Broken Glass Beautiful

The Summer Before Everything Changed

It was hot the day we met. I was already in the church van, reading and ready to get on our way to the camp. Then a red Chevy truck pulled up and Cassandra hopped out of the passenger side. I didn't even know her name at the time, though we'd been in the same grade at school for the past five years. She was in the "skater group", you know? And apparently I don't have the "swag" (what does that even mean?!) to hang out with them. Anyway, she was always one of the prettiest girls I knew. She had wavey, jet-black hair that came all the way down her back with side swept bangs that she had a habit of blowing out of those beautiful, blue eyes... But, as I said, I barely knew her. She had been in few of my classes and had only started going to our church a month before camp. There was only one more open spot in the van and that was, you guessed it, right next to me. I couldn't believe my luck. One of the prettiest girls in school stuck next to me for a three-hour drive. She cooly hefted her duffel bag and backpack out of the back of the truck and heaved them into the stuffed trunk. She beamed, waving goodbye to the truck. Then she slid into the seat next to me. I could already feel my face starting to burn. "Hey," she said turning to me, holding out her hand to shake mine. "I'm Cassandra. What's your name? I don't think we've really met." I caught myself staring and shook it off.
"Garrett," I replied, taking her hand. She grinned that grin that makes you question if she should be trusted with anything sharper than safety scissors. Then our youth leader, who was driving us up to camp, turned up the alternative rock and Cassandra yelled, "I love this band!" And promptly started head banging to the music. It was June.