After Us

Chapter Thirteen

That night I slept in the guest room. It was late and Miles and I were both tired. The next morning Tamara and Mira came knocking at the house. No one else was up so I answered the door. "Ann good you're up," Mira chirped, "we were coming to get you for a girls' day out!"

"Girls day?" I asked.

Tarama held up a picnic basket, "We thought we could show you around, just us girls. The boys said they'll meet us later for a picnic but for now we want to take you on a ride around." She smiled.

'I looked back upstairs, "Do you think Miles will mind?" I asked.

"Course he won't, silly." Mira laughed, "He'll come later." It sounded alright and this was my trip. I wanted to have fun.

"Okay, I'll meet you out there," I said and went up to my room to grab my phone and my water bottle. I never leave without the two. Tamara and Mira were in a convertible yellow Jeep when I came out. My other dream car. What was it with the cars and people in this town?

"Wow," I said getting in and Tamara turned the music down.

"You can throw your stuff in the back if you want."

Mira turned the music back up, "Buckle up girl!" She laughed and we started to head out. Music on, windows down, the sun was out. Just when I didn't think it could get any better, it did. We went for a drive through ice cream at the town's dairy. I hadn't even had breakfast but the ice cream was so good and creamy that I didn't even mind. They showed me their high school and the town's library. We went to this hill that had the best view of the town and then we went to this hidden place just at the edge of town. We walked through a wooded area into a clearing, a flat grassy field that had a deep but crystal clear stream running through. Tamara laid the picnic blanket out and stretched out  the corners. She was as particular as I was which made me smile. The water in the streams meandered effortlessly and it's bubbling, light splashing sound made me feel so relaxed and happy.

Mira started taking cakes, pies, and drinks out from the baskets she brought. "Did you bring forks?" she asked Tamara.

"Course," she replied. She looked over at me by the stream and walked over. "Nice isn't it?" she asked. Calling it nice seemed like such an understatement to how truly beautiful the stream was.

"Canyou guys come here whenever you want?" I asked.

Mira walked over, "We could but we don't come that often." she answers.

Tamara bends down to feel the temperature of the water, "The area gets overgrown in the winter so we don't really come down then. Some man who lives near here comes and clears this whole area out just before summer starts." she says.

"Is it cold?" Mira asks.

"Warm enough to push you in," Tamara teases and grabs onto Mira's arms. The two just laugh and I have fun just watching them battle it out trying to tip each other in.

"Don't get it just yet." a voice called behind us. We all turn around to see Miles, Tristian, and Hector behind us on the hill. I met Hector yesterday, he was Mira's boyfriend. Super charming. Tristan stood awkwardly at a distance.

"Don't need to worry about me going in, I didn't bring my swimsuit," Mira shouted back.

"Get in?" I asked, turning towards Tamara.

"Who said you need a swimsuit?" Hector asked, kissing the top of Mira's forehead.

Tamara smiled and grabbed my hand, explaining "A swimsuit in case we go for a quick dip later." I didn't have a swimsuit either and I was pretty sure that I wasn't planning on going skinny dipping with a bunch of people I just met. I followed Tamara to the picnic blanket and we all sat down. Mira got out wine glasses and poured some sort of cider in each one and handed everyone a glass.

"Cheers to a new friend and summer days." she winked at me. I felt so special to be part of a friend group. Everything that I always wanted. All I wished was that Oliver could have been here.

Everyone started drinking and eating little appetizers that were more than delicious. Hector taught me a game that we all played. It was very much like truth or dare, except it was called walk or share. A game where you get asked a question from another opponent and you either share your answer or walk, which means you lose a point. The loser loses something but, what, we hadn't decided yet.

Hector laughed, "I already know this one but Tamara, what was the biggest lie you told your parents?" he asked.

Tamara cut another slice of cheese, "That I was straight." We all burst out laughing.

"This one's for you Miles," Mira started, "if you could live any moment in your life again, what moment would you relive?" I looked at Miles and he looked back at me smiling. I was curious to know the answer.

"Any middle school days." He said, "Times were good back then." I would have said the same thing, all of those memories were the best.

Tamara put her hand on his knee, "You're too cute," she said, "Okay Tristian weirdo, it's your turn to chose the question and who goes next." Tristan took a minute but then thought of a question deciding that I would be the one to answer.

"Ann, what's the saddest thing that's ever happened to you?" he asked. I automatically started think about Ben and me. Things were so cute and simple when we dated. I didn't want to tell them that but I had to think of something or else Tristian will continue to tease me and think that I was too sentimental.

"Probably when my hamster died," I smirked and crinkled my nose.

Tristian started laughing, "That's it?"

Tamara put her arm around me, "Shut up Tristian, you're never sentimental about anything." She said and it made me feel a little better.

Mira laid back into the soft dewy damp grass and everyone followed her lead. We all sat there lying quietly, looking up at the clear blue sky. I felt perfectly full from all the food as I lay there.

"Right." Tristian sat up, "Time for a refreshing dip?" he asked as everyone sat up. He took off his shirt and then his shorts, leaving his boxers on. Hector, Mira, and Tamara followed behind. I didn't move, I didn't want to take my clothes off.

"Meet you there!" Tamara yelled as she got up and raced him towards the small lake that lay beyond the stream. I watched her run and jump. Mira, Tristian, and Hector joined a few seconds later, head above water splashing and smiling. I smiled, watching them all splashing around and having fun.

Then I realized that Miles was still behind me. Oh no, was he waiting for me? I turned around, "You going?" I asked.

He smiled, his bright brown eyes shining up at me, "I'm fine sitting here watching. You?" he asked. I smiled with relief. He must have read my mind or something. I sat beside him. He lay back down on the grass. Head pointing up to the sky. I did the same, which made another moment feel like a movie. Are people around here just robots from a movie or is this their normal?

"I love your friends," I say and he turns his head to face mine. "Not a huge fan of Tristan but that's fine."

Miles laughed and put his hands under his head to use as a pillow and closed his eyes, "Tristian's a jerk to everyone. Once you get to know him he's actually pretty nice."

I face him, "You're so lucky you have friends like this." I say.

"Parker they're your friends too you know," he says shifting to face me.

I smile, "Yeah I guess. I never want to leave though."

"Don't think about it," he says pushing my hair behind my ear, "you still have more time. We'll have fun!" I couldn't believe this was just day one, I was already having so much fun. I look at Miles and just thought about how I loved everything about him.