The Vacation Program (ReWrite)

Chapter 7: Day 2, First Kiss

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"And just like that, he shoved his sweat pants back on and stormed out of the barn. I sat on the truck, shocked and speechless. I was exposed, vulnerable, and felt worthless. I felt naked, and mentally destroyed."

Jayce stared at me, "Autumn..."

Unknowingly, tears streamed down my face, "No it's okay. I'm over it."

"I don't think you are over it Autumn, talk to me about it."

"Adam was someone I thought I could trust. We grew up together, and I fell in love with him in sixth grade. I thought that one day, I'd be pretty and he'd wanna be with me. When he said all these things-and more... it destroyed me. Eventually, everyone saw me the way he did. And after some time, so did I."

I twiddled my thumbs and Jayce continued to stare at me. We were both at a loss for words, but now he knew my darkest secret.

"I'm sorry that happened to you. But I know this goes deeper than one event, I need you to tell me everything about high school."

"My high school experience was shit," I giggled and wiped away one tear, "I was fat. I was a fat kid, seriously. I weighed a hundred and seventy-five pounds my freshman year, and gradually as I began to work out my weight went down. It wasn't until the beginning of my senior year that I finally dropped below one twenty-five, and I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop losing weight, I thought I was fat. I am not comfortable with my body because I have nightmares about getting actually fat again. Nothing is worse than feeling this way."

Jayce rested his hand on my knee, "Don't worry. I plan to make you feel like the most gorgeous woman alive. I want you to feel great about yourself, and I'll make you feel that way. Together we can help change the way you view yourself."

I smiled, "I hope so, because laying on this beach--I feel like a whale."

His hand hugged my chin and turned me to make eye contact with him, "Autumn. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, and I wish you could see it."

I looked down, "Now you're just exaggerating."

He kept looking at me with a mild smile on his face, "No, I'm not."

I exhaled and looked back into the horizon with my chin resting on my forearms which rested on my knees.

"So, I showed you mine now you show me yours."

He laughed, "Mine will be for a different day."

I rolled my eyes, "Are you serious? You just manipulated me into telling you... Nevermind."

"Come on Autumn," He laid his hand on my knee again, "I'm going to tell you. Just not right now."

"I know, I know. I'm not here to learn about you, you're here to learn about me."

He sighed, "Okay. How about this? We'll go home, and we'll both lay on the couch and talk. I'll tell you about my first love, Madison. How's that sound?"

I smiled, "I'd like that."

So Jayce called up a driver, and after a few minutes there was a car waiting at the end of the beach. We both lugged our ways to the car, feeling slightly sunburnt and excited. As we sat in the car, it again filled with silence as Jayce continued to type on his phone. I watched him and planned out my attack, I strategically reached over and yanked the phone from his hands, and hid it under my butt.

"Nothing is that important!" I laughed.

He cocked his head at me, "Autumn, stop playing. I need that."

I giggled as he tried to reach across, "No, tell me why you need it. I'm supposed to be the main focus right now."

"It's just business-"

"I'm business."

He laughed, "Autumn, please just give me my phone."

I pursed my lips and sighed, "Yeah no I don't think I'm gonna do that. I'm serious it's disrespectful."

"I don't mean to be, I just have lots of stuff to do."

He reached over me and attempted to grab his phone from under me, but I grabbed his hand before he could grab his phone. His face was an inch from mine and he looked aggravated. His brows were furrowed together, and his eyes were steady. His nostrils flared when he exhaled. After a few seconds, he grunted and pulled away from me.

"Now that you aren't distracted..."

Jayce reached over and cupped my face, pulling my lips to his. I was confused, but not upset. I kissed him back, and held his arms as his hand held me. I sat up from my seat to be resting on my knees and he did the same, and all in one swift moment he reached under me and grabbed his phone. He pulled away and continued to type. I stared at him, confused. I'd never felt more attracted to him, and I hoped it wasn't all a ploy, I hoped there was feelings.

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