I really don't understand this guy sometimes, but I was curious to know why he wasn't allowed at the pool. "Seth?" I asked as he got back in the car from his house.
"It was just a really dumb mistake, can I leave it at that?" He asked with a smile hanging.
I chuckled, "yeah, no. It's time to fess up." He groaned in the palms of his hands and started driving. "Ok, but I'm not proud of it. And I'm taking you somewhere different, just to get out of town at least."
"Fair enough." I smiled.
"Ugh, I was 15 and I used to hang around the wrong kind of people, people like Al, unfortunately." He got quiet when he mentioned Al.
"Anyway," he continued, "Al, and I, along with five other guys were drinking, courtesy of Al's older brother, and took a drive to Valley High School which was where I went before transferring to Kent High School. I had told the guys that I worked hard on this project for a science class and my teacher gave me a bogus grade for it. Al suggested we show her what it felt like to be humiliated and break into her classroom to vandalize it. "
He merged onto the highway towards Seattle now.
"Ams, I was so gone I thought it was a great idea and wrecked not only her classroom, but a few others as well. We flipped desks, tossed papers, broke shelves, tore books apart, broke computers, spray painted faces and curse words all over her windows and chalkboard. Someone had brought toilet paper and eggs and absolutely trashed her classroom. Little did we know that there were security cameras in the hall facing her door, and we got caught. Al was the first to flee, and soon the cops showed up and we were all cited with trespassing, vandalizing, underage drinking, driving without a license, driving under the influence, and a few other things that I can't remember. My mom came and picked me up, she was crying and asked the cops what they would do to me. They said they were taking the other kids to a juvenile correctional facility while they waited for a court hearing since it wasn't their first offense, and that they'd further investigate Al's involvement through the security tapes. I don't know how I did, but somehow, I got off the hook. I had a shit ton of community service to do for what seemed like months. Starting with cleaning up the school, and then picking up trash from the highways, and helping out at retirement homes reading, and walking with the elderly, I had to work at the grocery store for free, and be a tutor to kids after school to help with their homework."
I didn't know what to make of his story. He had always seemed such a quiet kid, he never came off as someone who would've been a trouble maker.
"That's why I didn't like seeing you with Sean. He reminded me of Al, and I always feared that if he had the persona of acting like a hard ass, he'd try and take advantage of you the way Al tried. I've always cared for you Amber." He blushed at the last bit as we approached the beach.
"Are you rethinking your decision of being with me?" He asked to break the silence.
"No, it's just hard to believe that. You're so kind." He kinda smiled and parked.
"So, we're ok then?" I nodded and returned his smile so he'd be reassured of my feelings.
"Is this ok? I have a blanket in the back we can sit on."
"It's perfect." I said as I leaned in to give him a small kiss and felt his hands grab my face to pull me in closer. My heart raced as his hands moved down to my shoulders, then to my waist.
Somewhere in the back of my mind I remembered that this was once my sister's boyfriend, and they'd been together for awhile. As many times as I'd try to avoid their presence, I'd always catch them caught up in each other's embrace. I suddenly pulled away and looked at him.
"Ams? Is everything ok?" He asked. I bit my lip and sighed. I was too afraid to ask him how far he went with Ashely, and if this was too weird. I hesitated, but managed to hold it in as I shook my head and smiled, exiting the car.
