The Faint Taste of Spearmint

5 | Tag!!

"So," Adric said as we walked along the vacant, beach shore barefoot. "Did you mean it when you said you liked me 'too much'?" I felt embarrassed all over again. I looked down at the wet sand contemplating what to say. Just be honest. I nodded shyly. He smiled. "How long have you liked me?"

"Uh-uh. I can't tell you," I said, looking out at the ocean unable to look at him.

"Why not?"

"It's embarrassing." I still couldn't look at him.

"I thought we were past embarrassment now," he said. My clumsiness was the only reason I unintentionally admitted how much I liked him. Could I tell him how long I'd dreamed of being with him? I wasn't confident. "Blyth, look at me." I struggled, still looking at the incoming waves. "Please look at me." I slowly turned to face him. "There's no wrong answer. I just wanna know." His sincerity and poignantly charismatic expression impelled me to spill my soul.

"Well...we've known each other about two years," I said. He nodded. "So...about two years..." I cautiously glanced at him. He laughed. Does he think I'm creepy?? Does he think that's the reason I became his friend?!! I shoulda lied and said months ago (or yesterday).

"I'm not laughing at you," he clarified, though I didn't believe him. "I'm laughing at myself," he said as he smacked his head. "What a waste of two years." My stomach dropped at the thought he regretted our friendship. He looked at me as if he'd read my mind. "No, I don't mean it like that!" he assured me as I contemplated walking into the ocean and never returning. "What I mean is..." He sighed before laughing to himself again. "If I'd known you'd liked me since then, I woulda asked you out two years ago."

"Huh?" was all I could utter as I processed his confession. He's liked me this whole time???

"Tara wasn't kidding about you being oblivious. But, I guess I was, too. I always thought you were cute since the day we met, but once we got to know each other better, I fell for you." I stared at him in shock. His skin flushed and he looked away from me. "I didn't say anything before 'cause I didn't think you liked me. I figured I wasn't your type."

"What?! I didn't think I was your type." In more ways than one. I'd only found out Adric liked guys when he'd asked me out days ago. But, even if I'd known back then, I still never would've guessed he'd like a skinny, androgynous guy like me.

We walked for a while recounting the first time we'd met and our first impressions of each other. I thought Adric was smart, funny, gorgeous, and charismatic; he thought I was nice but peculiar (in a good way, he claimed — whatever that meant...). Knowing he liked me the entire time, knowing that he found me and my eccentricities "cute and endearing" made me less self-conscious. I only wanted to enjoy the moment with him.

"We should probably get going before Tara sends out an amber alert," Adric suggested as dusk approached. We began heading back to where we parked. "Wow — look," he said staring out into the ocean sky. I looked out into the twilight sky painted with orange, mauve, and indigo firmament ribbons intertwined along the lush, peach-colored clouds warmed by the setting sun.

"It's beautiful," I said in admiration.

"Yeah...it is."

I turned to look at Adric; he was already looking at me intensely. Uh oh. He moved closer to me, our chests only inches apart and his hypnotic gaze unbroken. Uh oh. He lowered his face to mine carefully. Uh oh!

I didn't move. I wanted him to do it; I wanted him to kiss me. Our lips were so close; it was now or never. A battle of mind and body ensued—my mind steady, my body quivering. You can do this. He lifted his hand to steady my chin as he moved in closer, our lips barely separated by the salty air...

"Tag, you're it!" I shouted fearfully, shoving him away and sprinting off like an Olympic-medal track star. Tag, you're it? Really?! Am I fucking six?!!

I slowed down as I realized I may have given him the wrong impression. I stopped, catching my breath. You idiot. Before I could turn around to go back and apologize, I felt a shove against my back almost knocking me to the ground.

"You're it!" Adric yelled, flashing past me.

We spent the next minute left of sunlight running after each other exchanging tags until Adric tackled me to the sandy ground. We cackled while out of breath.

"Tag? Really?" he asked while laughing. "I don't think I've played tag since fifth grade." He helped me up and pulled me into him. "You're really something else, you know that?" he said as he smiled at me. We stared at each other as the large wave of darkness swept over the beach. "Let's get you home." I didn't want to go home. I didn't want the date to end so soon.

On the walk to the car, he held my hand and warned me of impending holes and potential hazards. He insisted that he guide me through the darkness, afraid I'd fall or hurt myself. I'd never been so grateful to be so clumsy. I was also thankful for the night as it veiled the unwavering smile on my face as I relished in the warmth of Adric's hand wrapped around mine. Was it strange that someone could make me so happy?