Summer Lovin'

3-Life Guarding and Dinner

I was driving to the country club, which is where Cousins communal pool is. The place where I am going to be a lifeguard for the whole summer. I'm not thrilled. My mom made me get a job since I graduated and needed to figure out what to do with my life. I pull into the parking spot and walk inside. When you enter the club house you know you did. The smell is the same every year, citrus and chlorine.

I walked to where the pool was and I immediately see Jeremiah standing by the snack bar. I walked over to him, "Don't tell me you're working here too?" I joke. He turned around and greeted me with a smile, "No way, you are working here?" He asked excitedly. I presented myself, "Yes I am" "You just made this job so much better."  He was wearing red swim shorts and a white hoodie. I'm not sure how he wasn't sweating in the summer heat. I would be lying if I said he didn't look good.

We had a quick training and then the pool opened, lots of people came rushing in. I was sitting atop my lifeguard tower watching over the pool. I saw Jeremiah coming out of the break room, my eyes followed him, he took off his hoodie. My jaw nearly dropped, he had been working out. I could see his defined muscles from across the pool. I was thankful I was wearing sunglasses or he would have seen me staring.

My shift got over and it wasn't too bad. I could manage this for the rest of the summer. Before I left I swung by the snack bar. Steven was the one who came and took my order. "I didn't know you were working here?" He said, "Yep I'm a lifeguard for the summer."  He shook his head, "wow, with you are Jere working here, no kids are getting saved." We shared a laugh. He handed me my drink, "Thanks Steven" I said walking away and then he stopped me, "Wait! Kirsten!" "Yeah?" "You're friends with Shayla right?" "Yeah...why?" "Well, I was wondering if she was single?" He said avoiding eye contact. I smirked, "You want to get with her?" "Shhh! Theres other people around!" I laughed, "She's single" "Yes" he said celebrating.

I was walking out of the clubhouse when I heard footsteps behind me. "Hey Kirst, wait up" Just from his voice I knew it was Jeremiah. I loved when he called me Kirst. I turned around and waited for him to catch up. He had his hoodie on again, I was a little sad that he did. "Whats up?" "Just wanted to walk with you" "Well that's thoughtful" He chuckled, "Yeah, I felt like we didn't have much time to talk the other night." "True, your brother seemed to of wanted all the attention" I joked, "Yeah he's an asshole for that" I gave him a confused look, curious as to why he was being rude to Conrad. "So, what's new with you?" "Nothing at all, you?" "Same, life is boring." Talking to Jeremiah was almost awkward, like we both didn't know what to say to each other. Which was weird for us.

We reached my car, he leaned against it and looked down at me. I felt my cheeks get hot. "So, my family is having a big dinner tonight, you should come." "Okay, what time?" "6:00" I threw my bag into  my back seat, "What are you guys having?" "Surprise" he smirked. "Oh wow, I love surprises" I said sarcastically. "Oh I know" He winked, "Well I will see you later then" and he began to walk away. I smiled watching him and then got into my car where I felt like I could breath again.

I walked up to the Fisher's front door. Their house was huge and beautiful. I knocked, and it was Susannah who answered the door. Her eyes lit up when she saw me. "Kirsten!" she embraced me, this was where Jeremiah got his hugs from. "You look so gorgeous! Come in com in!" she ushered me in. "I has been way too long, look at how much you've grown" I smiled, "I know it's almost been two years." Me and Susannah continued to talk and catch up. I love her so much, she makes me feel like I'm her own daughter. Laurel also joined us. If i was being honest Laurel always scared me, but she was always nice to me.

Belly came downstairs, "Kirsten!" "Hi Belly!" Belly ran over and almost made me fall over by how hard she hugged me. "I haven't seen you in forever!" Before I could respond she was talking again, "I feel like I have so much to tell you!" "Well tell away" I said as I followed her up to her room. Belly has always told me I was the sister she never had, which made me associate her as a little sister I never had. "So...hows you and Conrad?" I ask jokingly. She blushed, or she was embarrassed, I couldn't tell. "Not good at all, he has a girl I guess."

