*Rachel’s View*
“Hey SoC, I don’t think that AJ’s gonna ask me out any time soon.” I was really wondering if he was going to. He had the perfect moment when we were out there alone.
“What makes ya think that Rach?” She asked sincerely.
“Well we were out there alone and he had the perfect chance but he didn’t do it.” I said as I took the chicken out of the oven.
“Maybe he’s just chicken, like the chicken,” she chuckled. “Ya get it, chicken like the chicken.” She had a big smile on her face.
“That was corny as…oh say, corn.” I said back at her.
“Let’s not to that ever again. But maybe he wants it to be perfect. More perfect than what it was just awhile ago. He’ll ask ya trust me, I’ll bet my life savings on that.” She was pretty confident. So’Cy is always confident though. But to bet her life savings she was really confident.
“More perfect?” I joked.
“Hey ya know, in my world English grammar does not exist.” She laughed. “Let’s get the table set so that those hungry boys can eat.”
“Sounds good to me.” So we set the table and I went out to get everyone else. Mary was still getting her back rub. I figured that I was sick of waiting for AJ to ask and that I would take matters into my own hands. “Hey guys foods ready.”
“Finally.” Nick ran in so fast. AJ was the last one to walk in and I pulled him aside.
“I wanna talk to you later tonight.” I whispered.
“Okay.” He looked intrigued. And he looked like he was thinking about it the whole meal. He hardly said a word.
“Hey AJ, ya wanna come join us here at the table.” Howie joked. AJ did seem distant. He was thinking about what our future conversation would be that night. And I knew it.
“Wha-, oh yeah, right. This is really good food guys.” AJ said trying to cover up the fact that he was in la-la land.
“Thank So’Cy. She’s the one that always cooks for us.” I said.
“But we get in there every once in awhile.” Mary explained.
“Yeah only to order a pizza.” So’Cy said.
“Yeah, well ya know, hey.” I said. When you’ve just been told the truth you never explain yourself and never use a complete sentence. Always end it in hey or whatever. It works out for the best.
“Well, thank you So’Cy.” AJ said. “You can come to my place any time and cook as long as you bring a helper.” He looked at me when he said that. There was hope after all. Perhaps we would get together.
“Your welcome.” So’Cy was proud of this food. But hey we helped too.
“Hey guys do you think that we can head home and get our suits then come back for a swim?” Nick said. Always the eager one to go for a swim.
“I don’t have a problem as long as it’s okay with the ladies.” Howie said.
“I’m cool with it, as long as ya guys come back.” Mary said. I’m glad she said it and not me. I don’t think I would have the guts to say it. I was starting to get shy for some odd reason. Maybe it was the talk that I wanted to have with AJ. I knew that I wanted to talk to him but I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to say. So the guys left. I walked down to the beach and sat in the sand thinking about what was going to happen. I thought about holding AJ in my arms but that it probably wouldn’t happen. Things couldn’t go that great, could they? I was over looking the ocean and watching the sun go down when AJ sat down right next to me.
“Hey.” I said.
“You wanted to talk to me?” AJ asked.
“Yes I did, but I don’t know exactly what I want to talk about.” This had to be great. I told him I wanted to talk to him and I didn’t know what to say.
“Well, I have something to talk to you about.” He said softly. It wasn’t like AJ to be soft spoken. This meant that he was serious about what he wanted to talk about. “Rachel, I’ve missed you. I miss the way you smile at me.” He looked into my eyes and I stared into his. I was relieved that he was the one to talk and not me. He was doing a pretty good job.
*AJ’s View*
Wow. I was actually talking to her. I was telling her how I felt about her. I was very proud of myself. “I’ve missed watching you get teary eyed from watching reunion shows.” She smiled at me with a little twinkle in her eye.
“How do you know I got teary eyed?” She asked.
“I loved just watching you, you always thought I was asleep but I enjoyed the moments that we weren’t fighting.” There was a surprise for me. I didn’t plan on saying that to her. I was pouring out my heart and soul to her. And I was hoping that I wasn’t setting myself up for disappointment. I realized that we had fought a lot and it was my fault. “I was wondering if that we could give it another shot.” She looked at me, I couldn’t tell what the look was that she had on her face. It could have been pure excitement or disappointment. “Well what do you say? Do you wanna give it another shot?” I paused hoping and praying that she would answer soon.
“AJ, I’ve missed you too.” I could have jumped up and did cartwheels down the beach and back. But I decided to let her continue then jump for joy or jump with her, which ever happened. “I try and not think about you but I can’t help it. Ever since you followed Mary home, by the way nice stalking skills, I’ve wanted to just take you and hug you and never let go.”
“Here’s your opportunity.” I said with wide-open arms. She leaped into them with a huge smile on her face.
“So this means that we’re back together cause I would like to hop in that pool and beat some people in a game of chicken.” She was always up for a game of chicken.
“Yes we’re back togeth—“ before I finished my last word she was kissing me. If she wasn’t gonna do it I was going to. She ended and kissed and I pulled her close to me. “Before that game of chicken would you mind doing some cartwheels with me down the beach.” I joked.
“Nah, I’d get too dizzy.” She said. She grabbed my hand and ran up the beach. We both had our suits on and wasted no time on getting in the pool. I jumped in and waited for her to jump in. When she didn’t I looked at her.
“Ya comin in babygirl?” I asked her. Everyone looked at me since I called her babygirl. It was a nickname for her when we were going together.
“I was gonna come in after I made an announcement. But you already did.” She said with a fake disappointed look on her face.
“So you guys are back together?” Mary asked with excitement in her voice. Just then Rachel jumped in and when she surface she answered Mary’s question.
“Yes, yes we were. What cha think about that?” She was so cute and is cute.
“I think it’s great.” Howie said. I looked around and everyone looked so happy. But not as happy as Rachel, I hadn’t seen her that happy in the longest. But now she was. It was like a little child on Christmas day opening up a present and getting exactly what they wanted.
“How about a game of chicken?” Nick asked. He beat Rachel to her idea.
“Sounds good since I told AJ on the beach that I wanted to play it.” Rachel said.
Mary got on Nick’s shoulders, So’Cy on Howie’s and Rachel on mine. “Okay on the count of three.” I said. “One, two, three!” The game of chicken then began. Considering I had to hold Rachel up I didn’t pay too much attention to see who was doing a good job. Just then Rachel fell pulling me with her. Once she surfaced I looked at her. “I’m disappointed in you Rachel, I thought you could of held out the longest.”
“Hey they ganged up on me.” She said with frown on her face. She looked at me. And stopped me even before I said something. “Don’t say that corny line.”
“What one?” I knew what one she meant. That whole turn that frown upside down. Yeah that was the one.
“You know. And your not gonna get me to say it.” She knew me too well. We sat back and watched the other 4 finish the game. Soon Mary lost her balance and hit the water.