Kissing August

I’m not sure when it clicked, but it did. Suddenly everything came crashing down with absolute clarity. I was fucking bored. I rolled my eyes and threw my book on the floor with a grunt. I turned over on my back and stared at my ceiling at all of the stickers and posters that I’ve collected over the years of tormenting preadolescence and teenage angst. My eyes scanned over my room and hovered at the semi-packed boxes over in the corner by my balcony. I have one more month of summer left until I leave for college, which starts September 6th, and I have done…absolutely nothing.

I rubbed my hands over my face and heaved a big sigh. We all had plans for this to be the best summer ever. But so far it’s been, for lack of a better word, disappointing. I knew that a few of my friends were going away for most of July, but then Liz’s parents surprised her with a trip to Fiji. FI.JI. Can you say best parents ever? I was pissed at them as much as I was jealous that she was getting away from this place. They left suddenly and without much warning. One morning Liz came over with a limousine parked in front of my house and hugged me tightly, screaming, “I’M GOING TO FIJI!” Then she left. No one else was back yet and it was already August 2nd. I was beginning to pity myself.

I walked downstairs in my shorts, tank, flip flops, and a messy top bun. I looked like a couch potato, which I guess I sort of was. I went to the beach a few times with my older brother and his wife, and my parents took me to see Lysistrata on Broadway…but that was pretty much the extent of my excitement this summer. My parents were buckling down on college and making sure I was getting serious. They had me reading up medical terms and studying the DSM, which was currently on my bedroom floor. I guess the upside to it all was the amount of running and exercise I’ve gotten. I was attending Stanford based on my volleyball scholarship. My parents were astounded that I was getting a full ride…and were conveniently milking it for all it’s worth.
I was making a smoothie in my small kitchen when I heard it – the sound of a familiar Pathfinder’s engine creeping up the neighbor’s driveway.

No way.

I dropped the bananas on the counter and sprinted to the front door. I didn’t even really let him get out of his car before I tackled him.

“Sam, I can’t believe you’re back!” I happily laughed as I jumped on top of him. He held me tight and spun me around quickly before letting out a deep, hearty chuckle. It was then that I noticed he was bigger and taller. He smelled like forest and musk. I could feel his stubble on my cheek and his strong muscles wrapped around my back. He let me down after a moment and smiled that amazing, warm smile that I’ve missed for so long. That smile that I longed for when I was a little girl and when I was thirteen. I gawked, I’ll admit it. His hair was long-ish for a boy. It was that sort of skater cut some people grow out of. He must’ve been about 6’5” and so completely hot. You could see the faint outline of abs through his shirt, his calves were cut like an Olympian and his butt…well I’ll leave that image to your imagination. I couldn’t help but stare, mouth slightly agape. Sam was perfection. I mean, I was practically in love with him before, and he was a scrawny guy. But, four years at college did him very well. I should’ve seen it coming, though. His dad is pretty built himself, but in a handsome, gray-haired old man sort of way. You get me, right? Sort of like a Clooney.

Anyway, he was sizing me up too. The last time he saw me, I looked like a ten year-old boy. I was a little rough around the edges, mosquito boobs, tom-boy – but not much has changed. That’s just what you get when you grow up with four brothers. Anyway, I digress. We were smiling at each other for what seemed like a lifetime, before I heard someone clear their throat.
Sam snapped out of it and said, “Oh!”

He ran around the other side of the car and opened the passenger side door. And, you guessed it, out came a beautiful, long-haired blonde. But what was I expecting? He does go to UCLA. I was instantly jealous. Her hair was just perfection. She was perfection. I also immediately assumed she was a bitch for making him open her car door. But then he started to pile a bunch of boxes and bags off of her. The back seats were packed too. I hung my head down in shame for judging someone I hadn’t even officially met. Jealousy is a bitch. After she was fully out of the car, she came around one side and shot me a striking smile. Her teeth were pearly white, her mouth was full and wide – like a supermodel’s, and she had the cutest dimples I have ever seen on a person…and then she spoke.

“Sammy, you didn’t tell me she was so gorgeous,” she gushed. I peered over at him and he just put his hands in his front pockets, smirked and raised his eyebrows quickly. It was the kind of gesture that suggested he was proud of me…or how she reacted to seeing me. It was most likely the latter, but I’m rambling again.

