A few weeks pass and Josh finally asks me out. We still aren’t very close and I would know if we were, because someone would tell their darkest secret. Most of the time he’s himself, other times (for example, in front of his friends) he’s ogling at an inappropriate part of me or making visceral sexual jokes. It makes me quite uncomfortable but I am also very uptight at times. My parents are of British decent, and we did once live there so that’s where I got my accent. Our stereotype is to be frigid but no one really knows that I am. Many people would agree I am some slut who sleeps around with every guy at the school.
After school, I decide I should tell Ashton that I won’t be at the library. I’m not doing my usual thing today. I see Ashton at his locker and jog towards him.
“Hey Ashton,” I say.
“Hey Misty, “ he whispers, “aren’t we meant to go to the library to talk?”
“Not today, I’m going somewhere else.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I’ll see you tomorrow then,” he says, with obvious disappointment. I hear footsteps approaching and Ashton glaring at whoever is behind me. He slams his locker door closed and subtly storms away.
“Ready to go?” he asks and fixes his collar. Not something he would usually wear. Huh. So he is trying to impress me. Well, it’s working.
“Yup. What are we going to do?” He smirks and his fingers touch mine. For an evanescent moment, it is rhapsodic. The way his fingers slowly fit in between the gaps of mine, like matching puzzle pieces. He starts joining our hands together and walk down the corridor. His skateboard is in his other hand. It leaves me in bewilderment, so stupefied that I am not able to speak. I have to say something.
“What’s with the holding hands?” I ask childishly.
“Is it awkward?” he asks and his teal eyes look sincerely into mine, his grip loosening.
“Not at all,” I answer honestly and he sighs in relief, holding my hand properly again.
“As for your question, I’m going to teach you how to ride a skateboard,” he says.
“Really?” I exclaim happily and sheer adrenaline pumps through me.
We arrive at the skate park; Josh looks pretty surprised though.
“It’s empty?” he says as if it’s a question. “Wow.” A warm, summery breeze blows my hair messily in my face. A filament of my dark hair is left pressing amid my lips. Josh pushes my hair out of my face so I can see clearly.
“Let’s get started.” He places his skateboard on the ground and starts demonstrating. I examine him carefully while my childhood memories come flooding back. Oh how I miss those halcyon days.
“Your turn,” he says as I get on the skateboard. I find it pretty hard balancing but then he holds my hands in front of me. He guides me step by step even if I continuously fall over. After hours of laughing, flirting and falling over, I’m exhausted. This reminded me continuously of my childhood, where I was free to do whatever I wanted without people judging me or my parents controlling what I’m allowed to do. The wind is getting cooler as the sun sets while I lie next to Josh. I embrace the cold winds cooling me down, and the painted watercolours of the quintessential sunset sky.
“Can I have one more go?” I get up and ask.
“Aren’t you tired?” he asks caringly without breath.
“I know I can do it this time,” I say with determination.
“Go and try but I’m following you so I can catch you when you fall,” he flirts then flashes his gorgeous smile.
YOU ARE READING
My Double Life
Teen FictionA tragedy changed me. Misery consumed me. The cataclysm that was my sister's death, transformed me into two different people. She died because of what people thought of her. And that is not going to happen to me. My parents wanted her to be a perfe...
