tongue tied - jake kiszka

5.

   It was my first day of my spring break and the weather was good and I felt good. I knew I had one full week where I didn't have to worry about tests or assignments or any other bullshit.

   Jake had texted me asking if we were still coming to the lake and I had replied with a quick yes and nothing else. If he had anything else to say he could text Dawn. She had been so excited when I told her he invited us, although the "us" threw her a little off guard.

   She played it off well though and I was thankful. I didn't want her to ask any questions, I wasn't even sure how I would answer them anyways. Jake was a nice boy and all but that was it.

   She'd spent a little time getting ready and asking me every couple minutes if she looked okay and she did. Dawn always looked good and she knew it too but she seemed a little nervous when it came to him. Maybe because he was the first man that slept over and didn't touch her.

   I told her that was a good thing, but she just waved it off, asking me if her bikini was too much or just the right amount of slutty. I assured her it was just the right amount and she grinned at herself in the bathroom mirror.

   "That's what I was thinking too."

   I bit back a smile as I went back into my room to put my own on. I didn't really have the same things going for me as Dawn did but hey, her boobs did look great. No denying that.

I threw on a big tshirt over my swimsuit and clipped my hair back because once again, I was having a bad hair day. "You ready?" I called out to her and her head poked around my door. "Yeah let's go."

We made our way into the parking lot over to my car and got in, rolling the windows down. I went to turn the radio up and she made a face. "Charlie, your music is too loud." She complained as she checked out her reflection in the side mirror.

I flipped her the bird and she rolled her eyes but didn't say anything else. Jake had sent me the directions and as I pulled them up, she peered over at my phone. "Is he texting you?" She asked and I noticed the slight worry in her tone.

I shook my head and turned my screen towards her so she could see for herself. "He just sent directions." I assured her which wasn't a lie. He really hadn't been texting me other than asking if we were still coming or not.

I didn't want her to worry. She'd get his attention and he'd leave me alone eventually. But I told him we would be friends and for now, that's what I would be. A good friend. To both of them.

God they stressed me out.

We drove with the windows down and the music up loud all the way to the lake, much to Dawn's dismay. "Char, it's gonna fuck up my hair!" She had yelled over the music, talking about the wind rushing through the open windows.

"Mine too, it's okay." I yelled back, although I knew mine was already fucked up. It didn't really matter though, we'd be in the water soon. We pulled up to the lake where a big SUV was already parked over by the dock.

I could see Jake standing over by the edge of the water and the other boys from that night. I noticed a girl too with crazy curly hair, sitting in the grass up under the tree, smoking something. As soon as we got out of the car, the smell of weed drifted over to me.

"Who's the girl?" Dawn whispered to me as we walked over to them. They hadn't noticed us yet, all of them were facing the water. One was already in there. "I think that's his twin's girlfriend." I said, even though I knew it was. I just didn't want Dawn thinking I knew something she didn't.

She nodded her head and I could tell that it made her feel better knowing that the girl wasn't competition. The one in the water noticed us first, pointing over to us and yelling something to Jake.

Jake turned around, a big grin filling his face. I could tell they had probably been there all day because he was already turning pink from the sun. "Hey you made it!" He called out, walking over to meet us.

"Hey Jake!" Dawn smiled, wrapping her arms around him. He hugged her back politely before extending his fist out to me. Okay. We were fist bumping again. Jesus Christ.

"Hey Charlie." He said nonchalantly, "Come here, I want you to meet Posy." Dawn's eyes widened, "Holy shit, that's Posy? I didn't recognize her."

Jake had a funny look on his face but she didn't notice as we walked over to the curly headed girl. I made a mental note to ask him about that later if I got the chance.

As we approached her, she turned around putting her joint down by her side quickly as though she'd been caught. "Hi." She said, smiling lazily as she looked up at us through half lidded eyes.

"Posy, this is Charlie." Jake said, introducing us and I smiled down at her. "And you remember Dawn right?" Posy waved, clearly stoned. "Charlie, I love that name."

"I love yours." I said and she patted the ground next to her, indicating that she wanted me to sit by her. I looked over at Jake and he motioned for me to go ahead. "Hey Dawn." Posy looked over at her and I noticed the same funny look on her face that was on Jake's.

Dawn smiled before quickly wrinkling up her nose. "You're still smoking weed huh?" She asked and Posy shifted a little. "Yup." She said and retrieved her joint, shoving it up towards Dawn. "Wanna hit?"

Dawn shook her head, making a face. "I don't smoke, remember?"

"I remember."

Posy and Jake shared a look as she said it and a part of me couldn't help but be curious. I was nosy, sue me.

"Oh shit, is that Dawn?" I heard one of the boys call out and I noticed her straighten up a little bit, pleased with the attention. I had to remind myself that they all had gone to school together, so of course they knew each other. I was the one who was the outsider.

Dawn and Jake went over to talk to them, leaving me alone with Posy and a burning joint. She offered it to me and although I had never smoked weed before, I took it. Couldn't be much different than a cigarette, right?

"Dawn snitched on me in highschool." Posy said suddenly, stretching her legs out in front of her. "Really?" I asked, wondering if that was what the looks were about.

She nodded, making a clicking sound with her tongue. "My junior year she told one of our teachers I smelt like weed and they drug tested me." She shrugged slightly, "She was a bitch back then though."

"I always say I'm gonna quit." She laughed softly as she pointed over to Jake's twin, "But he's a bad influence on me." She looked at him lovingly though and I knew she wasn't upset about it.

I realized I was still holding the joint and hadn't even taken a hit yet. Bringing it up to my lips, I inhaled deeply the same way I would with a cigarette. It filled my lungs quickly and I began to cough, my eyes already starting to water. "Jesus Christ, here take it." I was laughing as I coughed, shoving it in her direction.

Posy laughed with me, taking it with ease. "There, there." She patted my back, grinning. "I'm pretty sure Jake's got a cigarette if you want it." I waved my hand around, "I'm trying to quit."

She gave me a look and we laughed again. I liked this girl. The twin was approaching us and I had to remind myself quickly of his name so I didn't seem rude. He looked drunk as he bent down in front of Posy, kissing her firmly on the forehead.

"Po, who's your friend?" He asked, looking over at me with a smile on his face. He and Jake looked similar, but different at the same time in a way I couldn't quite describe.

"This is Charlie. She's Jake's friend too." Posy said, introducing us. "I'm Josh, Jake's twin and Po's devoted husband." He said dramatically, as he tugged at one of her curls.

"He's my boyfriend. He's dumb." Posy shoo'd him away and Josh laughed at himself before staggering over to the rest of the group. "Come on." She said, pulling herself to her feet, before reaching out a hand to help me up.

"I'm gonna introduce you to the rest of the boys."