Reading You

Chapter One

My head is pounding as I try to squeeze my eyes tighter from the harsh sunlight streaming through my window. I can't remember what time I got home last night; my last memory of the night is making out with the drummer from the band we saw downtown last night.

Without opening my eyes, I start to slowly feel around my bed, testing to see if I'm in it alone or not. My hand collides with a face.

"ugh" sounds next to me and I sigh in relief as it is just the very hungover groan of my roommate Charlie.

"What the fuck are you doing hitting me at this ungodly hour Chlo" He moans out as I roll over and peak out through my eyelashes at him, the sunlight streaming through the window behind him casting a glow upon his long blond hair. If I didn't know him so well, I'd say he looked angelic.

"I was checking to see if I was alone...I can't remember much from last night at the moment" I answered lazily. My mind reeling to bring back the memories. We hadn't planned on going drinking last night, but Charlie had met the singer of the band at the coffee shop yesterday. He found him "charming in a Brooklyn grunge way" as stated many times throughout the previous afternoon while he wore me down into a night out. What happened after we had arrived was too many tequila shots, bad music and I think, pizza at our only late night stop on the away back to our beach front cottage.

"Not that I'm complaining," I start as I force myself to sit up "but why are you in my bed...instead of your own?"

Charlie follows suit, sitting up slowly with his head bent in his hands.

"Honestly Chlo, I've got no clue, I don't remember much after dragging you away from the drummer" Charlie muttered.

"I want to be angry because I haven't gotten laid in a while, bt if his kissing skills were any indication, I think I'm just grateful" I sigh out as I stand up, throwing the covers off as I slip my feet into my fuzzy slippers and make my way out of my room and into our small kitchen. As I start the coffee pot before moving across the kitchen to pour both myself and Charlie as glass of water. When I turn around, I find he has slowly shuffled his way out of my room and is making his way across the living room towards his own.

"I'll be right back, I'm changing" he calls over his shoulder "pour me a coffee please"

I roll my eye at his request, as if I would dare to forget his caffeine.

"Did I get into a fight with someone last night" I call as the coffee finishes. "I have the weirdest memory of yelling at someone"

At the Charlie walks back into the kitchen, gone are his rumpled clothes from the previous night, replaced with a rainbow t-shirt and sweats I know are from middle school.

"Yes!" He gasped, "Some hottie actually! He spilled a drink on you and tried to say it was your fault for not paying attention when he had turned around into you"

"Well at least I was in the right, remember when I argued with Mason last weekend? I hated having to apologize when sober" I laughed.

"You were so confident in yourself Chlo, it was almost adorable" he snorted over his coffee mug.

With that we lapsed into an easy silence, both of us savoring our first cups of coffee. My eyes scanned the cottage quickly, noting how the sun shining in to ht kitchen from the window above the sink was casting a golden glow around us. The only sounds to be heard the distance crashing of the waves upon the beach and the sounds of seagulls chattering amongst themselves. Athens Bay was gorgeous year-round, but late spring was always my favorite. The undergraduates from one town over had all moved home between semesters, the summer tourists had not yet started to make their way in. The only people who remained were the few graduate students like me and Charlie and the townies. Only another few weeks of solitude remained before the summer residents started visiting in waves. The wealthy families from nearby cities looking to escape, the couples on romantic getaways, and my personal favorite, groups of friends looking to make the most of the summer and time together. That was how I had found Athens Bay. A trip with friends the summer before college. A year later I had transferred to the small university a town over and 5 years later I had no plans of leaving anytime soon.

The banging of a screen door brought me out of my daydream and as I turned to the front door I was met with the sight of Amber, her black hair disheveled, her wet suit half off, she'd clearly been surfing for a few hours. Before I could even move Charlie was already up and pouring her a coffee as she continued to strip her suit off until she was left standing in her bikini.

"Suit on the porch amber!" I scolded with a laugh as I then stood to grab her a towel and her bag of spare clothes, she kept at our cottage for mornings just like this.

"Sorry Chlo" she laughed, backtracking through the screen door to the porch. Before returning to the cottage, she stripped the suit of of herself. AS she reentered the living room I tossed her to towel as Charlie walked across the room to meet her with hre cup of coffee.

"How was it this morning?" he questioned as he returned to the table. Amber trailing wuitely behind as she sipped the warm coffee.

"Freezing at this hour, but amazing. There was a new guy, I've never seen him before. It was obvious he was rusty, but the skills were solid, and the base knowledge was there" she rambled as she held the coffee as close to her as possible, attempting to warm herself.

"What did you two end up doing last night" Amber asked next

"I stupidly followed a cute guy to that grudge club in Westy" Answered Charlie with a sigh "He turned out not only to be a bad singer, but also to have a girlfriend. But at least Chlo got some action"

"Hey!" I protested quickly "He couldn't even make out well, pulling me away at the end of the night was my saving grace, I don't think that counts as action"

I hadn't had any action in a while, my last "boyfriend" and I had broken up before spring break. Something about his mother finding a match for him. I just know Chad was the last trust fund baby I would be dating after that experience. I don't need another breakup because "mommy thinks its best".

Charlie and Amber continued their banter about the night as I found myself staring out of the window above the kitchen sink. I could see the sea at the end of the beach, the same beach Amber had come from just moments before. I couldn't help but think about how lucky I was to get to live here, with my friends. Even if I had no idea what I would do with my life after graduation. I was happy with my life as it was for now. Floundering in this small beach town with my two friends.