Stripes In The Devil
Chaptah Seventeen: "I'm Always The Last To Know"
After I saw the girls off a sort of sadness sunk into me. I missed my friends so much at time and it was just so weird to see life keep going without me once I was gone. Don’t get me wrong Kirsten was great; I just couldn’t believe that they permanently replaced me that quickly.
That day I was wearing very short shorts which isn’t something I do very often. Saturday July 24th, 2004, the first time I saw him that way. I had no where to be that day and decided to save money and walk home. I was hot so I peeled off my hoodie and walked along in my shorts and a tank top.
A car pulled up beside me and the window rolled down. “Hey Rache hop in” Spencer’s voice called me. I opened the door and slid down on the cool leather seat. “Nice car” I commented. “My mom’s” he returned. We sat there a second in silence before he put the car in gear and pulled out from curb. “Where are you going” he questioned. I thought and then answered slowly “somewhere quiet… somewhere secluded. Is there and such thing here?”
Spencer grinned over at me. “I’ve got something to show you” he said. We drove for about twenty minutes just enjoying the silence and the company. We came up to the edge of where the city starts to dissipate and the desert begins. He got out and came around to open my door. He gook my hand and led me out across the sand and patches of grass to a little hill of rocks. We climbed over hand in hand and as we reached the top I saw that what lay beneath us was like an oasis you would see in a story book. The ground was covered in soft grass and there was a clear pool of water.
Spencer jumped off of the five feet of rocks and landed lightly in the grass. He placed his hands gingerly on my waist and lifted me down next to him. I placed my hand on his shoulder “Wanna go for a swim?” he agreed. To tell you the truth he sounded relieved for some reason.
He tugged off his shirt and jeans and took long strides into the water wearing only boxers. I on the other hand was already wearing shorts and a tank top so I just dropped my hoodie in the grass and followed him in. Spencer kept going on out to the center of the water. The little pool was only about 12 feet across and about five and a half feet deep at the middle so it was perfect.
Spencer and I stood there in the water relaxing for a while – well he was standing and I was treading water. After about 15 minutes my legs started to get tired and my head began to slide under the water’s surface. Spencer’s eyes snapped open and he pulled me up spluttering and choking on water. Flat footed I had about 2 inches of water above my head.
“You dork, if you were getting tired of swimming why didn’t you just float on your back?” he questioned. I blushed and looked off at the bank bashfully. “You don’t know how, do you?” he deduced. I slowly shook my head while biting my lip fiercely. “Don’t be embarrassed” he said comfortingly. “Here let me show you” he said placing his hand on my lower back.
I felt weightless as Spencer placed his other hand on my legs just below my shorts and lifted me up. His hand slid from my lower back up and between my shoulder blades. When his thumb accidentally tugged my shirt up my back with it I returned the reassuring smile that said ‘It’s alright don’t be embarrassed’ in response to his blushing. I relaxed in Spencer’s strong arms and let one hand skim across the water’s surface. “Now stay relaxed” he said “I’m letting go of you…” he leaned down and whispered right in my ear “… now!” As soon as he pulled his hands out from under me my body doubled over and I sank. We had to try a few times but Spencer was patient and taught me to float on my back.
“Spencer?” I asked meekly. “Mmhmm” he responded. We were floating on our backs, the tops of our heads just about touching. “Why don’t – or I guess didn’t- you like me?” he gazed off to the west at the setting sun. “Well” he answered thoughtfully “I guess… every girl – every pretty girl I have ever met has been so vain. Every time I get close to one… they just… I… you just-” he cut himself off. I gave him a second to collect his thoughts.
He sank down to his feet and stood next to me looking down at my face. “I thought you were just like all the others” he started hesitantly “but I was so wrong” he finished definitely. A silent tear cut a path down my face turned pink by the evening sky. “Why are you crying?” Spencer cooed in my ear. “I don’t know” I answered truthfully with a little giggle.
Spencer wrapped his arms around my body and carried me out of the water. He laid me down on the grass and then lay next to me. After a few minutes of drying off he rose up on to his elbow and leaned over to kiss me tenderly on the lips. When he sat up on the grass I wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled my self up on his lap. The cool breath of the night hit my wet hair and a shiver wracked my body.
“Oh jeez, we should probably get going” Spencer exclaimed. I hopped to my feet and wordlessly pulled on my hoodie. Spencer on the other hand muttered “shit… goddammit” as he struggled to pull on his jeans. He draped his shirt over his shoulder and we bounded off to the car to make our journey home.
It was already 8 o’clock in the evening by the time the silent car ride to my apartment ended. When we slowed down outside my building I leaned over to give Spencer a side ways hug. I whispered a generic “thanks” in his ear and then scurried up to my door. I unlocked it and ran collapsing on my bed. I was still alone in that 2 bedroom apartment but I had no problem sleeping soundly.
