summer boy ~ tal fishman ✓

~7~

A group of five guys approach me while I'm waiting for Tal a few days later. They are around my age, a bit older maybe. They aren't really acting their age, more like four-olds. I'm on my phone and don't give them any of my attention. 

'Hey baby.' 'Smile for me, girl.' 'You look hot in that dress! Nice ass!' they shout at me. I look up. I want to slap their faces so hard right now, I'm not even kidding. They are horribly disrespectful.

'I'm not interested thank you very much', I say. They completely ignore what I said. 'Give me your number girl. We know you have a phone,' says the guy that probably is their leader or something. He does the talking. The other guys just laugh at what he says. Does he want a standing ovation from me too? He's not getting one, although he is quite natural in playing a douchebag.

'Come up with a better excuse. You probably don't have a boyfriend either, do you?' the same guy says. This time the other guys say 'ooh' and give him a high-five. He's really wanting my slap quite badly if he's acting like this. 

I look up from my phone, roll my eyes and fake-smile while say: 'Actually I do have one. We're very in love and getting married tomorrow. Can you leave now? It's getting pretty annoying.' They laugh even harder. 'Sure! We won't leave until you call him and he can prove it!' the leader says again. 

What are they, two? Their mental age seems to be decreasing with the word they're saying, all while the likelihood of one of them getting hurt increases quite drastically. 'You can also show us a picture if you want!' another one answers. Probably the youngest, wanting to fit in way to bad. And failing completely, may I add. 

I'm very happy when I see Tal walking up to me and the group of guys. I look at him and we make eye contact. I put my phone away. The guys follow my gaze and stop laughing. They are looking at Tal curiously while he walks towards me. I can see they are trying to stay cool while they are getting more scared the closer Tal comes. They better be.

Thankfully, Tal understands what's going on by my pleading look. Tal wraps an arm around my shoulder and says 'hey baby'. I melt inside, but don't let him notice. I look up at him and smile. He actually is pretty tall, I knew but didn't notice it yet. I do now since I'm standing next to him. I grab his hand he just placed around my shoulder to make it seem more believable.

The guys don't know what to do. Tal turns to the guys. 'What do you think you're doing? Leave my girlfriend alone, bastards', he says. The guys put their hands in the air and mumble something that sounds like an ok. They walk away and we walk in the other direction. Well, those were very badass. Not.

Once they are out of our eyesight Tal lets me go, we look at each other and start laughing very loudly. 'Did you see their faces? Hahaha, they were so scared!' he exclaims. I laugh with him, although I can't forget what he had said. I was so confused about what just had happened I forgot to tell him what Adi said to me a few days ago.

*

I give Adi an awkward hug and then I hug Tal. I close my eyes and don't want to let him go. But I still do after a few seconds. Before I close the car door, I look back and I see Tal still looking at me. I already miss him, even though I am technically not gone yet.

I finally close the door but look out the car window I just opened and wave until I can't see Tal and Adi wave back at me anymore. When they disappeared because our car turns a corner, I put on my headphones and prepare myself for the long journey ahead of me. My music stops for a second because I got a message. From Tal. 'Miss you already...' I casually melt inside, but manage to message him back: 'Me too' and he sends back that now he'll have to talk to Adi. Or even worse, get to know new people.

I smile at the text but then I sigh because I realize I still haven't asked Tal what I overheard a few days ago. I sigh again, because of my stupidity. 'Are you tired darling?' my mother asks me. She misunderstood my sighs but I'm ok with that. 'A bit', I answer. 'I would go to sleep if I were you', my father says while looking at me in the rearview mirror. I sit down in a comfortable position but can't sleep. Tal is on my mind. And I've got this feeling, he's not leaving that place anytime soon.