearing is white with grey rainclouds on them that have smiley faces. Honestly, its the cutest bra ever, so don't judge.

Breakfast consists of scrambled eggs and bacon. Classic.

"I'm going to be gone most of the day," Dad warns. "I have to work from like nine to eleven tonight. Taking extra hours to cover for Anderson."

"Anderson's the one with the little girl, right?"

"Thats him."

"Where's he going?"

"His grandmother is in the hospital."

"Oh. Tell him i'm sorry to hear that."

"I will. Will you be hanging out with the kids from earlier?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"If you go out, tell me, and make sure your home before I am."

"I love you Daddy."

"You sitll have the pepper spray I gave you, right?"

"Yes Daddy. You checked it yesterday."

"You can never be to careful."

"Preaching to the choir."

"Does Arianna ever listen? I want to atleast keep one of you safe."

"She listens, she just likes to act like she doesn't."

I kiss Dad on the cheek as he leaves, then pull my hair into a bun and drag out my easel, a canvas, and all the paints I own.

Hours later, my phone still hasn't rung, and I'm now looking at it like it's a twitch. I though Jordan would call me, or at least, one of the others would've contacted me by now. But I'm used to not being the most important person to invite... But still. It depresses me until I can't paint anymore and I'm playing the piano Dad has. Tears are stinging at my eyes. I should be used to this by now. When have guys ever called me back?

Then my phone rings. I stare at it, then realize its Jordan calling me, and my heart jumps into my throat. I answer it. "Hello?"

"H-hey," Jordan says shakily. He's back in shy mode.

"Oh hey!" I answer back brightly, super happy. "Whats up?"

"I just got off work."

"Where do you work?"

"Er, that Poogin's Porch place."

"Oh I love that place!" I say happily.

"So do I. I was, um, wondering if, uh, you wanted to maybe do something with me later?"

"Like a date?" I ask, smiling brilliantly on my side of the phone. My voice comes out rather shocked, though, because I am.

"It doesn't have to be!" Jordan says instantly. "I-um-shit-we could invite other people I guess. OW!"

"Are you alright?"

"Um, yeah, Liam just hit me. Just, um forget I ever called, bye A-"

"No! No, wait! I would love to. Really. A date."

"...Really?" He asks in awe, like he really doesn't believe me.

"Yes."

"Oh. Um, great. Great." His smile is obvious in his voice.

I lean against the wall. "So what would we be doing?"

"Er, we could, um, get dinner... Or something."

"Dinner sounds great."

"A-awesome. I'll pick you up around like s-six?"

"Six is perfect."

"I'll see you then."

"Yeah. Bye Toby."

"Bye Angel."

He hangs up and I slide down the wall, giggling like a little girl. then i see the clock. Damn, its three.

I nearly fall on my way up the stairs.
~
"So did you like the pink one or the blue one best?" The phone is stuck between my ear and shoulder as I hold the two different dresses up in the mirror.

"They're both really pretty on you," Ari says over the phone.

"Yeah, but which one is prettiest?"

"They're both cute, but why don't you wear the stripey top and those awesome shorts I bought you with those epic shoes I bought you?"

"You didn't buy them," I say as I dive into the closet. "You forced me to buy them."

"Your point?"

"My babysitting money."

"Your point?"

"Don't you think it might be to casual?"

"Well what're you doing?"

"Going to dinner."

'Where?"

"He didn't say."

"Hmm... Maybe to casual. Alright. What about the white lace sundress?"

"Ari you're a genious."

"I know I am."

"I'm putting you on speaker." My phone lands on the bed with a soft thwump.

"God, I can't believe little Dee has a date," Ari says, her voice distorted, but the awe is evident.

"It was bound to happen sometime," I say, searching for a new bra, then searching for new pantees because they HAVE TO MATCH.

"So his name is Jordan, what else?"

"He likes Shakespeare."

"Oh God."

"Shut up Ari, I like it. He's also really shy."

"How tall is he?"

"Six foot, maybe a little more."

"How thin?"

"Kind of thin, but he's like, well built. Definately like no fat on him. Period."

"Tan?"

"He lives at the beach."

"Blonde hair?"

"Brown and curly."

"Is it cute or..."

"Cute."

"How cute?"

"Like an 8.5."

"And he drives a truck?"

"A really old, rusty red one."

"Beat up?"

"Yeah."

"What type of shoes does he wear?"

"Er, I don't know."

"You have to find out these things Dee!"

"Why does it matter?"

"Because it will determine what type of shoes he can afford to buy you!"

"You are so... Wierd. You're never aloud to talk to Toby."

"Toby?"

"I've adopted his middle name as his nickname. He calls me Angel."

"Angel? How long have known him?"

"Two days."

"Damn."

"He got it from my middle name."

"Wha- ooohh. That is so fucking cute."

"I know right?!" My voice is a squeal.

"When's he supposed to pick you up?"

'In like, ten minutes."

"Aaww! You better have fun, and if he isn't nice you tell me and I'll castrate him."

"I love you Ari."

"Love you too Dee. Be safe. Use a condom."

"ARI!"

She laughs. "Bye bye Dee!"

She hangs up and I laugh to myself, staring at myself in the mirror. I'm really not so pretty, and not so interesting. Why did he ask me out?

