Horns Sound

Brandon sat next to her, his mouth agape and his mind unable to formulate an appropriate response. “Congratulations.” Tumbled questionably from his lips. Madeline stared at him, not quite sure if she should be offended. “That’s not what I meant.” He blurted out quickly, and fumbled with sentence starters trying to redeem himself.

“It’s fine really,” Madeline got up from her spot on the sheet and brushed sand from her shorts, “you don’t want to deal with someone so inexperience, but you don’t want to insult me. I get it. No harm, no foul.” She turned her back to him and started walking up the beach. Tears streaked down her face as she pushed through the sand. “Every fucking time” she mumbled under her breath. Madeline aggressively wiped away the sign of weakness and sniffled. Her arm swung back with the continued forward motion, and stopped when her hand got stuck in something. She pulled and heard her hand slip from his grasp, but she didn’t continue to walk.

“Madeline.” Brandon said firmly.

“I told you it was fine.” She said through a grief constricted throat.

“It’s not fine though,” his voice beckoned for her to turn and she couldn’t resist, “I just didn’t know what to say is all, and now that I understand your-- situation I’ll try and be more sensitive. But damn, I’ve been waiting to kiss you since I saw you at that stupid meet and greet. I saw my chance in that moment and carpe diem, right?” Madeline closed the space between them and jerkily wrapped her arms around his torso.

“I’m really glad you didn’t say YOLO.” She murmured into his chest. He placed a reassuring hand on her back and let his thumb trace down in between her shoulder blades. She looked up at him, the makeup under her eyes smudge slightly.

“C’mon.” Brandon said before he slipped out of her arms and took her hand in his. They walked back down to the shore line and both slipped off their sandals to walk in the wet sand. Madeline was kicking through the waves as they came up, but with Brandon walking a few inches in front of her, his shorts took their impending fate. With one swift, purposeful splash, his khaki shorts were soaked through on the left side. He stopped dead in his tracks and a wicked grin spread across his face. “You did that on purpose.” The corner of her mouth twitched ever so slightly before Madeline took off running, leaving a trail of footprints behind her. Brandon managed to catch up in seconds, his stride making two of hers. “If you stop now, it won’t be that bad.” He yelled, the wind whipping past both of them.

“Your efforts are futile!” She screamed and really started stretching her legs. Again, Brandon matched matched her pace effortlessly but, he fell back. Madeline thought she was winning, that was the mind set he had created for her. A hand went to her side before winding itself around her torso and lifting her up into the air. She kicked and pleaded. “Please, Brandon, don’t. I have my phone. I’m allergic to water. Stop. Please.”

“Your efforts are futile...” he whispered devilishly into her ear. And he fell backwards into the crashing waves. His hand left it’s place on her stomach and Madeline came up quickly. She slicked her hair back and looked around for Brandon. He was looking up at her smiling a he waded in the knee deep water. She shook her head incredulously.

“I can’t believe you just did that.” Brandon’s grin never broke and his childlike happiness was infectious. Madeline laughed as she trudged toward him.

“It was worth it.” He said as he dragged her to his side and had her sit next to him in the water.

“This is so gross.” She responded peeling her cardigan from her stomach. Brandon kissed her temple lightly and made her an offer.

“How about we go back to my place, just down the street,” he pointed to a tall brick apartment complex that Madeline could barely make out, “I lend you some clothes while yours dry, we order a pizza and watch a shitty movie.”

“Small problem, our shoes are all the way down there...” Brandon got up quickly, his shirt was clinging to his chest while his short drooped sadly. With water streaming down his legs, he put both his hands down to Madeline, who took them, and lifted her up out of the water.

“Shall we?” He gestured toward the other end of the beach.

“This one’s on you, because tackling us both into the lake was a great idea. Your great idea.” He nodded, accepting her proposal, and awkwardly ran back down the beach. Madeline made her way up to the parking lot and sat on the asphalt to wait for Brandon’s return. He hopped up the small hill to meet her and dropped both sets of shoes onto solid ground. He slipped his feet into his shoes and waited patiently while Madeline zipped up hers.