I like to write. It's comforting, plus it serves as a way for me to look back on old memories.
And I figured I'd write about the summer that changed my life forever.
Before the summer started, I was a simple seventeen year old girl living in the US. I was awkward in social situations, I never wanted to go to school, and I thought I'd wind up marrying a cat.
I remember when the bell ring on the last day, and I walked home, the sun shining on my face.
On my way home, a man stopped me. He didn't appear much older than me, but there was a darker vibe to him. Kind of like the love interest in so many novels I'd read.
"Do you know which way the Walmart is?" He asked.
I smiled and pointed down a long road nearby, telling him it was that way. He nodded, thanked me, and walked off. I watched him walk away, noticing his darker clothing and the way his hair blew gently in the breeze, whooshing about.
I remember him getting on his motorcycle, smiling back at me, and driving off on it. I'd been very sheltered as a kid, so even something as riding a motorcycle made people cool in my eyes.
I walked the rest of the way home, a small smile on my face from the interaction.
And when I got home, my parents were arguing. Again. They did it every weekend for some reason, almost as if they planned it out.
I walked quietly to my room, shut the door, and turned on some music, hoping to drown out their yelling. And it didn't work that time, because they were being so loud.
So, I got up, and I left. As simply as that. They were so busy arguing and yelling that they didn't even notice.
I had no destination in mind, seeing as this walk was pretty impulsive. But it didn't matter. I turned on my music and walked.
Summer had just begun, and it already sucked because of my stupid parents. At this rate, I just accepted that I wouldn't get a break this summer. As was the case with every summer previous.
I walked around for a bit, before the stranger from earlier randomly popped into my head. I had no idea why, but I didn't fight it.
Tall, dark, and handsome... I felt like I'd found Taylor Swift's man.
And that's when I saw it. Not even it, him. I saw *him*.
He was outside a nearby convenience store, just standing by his motorcycle. I stopped and stared without realizing. The heat outside was terrible, which explained the small bits of sweat on his face and forehead.
I probably looked like a gawking mosquito, thinking back to it.
He noticed me staring, and so he smiled and waved. He walked over, crossing the maybe ten feet distance between us in only a few seconds.
"Hey, it's directions girl!" He said jokingly.
"O-oh yeah, eheh... Hi."
"I hope I don't sound like I forgot him or something...!"
"So, what're you doing out here in this heat?"
"I'm just on a walk..."
"Walking? When it's this hot outside? Man, Americans really are insane, haha!"
Something about him smiling and laughing made me feel better.
"Hey, by the way, what's your name?"
"H-huh? Oh um, it's Lucy."
