up and down on the sand of the almost empty beach. I watch the sun set and the moon rise. I sat alone on the beach and stared out at the ocean for hours, thinking. The night sky took over and the stars twinkled at me over the ocean. Finally, I stood, wiped the sand from my hands and jeans and walked out to my car.
Checking the clock in my car revealed that it was after midnight. Wow, I didn’t realized I had been out there that long. I check my phone and find numerable missed calls from my father and three from Jake. I called my dad. “Thank goodness. Honey, where have you been? I came home and you weren’t here. I called Jake at eight when I still hadn’t heard from you and he didn’t know where you were,” relief filled his voice.
“ Sorry, Daddy. I just needed to get away for awhile so I drove down to the beach to sit and think.”
“ By yourself? It’s well after the midnight and you’ve been sitting at the beach?”
“ Yes. I’m about to leave right now. You can go ahead and go to bed. I’ll be home shortly.”
“ Alright. Next time, don’t go away for hours on end without someone knowing where you are.”
I didn’t feel like pointing out that I was eighteen now and shouldn’t have to report every minute. I just said okay and hung up. I dialed Jake‘s number. I ached to hear his voice, but he didn’t answer. I turn the radio off and drive the two hours home in complete silence.
At home, I went to my room and changed into my pajamas. I ignored my growling stomach and climbed into bed. I tossed and turned but couldn’t fall asleep. It didn’t help that I was hungry. I finally fell asleep around six in the morning.
Jake
I spent my day at the rink with the boys. We played the entire day away and our scores were pretty much neck and neck. In the locker room, the boys were hackling me. “Still dating Emily, huh?” Todd asked.
“ Yeah.”
“ It’s about time she let you off the leash,” John added.
I shook my head. “I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. I just rather spend my time with someone I can make out with and who smells good.”
The guys chuckle and doubt my words. I went home and spent the afternoon with Drake. It was around midnight when I fell asleep. I woke up and saw that I had a missed call from Emily. Around lunch Tommy’s mother called about wanting to take Drake to Chucky Cheese with them and I let him go. I grab my keys and wallet and head to Emily’s. I park my Mustang in the driveway and walked up to the door.
I knocked and waited five minutes, but I got no answer. Surely, she was home. Maybe I should have called first. I reach into my jean pocket and take out my phone. I dial Emily’s number and it rings and rings. Right when I think it’s going to send me to voicemail, she answers. “Hello,” she says in that sleepy voice I love so much.
“ Hey sweetness,” I say in a gentle voice.
“ Jake?”
“ Yeah. Can you let me in?”
She quiet for a minute before she asks, “You’re here?”
“ Yeah.”
“ Give me a second.” She hangs up and a few seconds later she opens the door. Her hair is messy from where she just woke up and she runs a hand through it. She’s wearing one of my t-shirts and pajama shorts. Emily steps aside to let me come in. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you,” she says as she walks back to her room. I follow her.
“ I didn’t fall asleep until like six,” she continues.
“ It’s fine,” I comment as she walks into her bathroom, runs a brush through her hair and brushes her teeth. I sit on the edge of her bed and watch her. Everything about this girl activates my senses. I have no idea what I would do without her. She walks back into her room and sits beside me. “So,” she asks.
I take her hand and intertwine it with mind. I lift my other and hook my finger under her chin for her to look at me. I lean into her and press my lips to hers. I run my tongue along her bottom lip and she opens up to me. I deepen the kiss and