𝗧𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗢𝗻𝗲: "𝑺𝒖𝒏 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑹𝒂𝒊𝒏"

Driving in a silent car with only the tune of his thundering heart to listen to was deafening. Car lights flashed left and right while July seemed in her world, singing along to one of her favourite songs. Meanwhile, his thoughts played hymns of existential dread.

Why did I do that? That was all he thought. Over and over. Even if July didn't feel affected, he was.

It was only yesterday when he came across the possibility that that girl could be her. And everything seemed to be pointing to her, even screaming, "It's her! It's her!" But he couldn't listen.
Well, he didn't want to listen.

"You're so quiet." His attention was focused on the green-eyed girl in his passenger seat, grinning mischievously.

"Why do you look like a scary clown?" he replied, his heart thumping. "You're a grinning maniac."

"A cute one," her grin widened into a smile as she propped up her hands into a cute pose. His heart squabbed.

"Focus on the road, Grey," his mind screamed. But no, his mouth must open once more. "You sure?"

"Weren't you the same dummy that said that I looked stunning?" she challenged, looking at him as she relaxed in her seat. "I almost thought you'd agree this time."

He smirked, turning the wheel to drive down a certain road, "To my defence, I was half asleep."

"That means you were most honest, right?"

"Most likely?" he thought about it for a moment. "Maybe."

He could feel her beaming up as he finally saw the lights. The floating lights on the dock. They illuminate the night, almost as bright as the stars. Yellow and white lights decorate the lake's shoreline as they hop out of the car. Rocks of different sizes litter the dirt they now walk on as dusk falls on them.

But all Grey could smell wasn't even the small cluster of pine trees nearby or the lake's fresh water, but the wafting scent of strawberries and vanilla, dancing, smiling, beaming up at the sky.

"This is so beautiful!" July exclaimed, smiling with exploring eyes. She shoved her hair up in the car earlier, but now it's easily coming undone and falling onto her face. Now she's a squealing, vanilla and strawberry-smelling, jeans and a random t-shirt-wearing, messy girl trying to get her hair in order.

Grey laughed at the sight, "I thought you didn't like looking messy?"

"Well, you already know. Come help!"

"You sure?"

She paused her fixer-uppy situation to glare at Grey in the eyes, causing a shiver to go up his spine. He doesn't know why but her glares make his skin crawl. Maybe he's scared of her? Nah. Nope. Never. Her?

"Grey," she seethed in a menacing tone. He shivered again. Yes, definitely. He's terrified.

"Yeah, yeah. I got you, sunny." He swatted her hands away and held her hair gently to avoid accidentally tugging at it and having a shoe flying at his head. "You got a hair tie, baby? Preferably pink, since you like to wear that better."

He could sense her grin as she handed him the pink hair tie. "Ooh! So you do listen?"

"How many times do I have to tell you that I always listen?" he replied, tying up her hair in something neat enough. He'd spend hours practising on his cousin's hair just for this moment. Not meaning that- oh forget it. "I'm not hurting you, right?"

"Nope," she replied. She sounded more relaxed than anything. Silence. And when Grey finally got her hair in something decent she spun around to look him in the eyes. She looked serious as she said, "You know, I know you lied."

Grey paused before uttering calmly, "What do you mean?"

"When you said your mom would be at home waiting for you."

Grey didn't know how to respond. He'd completely forgotten that and was honestly surprised when she brought it up again. "It's nothing big, sunshine. Just family stuff."

"You wanna talk about it or throw it out the window?" she inquired.

"It's not a big deal," he lied as he held her hand, leading her off the shore to walk on the wooden dock. Lanterns stand on the railing, illuminating the path to the rectangular ending of the ligneous structure. It was dazzling, but Grey was drowning trying to convince the stubborn lady right next to him. "I swear! I swear, It's nothing to worry about. You have that grade on your quiz to worry about."

"Speaking of my quiz," she chirped, much to his relief as they sat near the edge. July sat with her feet on the wood, while Grey just let his feet dangle over the edge. His sneakers almost touched the water as the high tide drew in. "You're good at Math, right?"

"I'd say so," he grinned as they made eye contact. "Why?"

"Tutor me. Please." She gave him a small, apologetic smile as she fidgeted with her hands nervously. "I'm awful."

Grey was astonished. "I'd say you're pretty good. I mean-"

"Yes, but 'pretty good' is not enough," she sat up, straightening her back. Her smiles were gone and replaced with determination. "I need to get better or else I won't achieve anything. I need a higher GPA to enter my dream college back in England and I'm good at everything but this! MATH! Of all subjects! I need your help. Please."

Grey blinked once, twice, thrice, and without thinking, he opened his mouth, "Okay, I'll help you."

He could have sworn he saw stars in her eyes when she smiled at him. Only then did he realize that he might have messed up a little. Her smile stayed when she thanked him profusely as if he'd just given her a gift of some sort. Maybe a new scrunchie to add to her collection? Or maybe... "So, you're going to England after graduation, huh?"

"Well, it's more like returning home than a little trip. I was born and raised there for a while until we moved here." Her eyes gaze out over the lake, taking in everything. But he couldn't stop looking at her.

"That's nice," he replied, as the cold wind began to hasten, flowing through his hair and caressing his body through clothing. Her eyes set upon him in a mischievous glare, "Why? Are you going to miss me?"

He scoffed, shaking his head. "Good riddance."

She gasped, playfully hitting him as he chuckled. "Mean!"

"Yeah, yeah," he smiled at her. "On a serious note, though, I might actually miss you."

"Reallyyy?" she smiled at him. "Awwww!"

"Don't ever repeat my words after today. Or I do not know you," he playfully warned. "We do not speak of this."

She laughed. "Whatever, dork."

"Me? Dork? Excuse me?"

"Yes, you, dork!"

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes, pointing his stare towards the stars. And just like that, an idea sparks in his mind. "You wanna go for a swim?"

She gazed into the dark depths of the lake, uncertain before wincing, "Haha, no, I can't swim."

He looked into the water, smirking. "You're right. Plus, we don't know what's in there."

Her eyes widened, her body stiffening. "What?"

"Who knows if something might grab us and pull us down? Never to be seen again. You know, Legends say-"

She shut down his 'storytelling' before it could manifest into something nightmarish. "Yeah, no. I don't want to hear that! I don't want nightmares, Sir Dork. Ignorance is bliss."

"Wow, at your big age of sixteen? Poor baby," he quipped.

"Oh, shut up!" she smacked him lightly on the head. "And at your big age, you're still acting like a fifteen-year-old bully!"

"Respect your elders, young lady," he laughed.

"Aren't you the same age as me?"

"I'm seventeen, sunshine."

"Oh."