Belly has been in love with Conrad for as long as I've known her. "What about you? Any lovers?" she asked me. "Definitely not" "Come on there has to be someone since the last time I saw you." I pondered, "I mean I've kissed guys but no lovers" "You have to tell me all about it!" I opened my mouth to say something when her door opened, it was Jeremiah. "Dinners ready" "Okay you'll have to tell me later" Belly said standing up.

I also stood up and met Jeremiah at the door, "I wondered where you were" He said, "Me and Belly were just catching up." "I feel like me and you still have some catching up to do" I'm not sure what it was but my heart skipped a beat when he said this. "Yeah-" I got interrupted by Steven and Belly yelling at each other. I was thankful for because I honestly didn't know what to say to Jeremiah. This summer it's been so hard to talk to him, I'm not sure if it was because we haven't seen each other in a long time or that whenever he looked at me I got nervous.

I sat next to Belly and then Jeremiah followed and sat down next to me. That's when I smelled it. Cologne, it smelled like Dior or some fancy cologne. I leaned a little closer to Jeremiah, of course it was him. I wanted to drown in the smell, Jeremiah's smell. "Where's Conrad?" Belly asked. "Who cares?" Jeremiah said. "Jeremiah" Susannah snapped, "He is with Nicole tonight," she answered Belly's question. Belly frowned, but only enough that I could notice.

"So Belly how do you feel about the Deb Ball?" Susannah asked. "I'm still thinking about it" she answered. "Don't put pressure on her Beck, it really isn't her thing." "I know, I'm just asking" Then her gaze landed on me. "Ask Kirsten. She did it a couple years ago. You liked it right?" No it was awful. "Yeah it was great!" I lie. "We all know Kirsten only had a good time because I was her escort," Jeremiah said, which made me blush a little. Jeremiah was right, he was best part about that whole experience. "Just think about it" Susannah said to Belly.

"Want some dessert?" Jeremiah asked me, "Sure, thanks" he reached over to grab the dish and his bicep was basically bursting out of his sleeve. How did I not noticed this before. I couldn't stop staring at it, when did he get so strong?" I wanted to reach over and squeeze it, but that would be weird.

I loved being at the Fishers. I felt like this was where I belong. I got along more with their family more than my own. "Well I better get going but thank you so much Susannah. Dinner was so good!" "Of course sweetheart, you are welcomed here anytime, you know that." We shared a smile, she hugged me and then I walked towards the door. "Kirst let me walk you home" Jeremiah said running after me. "I'm only around the block you don't have too" "No I want to" he smiled opening the door for me. We started down the driveway.

I didn't want this to be awkward so I was thinking of anything to say to him. "Okay, you have to tell me what's going on with you and Conrad." "Nothing is happening" "I don't believe that, the way you have been talking about him says different." He laughed, "You're just nosy aren't ya." "Of course, you of all people should know that." Then the atmosphere changed, he got quiet. "What?" I asked worried that I said something wrong. "Nothing I just..." I held my breath as we walked. "I feel like I don't know you anymore." "What do you mean?" "I don't know, seeing you at the bonfire made me realize just how much you grew up since the last summer you were here." "We all grow up Jere, look at you" I said squeezing his bicep, finally. "These were not here last time I saw you" I tease, resulting in him laughing. "I have been working out" he flexed.

"Let's see, last time I saw you, you had braces and only wore your hair in ponytails." I stopped walking and faced him, "Ugh, don't remind me" I playfully hit him. "No, it was cute." "You cannot be serious" we share a laugh. We were approaching my house now, "I mean, you look much better now." he stopped and stared down at me. All of a sudden there was a tension between us that wasn't there before. "Thank you" he smiled down at me.  "I uh, better go in" I said breaking eye contact. He nodded, "Thanks for walking me home," "Anytime, I'll always walk you home." I smiled and ran inside. I stood there in my entry way replaying tonight. What. The. Hell.