GOLDEN MOUTH

JAGGER

The waves are full, the beach pregnant with people trying to escape the mundanity of everyday life; hoping to wash the doldrums away with warm salty water.

Jagger never uses this place as an escape because he never has to escape from the reality he's built. in his world, he's at the beach more than he's in his dorm or in class and it's obvious he's no stranger since his hair and eyes are always sun-bleached, his skin never any lighter than a deep olive complexion.

Jagger's surfboard cuts through the ocean, saltwater coiling the ends of his hair, while secret beads of sand stick to his skin to sparkle in the expanse of sun.

this is what home feels like.

when he wipes out, he lets the waves baptize him for a while.

.

Nav is Jagger's best friend, though he isn't much of a surfer. He can surf, just doesn't enjoy it half as much as he does. Nav would rather swim around a bit before socializing with the many sunbathing girls surrounding them. they have that effect- girls flock to them both because it isn't everyday they see a six-foot-something, attractive, lean and charismatic individual, let alone a pair, let alone best friends.

and Jagger has had more than enough of a fair share of girls, but unfortunately the same one can have many different faces.

Lana, Ashley, Kristen, Stephanie, and so on.

which leads him to the conclusion that it really is him- something has to be wrong with him to hit so many snags in the road, and with the route he's taking, there is no way he'll find any type of romance that can compare to his parents, (lovebirds for 20+ years.) no matter how much he desires a love like that, he can't pass the first step of choosing a partner that fits him.

most girls don't suspect it but he isn't perfect or safe, he is secretly the wild and crazy, all in type-of-guy and it seems he can only find that same energy in his closest friends. Like Nav. friends since third grade and literally nothing has changed. Jagger shakes his hair a little more dry and scopes the surroundings, drinking in the redhead in the pink bikini who's pretending she doesn't notice him.

Cute.

Nav is waving his arms around as a signal when he returns to their towels, "I'm not trying to interrupt you getting high on life, but as I am actually high, the munchies have arrived." he passes him the blunt which Jagger hits deep in his lungs and it makes the world spin in slow motion, grounds him, his head is in the clouds more often than not but now he can feel the sand through his toes.

"That is some good shit," he lounges back on his towel and watches the sky paint itself. "I can't lie, I'm pretty hungry too."

"We've been here for four hours, of course you are. If it was up to you, you'd survive on sea salt water and beach breeze; but me? Hell, I was about to start eating something," Nav lifts an eyebrow and makes eye contact with a few blushing girls in the distance.

"Pause."

"I'm talking about vagina."

"Nah, bro, you looked dead at me." Jagger jokes, packing up their beach belongings in his backpack. "I mean, if you want me, just say that."

"Oh we crossing over to dudes since you can't keep a lady longer than a month?" Nav jokes back, bumping his shoulder.

"'Lady' is a stretch. They never have that much self-respect."

"Damn."

"Right. Anyways, tacos?"

"Tacos."

And his mind is set but when they start walking back to the car, Nav runs into this girl with deep, deep, dark brown skin, dark hair tied up in a bun, long strands that escape and frame her face. Her eyes are like music notes- solid and black, a tiny lagoon blue bikini. She's holding an ice cream cone, vanilla with raspberry purple swirls. Jagger's eyes are everywhere: along the path of curvy hips, long legs, a small waist, her breasts and the dollop of melted ice cream that drops in between them. She takes her thumb to swipe it, places the same thumb to her mouth to capture the flavor as she casually talks to Nav.

Jagger's latest tattoo, the angel wings on his back burns his skin with a deep flush, not only because his body temperature has increased but because he thinks she deserves them.

This mystery girl looks annoyed that Nav seems to go on and on about nothing as she licks at her ice cream that's melting stripes of faded purple down her hand. she licks one back up and another and another and Jagger is hungry but in an entirely different way. He coughs to conceal the sound of his stomach growling.

Her eyes are on his now.

"Right, Jagger this is Tawny." Nav says.

Tah-ney.

"Hey," Jagger extends his hand, just to initiate physical touch, feel her wonderful dainty fingers against his palm.

"Hey." She says, looking up through her lashes with wide eyes.

Jagger looks at Nav then back to Tawny then Nav again. "How do you guys know each other?"

"Ran into her on campus a while back. Went out on a date last week. We're talking now."

Jagger's brows lift. "Oh!"

"Yeah."

"No, we aren't!" She states fiercely.

"We're taking things slow, ya know, both keeping our options open. trying to see if we're really feeling each other or if it's just surface level." Nav jokes. "Cuz the surface is definitely all there."

She elbows him in the side.

Yes, it is. He thinks, then immediately feels bad about it because if this girl might be Nav's partner he should stamp out whatever it is that's burning inside of him. She's almost done with her ice cream so maybe that will help him think clearer.

"We're about to grab some tacos, though, so we'll talk later." Nav says, and outstretches his arm for a hug.

She tilts his left wrist back and high-fives him before turning to Jagger, "it was nice meeting you." She says.

Jagger laughs and repays the compliment before hoping he lingers in her mind the way she lingers in his.

"Like i said, options open, taking it slow. Ya know." Nav says, decidedly hugging himself, his eyes trapped between Tawny's hips as she walks away. "But sheesh, I wish I was that ice cream cone."

Jagger looks back too with the same thought on his mind. He looks Politely, respectfully.

Longingly.