“Hi Jesse, I’m Taylor. It’s so nice to meet you.” She seemed genuine, so unfortunately I couldn’t hate on her. I apologize in advance for any further bitchiness I may display. I am Spanish. Feistiness just kind of comes with the package.

“Sam has told me so much about you and all the stupid things you guys used to do as kids. And I have to say your friendship makes me kind of jealous. None of my friends are anywhere near as much fun. We should definitely do something soon! Oh, hey! Sam, why don’t you tell her about the party?” Sam smiled lovingly at her and hugged her from behind, kissing her cheek. They looked perfect together.

“I’m having a party this Saturday. It’s sort of a graduation thing but it’ll just be friends. There’ll be alcohol, so I’m not sure if you should come,” he said playfully. Taylor rolled her eyes and turned around to face him.

“Oh please Sammy, she’s like what, eighteen? I’m sure you’ve done stuff before you turned twenty-one.” And there my hat goes off to this girl, who is more flawless than I could ever be.
Sam pondered over this for a while, before scrunching up his nose and finally doing that rolly-head, nodding thing that I’ve come to recognize over the years. It meant that he was allowing me to come, but there was a condition.

“Alright, fine. I wanted you there anyways so just…don’t tell your parents or they’ll have my head. And, don’t overdo it, obviously,” he grinned.

“Babe, I’m gonna bring this stuff inside so you two can catch up. My mom’s callin’ anyway,” Taylor said, before running inside with a few bags. She looked a bit too excited to talk to her mom, but I just shook the thought off. I turned over to Sam who held his arms wide open for me as he leaned against his Pathfinder. I graciously put my arms around his waist and felt my insides flutter at his touch. One hand was placed on the small of my back, the other cradling my head. I mumbled into his chest and felt the laugh vibrate through his body. He pulled his head away to get a look at me, still remaining in the embrace.

“What was that, mumbler?” I groaned loudly at the familiar nickname he had given me as a kid. I had the tendency to speak softly around people I was comfortable with. No idea why. I felt daring with him here, because suddenly, I knew what I wanted this summer. And as selfish and unrealistic as it was, I wanted him. I grinned at how fast things changed from being monotonous to exhilarating.

“I missed you,” I declared. Sam then leaned down and drew me into a firm bear hug. What he did next made my heart pulsate so rapidly, I might as well have been on a rollercoaster. Think, Kingda Ka. His hands tightened around my waist as he whispered into my ear.

“I missed you too. You have no idea.” I shivered slightly…I really hope he didn’t notice. Sam pulled back a bit, but stopped to give me a kiss on the cheek. The only thing…was that Liz screamed my name at the same time. So I slightly moved my head to see her scuttling up to me…and Sam ended up kissing more the corner of my mouth, than my cheek.

His face flushed red, and he inhaled uneasily as he backed away, mumbling soft sorry’s over and over. Liz stopped him short and gave him a friendly hug.

“Wow you’re huge!” she exclaimed, rubbing his muscles. We all laughed. She really had no filter. Thank god she had such great timing, because her awkwardness relieved the tension and Sam was back to smiling.

“Nice to see you too, Eliza. But if you two lovely ladies would excuse me, Taylor and I have some unpacking to do. My parents are on their fourth ‘honeymoon’ and the house is mine for the rest of the summer…so if you two wanna bum around and raid my fridge, help yourselves. Just…knock of course,” He chuckled. “Oh, and Jesse, tell her about the party. See you two later.”

One of the things that I loved about Liz was the fact that we were always on the same page. We simultaneously heaved a sigh and tilted our heads to the side to stare at Sam’s butt. He ran back to his house in what seemed like slow motion. His muscles rippled through his shirt, his hair flowed in the wind and he was perfectly tanned like some Greek god. Now, I’ve heard that when a movie like moment occurs in your lifetime, you don’t realize it until it passes. But in that moment, I’m positive that Liz and I both knew. She beamed at me, like she was scheming, and stated, “Let the games begin.”

I nodded in agreement with a smirk on my face, as we brofisted, running back to my house laughing.