Saving Elliot ©2015 Sydney Wray

Chapter 22-Watch and Learn

"So it went well..?" Jaxx prompted.

"Pretty amazing." I admitted, forcing my eyes to linger on the papers my father had thrusted at me before leaving the room.

She squealed, and I grimaced as I held the phone away from my ear.

"So what's next?" I heard her say, putting the phone back to my ear.

"Night surfing."

"That sounds awesome. It's a big thing in Cali."

I suddenly remembered the time I had sailed head-first into the wave when I had first surfed. The thought made me cringe.

"Hello?" I heard from her end.

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Can I come tonight?"

"Sure," I mumbled, distracted, "Meet me outside of The Shack. Around eleven?"

Clanging of dishes sounded in the background of her side. "See you then."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Look who I brought." Jaxx announced from behind me.

I turned around, tugging off my shirt.

Her eyes lingered on my chest, but quickly regained their place on my eyes.

Jaxx was towing Snoopy along on his blue leash, his tongue flopping effortlessly out of his mouth.

I grinned. I had missed him.

Snoopy looked up at me, pausing shortly, then pulling Jaxx forward and jumping up on me with a whine.

He was still small and only reached just above my knees.

I crouched down, picking him up and cradling him. "Hi, boy."

His tail wagged in an out of control pace.

"I missed you." I chuckled, straining my neck as he reached on his toes to lick my face.

Hollering sounded in the distance, causing us to turn around.

Guys and girls lighted with glow-in-the-dark necklaces ran to the water's edge, their arms in the air.

"Guess we better go." Jaxx said, grinning excitedly at them.

I bit my lip. "Actually, on second thought? I might just hang here and chill with Snoopy."

A deep throated noise came from Snoopy, who stared at me from his tied state to the tree.

"No way. Let's go, Prim."

Jaxx grabbed my arm all the way down to the water, and picked a hot pink board.

I smirked at her.

"What?" She shrugged innocently. "A girl loves pink."

"Mhm." I wiggled my eyebrows, shaking my head and settling on a classic white board.

Before stepping into the water, a familiar aching sensation echoed in the pit of my stomach. I missed her. I missed her terribly; my only wish was that she was going to do this with me.

I still didn't understand why she'd leave without a goodbye. And because of his thought, my terrible missing factors of her was combined with simplified anger.