Perfect with You

Chapter 53 - With You

She dragged the stick across the ground once more, drawing the first letter. "J".
The grass made it difficult to see even though she used enough force for the stick to nearly break. Looking to her right, she peeked at the shirt she had taken off before sitting down in the comfort of the warm sun, casting its last beams on her from behind the sea. It gave her a sense of vertigo to be up so high near a cliff, but she had told herself to endure it since it was mostly her own idea. The critters had gone silent, perhaps having been killed by the crickets so they could have their moment in their spotlight with their characteristic chirping. Signaling to anyone around that it was becoming nighttime. As if they were praising the arrival of the moon with the sound of their people.

It was fortunately still warm enough for her not having to resort going back into the small, yellow tent behind her. Not that it exactly was a sauna in there either, which she had discovered the previous night. The trees, however, were doing a fantastic job at keeping most of the evening wind at bay, but it was a like being slapped by a famous person. Even though it was neat, it still hurt, because the trees, with their wind-blocking abilities, did still give her a mild sense of claustrophobia. Furthermore, though the camping spot was in and of itself in an open space, it was still in a forest. And no forest without trees. Unless it was a shrub forest of some kind.

Beginning to draw the next letter with her trusty stick, she closed her eyes when a spinning sensation made her stomach turn. And with no visual distraction, she allowed her mind to wander. Playing a past event in her head. An event she had found her mind often coming back to when she was alone. And it was always exactly the same.

...

"Hey, there you go! Rachel left a bunch of clothes with me... She's your size" I told her as she opened the closet, lying lazily in my bed with one hand on my head. It was such a beautiful morning, the beams from the sun lighting up my room in a way that captivated the atmosphere.

Max looked back at me with her lips locked in the smile I came to know so well.
"But not quite my style" She chuckled lightly while I lifted myself up from the bed, thinking I should probably get dressed soon as well. We were both in our underwear with our shirts on, and we both felt comfortable. We were just hanging out, ignorant of the concerns we should have had.

"Max, you don't have a style yet. At least give it a try" I walked over to her, presenting to her my sassy saunter. "You can always rewind back to your chlorine brand T-shirt and generic jeans" And even though I was still wrapping my head around the whole-time travel deal, I didn't get a chance to worry. She didn't let me.

"You suck. I like my shirt and jeans..." She went from a laugh to a cute little whine.
"but it would be cool to try on Rachel's clothes, just to see if they fit" I stood before her and listened attentively– attentively enough to disentangle how she coated her desire to wear the clothes in a paltry complaint.

It was always like that with her. She always had to contemplate her own existence and the meaning of life before making even the smallest of decisions. "Stop second-guessing yourself, Max!" I added a sparkle to my eyes while I gently pushed her with a practiced smile, hoping she'd notice my hotness despite having just woken up. For I certainly noticed hers.
"Put this on and let your inner punk-girl come out!" As I spoke, I found it increasingly difficult to keep up the spunky attitude I had become famous for. I glanced down Max's body and quickly back up, hoping she didn't notice, while secretly hoping she did notice.
"You can afford to take chances!" I moved my body around like my very limbs were made of Jell-O. I became restless. Nervous. I backed myself into a corner while watching Max's anticipating, yet patient face.
"Whenever and whatever you want to try..." And yes, I wanted to jump out of the window following that sentence, because there was no backing down now. I kept telling myself I was joking. That we were both fully aware that the next words out of my mouth would be a hilarious joke.
"for example, I dare you to kiss me!" I pulled my body into a confident stance, or rather, I believe my heart thrust so hard in my chest that it stiffened my limbs.