That day I was wearing very short shorts which isn’t something I do very often. Saturday July 24th, 2004, the first time I saw him that way. I had no where to be that day and decided to save money and walk home. I was hot so I peeled off my hoodie and walked along in my shorts and a tank top.
A car pulled up beside me and the window rolled down. “Hey Rache hop in” Spencer’s voice called me. I opened the door and slid down on the cool leather seat. “Nice car” I commented. “My mom’s” he returned. We sat there a second in silence before he put the car in gear and pulled out from curb. “Where are you going” he questioned. I thought and then answered slowly “somewhere quiet… somewhere secluded. Is there and such thing here?”
Spencer grinned over at me. “I’ve got something to show you” he said. We drove for about twenty minutes just enjoying the silence and the company. We came up to the edge of where the city starts to dissipate and the desert begins. He got out and came around to open my door. He gook my hand and led me out across the sand and patches of grass to a little hill of rocks. We climbed over hand in hand and as we reached the top I saw that what lay beneath us was like an oasis you would see in a story book. The ground was covered in soft grass and there was a clear pool of water.
Spencer jumped off of the five feet of rocks and landed lightly in the grass. He placed his hands gingerly on my waist and lifted me down next to him. I placed my hand on his shoulder “Wanna go for a swim?” he agreed. To tell you the truth he sounded relieved for some reason.
He tugged off his shirt and jeans and took long strides into the water wearing only boxers. I on the other hand was already wearing shorts and a tank top so I just dropped my hoodie in the grass and followed him in. Spencer kept going on out to the center of the water. The little pool was only about 12 feet across and about five and a half feet deep at the middle so it was perfect.
Spencer and I stood there in the water relaxing for a while – well he was standing and I was treading water. After about 15 minutes my legs started to get tired and my head began to slide under the water’s surface. Spencer’s eyes snapped open and he pulled me up spluttering and choking on water. Flat footed I had about 2 inches of water above my head.
“You dork, if you were getting tired of swimming why didn’t you just float on your back?” he questioned. I blushed and looked off at the bank bashfully. “You don’t know how, do you?” he deduced. I slowly shook my head while biting my lip fiercely. “Don’t be embarrassed” he said comfortingly. “Here let me show you” he said placing his hand on my lower back.
I felt weightless as Spencer placed his other hand on my legs just below my shorts and lifted me up. His hand slid from my lower back up and between my shoulder blades. When his thumb accidentally tugged my shirt up my back with it I returned the reassuring smile that said ‘It’s alright don’t be embarrassed’ in response to his blushing. I relaxed in Spencer’s strong arms and let one hand skim across the water’s surface. “Now stay relaxed” he said “I’m letting go of you…” he leaned down and whispered right in my ear “… now!” As soon as he pulled his hands out from under me my body doubled over and I sank. We had to try a few times but Spencer was patient and taught me to float on my back.
“Spencer?” I asked meekly. “Mmhmm” he responded. We were floating on our backs, the tops of our heads just about touching. “Why don’t – or I guess didn’t- you like me?” he gazed off to the west at the setting sun. “Well” he answered thoughtfully “I guess… every girl – every pretty girl I have ever met has been so vain. Every time I get close to one… they just… I… you just-” he cut himself off. I gave him a second to collect his thoughts.
He sank down to his feet and stood next to me looking down at my face. “I thought you were just like all the others” he started hesitantly “but I was so wrong” he finished definitely. A silent tear cut a path down my face turned pink by the evening sky. “Why are you crying?” Spencer cooed in my ear. “I don’t know” I answered truthfully with a little giggle.
Spencer wrapped his arms around my body and carried me out of the water. He laid me down on the grass and then lay next to me. After a few minutes of drying off he rose up on to his elbow and leaned over to kiss me tenderly on the lips. When he sat up on the grass I wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled my self up on his lap. The cool breath of the night hit my wet hair and a shiver wracked my body.
“Oh jeez, we should probably get going” Spencer exclaimed. I hopped to my feet and wordlessly pulled on my hoodie. Spencer on the other hand muttered “shit… goddammit” as he struggled to pull on his jeans. He draped his shirt over his shoulder and we bounded off to the car to make our journey home.
It was already 8 o’clock in the evening by the time the silent car ride to my apartment ended. When we slowed down outside my building I leaned over to give Spencer a side ways hug. I whispered a generic “thanks” in his ear and then scurried up to my door. I unlocked it and ran collapsing on my bed. I was still alone in that 2 bedroom apartment but I had no problem sleeping soundly.