The Summer of My Life

5.

I would like to tell you guys that I'm going back to school tomorrow, so expect me to possibly miss a date. Sorry, my parents think school is a priority or something. I'll probably sleep and cry and suffer all day tomorrow. *shakes head* Asians.

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Benedict.

The paper flutters to the ground as my grip loosens. My eyesight blurs. He wants me to what?! Slowly, my eyesight recovers, and so does my wits. I walk up to my room and write a note to my mom telling her where I was, taping it to the door. I'm about to leave as is, but then I remember what I was wearing. I sigh and laugh a little at my stupidity. I walk inside my closet. Wow, was I really actually making an effort to impress someone? I shook my head in disbelief. But for some reason, I still wanted a good first impression. I reach into the back of my closet and pull out a plain black dress. Wait, I was really going to wear this? My brain said. Yes. My stomach said. So I found myself pulling it on. My hair is a mangled mess from my mid-afternoon run, so I put it up in a ponytail on the top of my head. I consider wearing something that wasn't sneakers, but I decided against it with converse. At the very last second, I decided to bring my board along with me. Maybe I felt like I needed color, but I'm not sure why I needed to skate ten feet to the door next to mine. I take a deep breath and urge my finger towards the doorbell- and then I jerk back. Why was this getting so hard? I tell myself, "Now or never, Nora, and I'd rather it be now," so in one split second, I jab my finger into the bell as hard as I could. At first, I hear nothing, and I'm afraid no one is home, but suddenly I hear a little boy's voice.

"Benedict! Ding-dong!" I laugh. When I hear footsteps, though, I'm quickly shushed, as I frantically try to straighten my already straight dress. The door swings open effortlessly and I find my head tilting up to see a guy's face. The boy.

"Um...Erm...Benedict?" I stutter. He grins the same goofy grin when I met him.

"Thought you would never come," he said, " Did you find my letter or were you just naturally attracted to me?" Well, you're hot anyways, who isn't attracted? I want to say, but I manage to squeak out,

"The first one."

"Alrighty, come on in, I apologize for my rude manners, and I'm sure you know- I'm Benedict." In a second of rash thinking,

"Benedict? Like Cumberbatch? In Sherlock Holmes?" I snort. This is quickly followed by me clamping a hand tightly over my mouth, turning bright red.

  Benedict laughs. God that laugh. I walk inside. His house looks essentially the same as mine, except it's much more empty and there are boxes strewn everywhere. Makes sense. It seems like he's noticed my penny board.

"Hey, I skate too. Maybe you could show me around here some time. I still don't know anyone." he leads me up the stairs into his room and tells me to sit. Everything is a blur, and my legs are jelly so I take the much needed seat on the end of his bed, leaning against the wall. He takes my board and puts it on his lap, sitting directly next to me. Great. Now what. Fortunately for me, he engages first.

"So, what's your name?"

"uh" I say. He nods.

"And?"

"Nora." he nods again and laughs.

"You seem awfully shy," and then, for some reason, I open up.

"Oh, no, only when you first meet me, and then you'd wish I'd shut the fuck up," I say, looking him in the eyes, which is actually quite hard when he towers over you. Ho looks at me in mock disbelief.

"No need for fucking profanity young lady," he says, eyes open in innocence. I burst out laughing, and soon, he joins me too. At one point, Benedict's little brother comes in to see what's happening.

"Go away Andy, no little boys allowed," he manages to choke out amidst his laughing. Andy pouts and runs of yelling,

"Mommy and Daddy will hear about this," and then I feel bad but I can't stop laughing. Always the little things and I can't stop laughing. When we finally manage to calm down, we chat a little. About how he came from New York. How we both love to skate. How it was like to have siblings, how it was like to be the only child. I even found myself telling him about the cow. Not the liking him part of course, just the cow. My throat starts to dry out and crack hoarsely.

"Here, I'll go get you a glass of water," Benedict hands me back my board. His hands are thin, and so are his fingers, thin and long. His nails are cut short.

"No, I think I should go. My mom is probably home by now, and she's going to be teasing me about you, so I might as well get it over with," I stand up.

"What about your dad?" he asks, in genuine concern.

"Oh, yeah, my dad's on a business trip right now, in Spain. Now, seriously, I should probably get going." I take a step forward. Closer to the door, closer to him.

"You're short," he says in this adorable baby voice and smiles and looks down at me with his warm brown eyes. Is it me or is it really hot in here?

"Or you're just freakishly tall," I look up, somehow able to keep my voice steady.

"Nah, you're short." I roll my eyes and walk out of the room. He opens the front door for me and says," I hope I can talk to you again sometime, Nora, " still in the same baby voice. I turn and wave.

"Of course."