Sunkissed Serendipity

Chapter 15

Julian

When I came back from Hawaii, I knew that there would be a lot of things I would need to sort out with the parents. Going on the trip was in the works for a few months, but things had changed in those months, and I didn't want to go anymore. My friends, for one, had backed out of the trip, but when it came for me to do it, my parents didn't allow it. As awful timing as it was for me to leave, it was also bad knowing that my parents wouldn't get refunded for the trip. They had tried, but with the trip being tied to more than just the flight there and back, it was hard to get our money back.

So I was forced to go. I knew that my parents had told me to have fun, but it was kind of hard to know what was happening back home and how much I was missing out on. How much could I be assisting with. I managed to have a little fun, but I don't think it was until Isla asked me for my company that I truly had fun.

When she asked for me to spend the day with her, I was hesitant on many accounts. Firstly, I didn't know her, and just the night prior, she had kissed me solely because she didn't know my name. It was a dare, yes, but that's what it really was. Second, I didn't know how much fun I would be around considering I chose to stay inside while everyone had fun with their friends. I would've had fun as well, but I didn't have any company. But saying yes to Isla's offer turned out to be a good decision.

It was nice to hang out with her because she was a breath of fresh air. No one else in my life was the same as her, and knowing her personality and the fact that she was a spontaneous person made it so much better. She was cool, and even though I would have originally been shy to hang out around someone like her, it was good. She was kind to me, and it was nice knowing that she thought the same for me as well.

She was everything I hadn't expected her to be, and she sure knew how to surprise me on many accounts. When she kissed me in the middle of the airport, with a camera to show proof of it—to permanently hold the moment—I think everything in my mind stopped for a second. Isla was kissing me. For the second time. And this time she knew my name.

I thought that maybe she had felt the way I had felt for her during the short course of time that we had stolen. I thought that every time there was an awkward moment between us, maybe there was something that we were supposed to be feeling. I thought that whenever something would force us to get extra close to each other, it was supposed to be a moment we were supposed to cease. I thought that the moment we were close enough to kiss was actually supposed to be something we were supposed to use to our advantage.

I thought that every moment that led up to that point could've meant something. It was a small thing considering the small frame of time we knew each other, but it turned out to be nothing.

It was a goodbye, she said. A goodbye? I was shocked to hear her say that, and I was a lot disappointed, even though I would never mention it to her. I wondered what our departure would be like at least ten times a day, but I didn't think that she would just slap a kiss on my lips and then say goodbye.

I was waiting for her to say more, I'll admit. I was waiting for her to ask me for my number so that maybe we could hang out again. I thought she enjoyed my company enough to want to see me again, but she didn't ask for my number. She didn't ask me for any of my other contacts either, which I was thinking she would.

When she didn't ask for anything I was wondering when I'd be able to share, which made me wonder if it meant that she didn't want to hang out with me again. She had said that she would see me again once school restarted, and that made me know that she definitely didn't want to see me again.

I didn't think that she was rude enough to just pretend she wouldn't like my company ever again and would be good to never see me again. No, I think she meant well. Just not well enough to want to hang out with me again. I guess it made sense considering I was still, by definition, a stranger (maybe an acquaintance now), but maybe we could've been something else if she wanted us to be. But she didn't, and well, it made me feel weird, and I didn't want to feel it, but I did.