Roses Are Red

Chapter 1

NOTE: I changed the main guy character to Greyson and the main girl character to Kennidi  

CHAPTER 1

My cell phone shimmied its way across my nightstand. I groaned as I leaned over the side of the bed, fishing to find the buzzing purple rectangle.
I squinted at the readout on the display, which showedGreysons grinning face, and I answered the phone with a moan, "Seriously, dude? It's like 6 am. This better be important."
"It's noon, Kennidi" he replied. He sounded very awake, like he'd been awake for hours . . . which was probably true, considering I slept until lunch. I eyed my old looking alarm clock from my comfy spot in bed, wondering if it was wrong of me to strangle one of my best friends for waking me up.
I'd known Greyson since 6th grade and we'd just clicked. Back then I was more of a wallflower and Greyson was the new kid in town - which basically resulted in neither of us having a decent friend in Mrs. Carah's history class. So when it came time to pick partners for a project on some country the size of a stamp, Greyson and I were the last loners standing. We ended up friends, stuck together at first in search of a passing grade. Stuck together now, because we just plain like each other. It was weird for me at first, because I'd never had a guy friend, but Greyson was different. He wasn't obnoxious like the other guys in my grade, who talked back to the teacher and slacked on their homework, only to complain that their grades were rotten. Gee . . . I wonder why? (voice and tempo)
I heard Greyson sigh, "You completely forgot about going to the beach today, didn't ya?"
Oh crap. I flung the covers back and nearly fell on my face as I scrambled from the bed, the phone still pressed to my cheek. "What? No. Never."
"Look, it's fine, Kennidi. We can plan it for another day, really."
The way he responded almost made the situation worse. He was trying to come across so nice but beneath all that you could hear the disappointment in his voice. I yanked a cutoff from my pile of laundry, and wiggled into them, "Don't say that! We're going! Pick me up in 15 minutes."
"Kennidi - it's no big deal. We don't need to go."
I sighed. I honestly felt horrible. Not only had I been sleeping in late every morning, waking up unmotivated and tired, but I'd also been blowing off Greyson for the last two weeks. He was my best friend and it was time I put myself in his perspective before he decided I was totally unworthy of "best" anything. "Stop it Greyson. I said I wanted to go, and I meant it." I wasn't exactly sure if I was being completely honest with him or myself. I didn't feel like talking to anyone, seeing anyone, and especially hanging out with anyone. My head hurt and I was tried, but I couldn't let him down.
After a few more seconds of verbal arm-twisting, Greyson finally agreed to pick me up, "Okay. I'll see you in 15 minutes."
I dressed in a my old navy blue bikini and I sprinted down the stairs. "Mom can you get me a bag for my beach stuff?"
"Beach stuff? You're going to the beach?" My moms eyes quinted with confusion, making her drawn out wrinkles on her forehead bunch up.
"Yeah, I'm going to Mayflower with Greyson." I replied. My mother's smile grew to a cosmic level.
In her head, she was already planning my wedding to Greyson, complete with ten bridesmaids decked out in gag-me-pink. She didn't get the "friends" thing. "Ooo Greyson," she giggled and I just sighed.
Yup - planning my wedding for sure.
Suddenly I heard a honk of a car and quickly turned my head to the window that floated right next to the front door.
I heard Greysons car pull into our gravel driveway. "Mom please. I have to go. I'll call you later." I walked towards the door as I hear my mother's voice travel behind me. I turned around. She was smiling with my beach towel hanging from her finger.
I laughed. "Thanks mom, I can't forget that," I breathed, snatching the towel from her hand as Greyson's car honked again.
"What about breakfast Sweetie? Aren't you hungry?"
"I really don't have time. Maybe I'll pick something up on the way." Finally I ran out the door, thankful that my mom didn't press anymore. Greyson rolled his window down as soon as he saw me.
"You look good," he smiled.
I glanced in his side view window. My brown eyes looked heavy within my tan skin and my brown wavy hair was now more of a curly nest. I glared at him. "Smart ass," I said as I nudged him in the head. He laughed as I got in the car and turned on his radio. He half smiled at me.
"No, but seriously, you look good . . . .for someone who just woke up 15 minutes ago." I hit him again and but a grin was still glued to his face.
When we got to the beach we laid on our towels, and I let the hot sun soak into my skin as my toes played in the white sand. My fingers lingered on my stomach moving with the patterns of my breath. I looked over at Greyson and really examined him for the first time in a long time. His long legs were in proportion to his long torso. His curly black hair came down to about his deep, blue eyes, which made his pale skin stand out. He wasn't the perfect looking guy, definitely not model material, but I looked past that because I knew I wasn't perfect looking either. The silence between us was begining to feel extremely awkward so I quickly started conversation.
"How about we both just run into the water no matter how cold it is. We must run then dunk," I said excitingly. He looked at me with a surprised expression.
"Kennidi, last time we did that you stopped running once your toes touched the rim of the water. I doubt you'll actually run in," he laughed.
"Well now that you say that, I have to prove you wrong."
"But I'm always right," he smirked.
"Not this time." I laughed and immediately got up and ran as fast as I could toward the water.
"Not fair!" He caught up with me, pacing me as we hit the frigid water, and I screamed as the waves hit my thighs. It was so cold I thought I was being electrocuted. The water was freezing. A cold rush went up my spine like I was getting electrified by ice. But I kept running, pushing through the waves that climbed higher on my body. I was up to my chest and all I needed to do was dunk.
"You aren't gonna follow through!" he yelled. I splashed him and before I could dunk in he pushed me.
"Hey not fair!" I whined.
"Life's not fair!" he howled and then grabbed me, slinging me over his left shoulder. I screamed, demanding that he put me down.
We splashed each other for awhile, until he playfully snatched me from the waves and tossed me over his left shoulder. I screamed
"Put me down Greyson, put me down!" We both laughed, and he dunked me in the water once again. When I got up from the water he was in a hunched position, grabbing this stumach with his fist. He was laughing really hard. and I punched him in the shoulder as hard as I could.
"Ow! Damn it Greyson, that hurt my hand!" I whined, but he just laughed, and pulled me closer.
We were close now, our bodies just a few inches away. A shiver went down my spine and a familiar feeling came over me.
I felt scared.
Suffocated.
Flash backs went through my head stopping my heart from beating. He stopped laughing and looked at me. His blue eyes were so bold that I felt like I was being hypnotized and couldn't look away. I wondered what he was thinking about while his gaze was held on my eyes.
Butterflies erupted in my stomach like a volcano. I stood there and watched him as he watched me. For a second I thought he was going to kiss me. Thoughts were now streaming through my head -- what would it be like to kiss him? Did I want to kiss him? Did he want to kiss me?
The way he looked at me, the way he smiled, he looked perfect, and for a split second I felt a strong urge to break the small distance between our faces, softly making our lips touch.
I wondered what it would be like to kiss him, but at the same time I was scared, terrified. Letting him get this close to me made me want to run and hide, but my body became a statue. He got closer and I could feel his warmth spreading onto me. Before he could come any closer I panicked and pushed him in the water, trying to bring the playful game back into motion. When he got up I laughed and splashed him some more. We laughed together. In that moment everything was right. No worries, no fears, and I was happy.