I bite my lip and mess with the hem of my dress.

The doorbell rings.

But he did ask me out.

I nearly forget my purse as I rush downstairs, and I'm bouncing on my heels as I open the door. "Hey," I say breathily when I see Jordan standing on the doorstep. He's nervous, I can tell.

"H-hey Angel," he says shakily. "You ready t-to go?"

"Yes." I smile up at him. "Where are we going?"

"Erm,the Chraleston Crab House. I thought it would be cool, 'cuz you can sit on the roof, but you know, if you want to go somewhere else-"

"Its perfect."

He smiles in a sort of sheepish way. We're silent for a minute, and I can't think of much to say.

"Y-you look really pretty," Jordan says, almost so quietly that I don't hear, but I do, and I flush with warmth.

"Thank you," I answer. I'm so glad Ari remembered this dress.

We get to the place and get our seats, mostly in silence. What are you supposed tot alk about? I've never been one who can keep conversations going forever. I tend more to dwindle into silence, and even now I'm looking over the rooftops. Its probably killing Jordan, he's going to be overanalyzing all of this. What am I supposed to say?

Then Liam comes out to take our orders.

"Hey Liam!" I say brightly.

"Hey gorgeous," Liam says, smiling. "What can I get you to drink?"

"Just tea would be fine."

"I thought you were taking the night off?" Jordan asks, scowling.

"And miss your date? Never. You'll want coke, right?"

"Go fuck yourself." I snort.

"Well aren't you just a bundle of sunshine. Get that stick out of your ass and have some fun, dammit." Liam patted his head with the notebook as he spoke and Jordan looked ready to evaporate.

"What were you doing wiht Liam earlier, when he hit you?" I ask as he walks off.

"Liam had been on my ass all day, to get me to ask you out. I think it was his version of a peptalk," Jordan replies quietly.

I laugh. "Well, I'm glad he did."

Jordan flashes me a shy smile.

"So, do you have any siblings?"

"Yeah. Two. My older brother Zander and then my little sister Winnie."

"Zander? Thats a new one."

"Short for Alexander. He likes it."

"You don't?"

He just shrugs. "I don;t really get along with my family."

"Why not?"

"Just don't. I'm different. Winnie's the only one that likes me, and she' ten."

"I'm sorry," I say, tilting my head. "If it helps, I like you. And you can always crash at my place if you need."

Jordan smiles this time. "Thank you."

"And I'd love to meet Winnie. My little brother is ten. His name is Silus."

"So its you, Arianna, and Silus?"

"Yup. How much older is Zander than you?"

"He's twenty."

"Is he in college?"

Jordan snorted in an angry way, so I change the subject, happily talking now.

"How long have you lived here?"

"All my life. What about your Dad?"

"The first thing Dad did after the divorce was buy a house on the beach and transfer his job."

"Determined."

"I'm the same way. All I ever wanted to do was go to the beach. Dad would sometimes just take me on a weekend trip here with him. Sometimes Ari, too."

"I'm baack," Liam says, arriving with our drinks. "Know what you want, yeah?"

We order, and Liam keeps saying snide comments about Jordan and his date with me. I think its funny. Jordan looks ready to die.

"You're like Ari," I say as my giggles subside. "I was talking to her earlier and every three minutes she'd be making fun of me."

"Yeah, about Arianna, she coming down to visit?"

"Way out of your league."

"What?"

"She'd kick your ass in a heartbeat. Arianna is... Loud. Crude. A bitch. Bad ass."

"I'm excited."

"Go get our damn food," Jordan says. Liam laughs and saunters off. "What is she like?"

"the exact opposite of me."

"Oh dear."

'Precisely." We go silent for a minute.

"What do you like to do, Aphrodite?"

"What do you mean?"

"Other than playing the piano and guitar, what do you like to do?"

"Paint, draw, read. Swim. Dance. Ari and I dance. And do gymnastics. since we were like six. I'll have to quit this year, and maybe start back up next year. What about you?"

"Er, not much."

"You must do something."

"Hang out with Liam."

"And do what?"

"XBox, go to the beach, hang out with others. I don't have a lot I can do."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing." Jordan clams back up as I watch him carefully. He wont look me in the eyes.

The rest of our date goes amazingly. Jordan talks more and more as the dinner progresses, but doesn't actually say much. He avoids most of my questions, answering around the real answers. Its very clever, the way he's doing it, and it would work on anyone but me. And Ari. Bullshit doesn't ride well with Ari.

But I don't want to make im more uncomfortable, so I don't say anything about it. But I think he knows I suspect him. And i really would love to figure out why he wont talk, really talk, to me.

On the ride home we've lapsed back into silence, but I'm very very happy as I stare out the window. Like a little girl.

We pull up outside my house. "I had a lot of fun," I say to him, smiling. "Really. Tonight was great."

He smiles at his steering wheel. "Me too... Could we... Do this again sometime?"

"I'd love to."

He walks me to my door and I can't help but wonder if he can see how I'm glowing. I step up two steps so I'm at eye height with him. "Thank you," I say.

"Trust me Angel, it was my pleasure."

I lean forward and kiss him briefly on the cheek. "I'll talk to you soon! Bye, Toby!" Then run inside, leaving him dumbstruck on the porch steps.

Giggling madly, I dial Ari's number.