A Year Around the Sun

t w e n t y-s e v e n - you don't get it

tell me about your dreams
and where your mind goes
drifting n i g h t l y . . .

🌊🌊🌊

Mostly to everyone's misfortune, the last full week of summer rapidly came to an end. My friends and I were all preparing for the start of our senior year of high school, getting last minute summer projects done before our first day back. We haven't been thinking much about how next year, we'll all be doing exactly what Brody and his friends have been doing for the past week or so. Saying goodbye and going in their own, separate directions. Turning the page to a new chapter of life.

Brody and I hadn't been together too much when August turned into September because he was trying to spend time with his crew before college broke them apart. Mason would be the farthest away at Towson University, which is about three hours from home. Then Peter dropped the bomb that he'd be two hours from us at the University of Delaware. As for Aiden, he's going to a small county college just outside of the island so at least he'll be around to keep Brody sane.

Instead of hopping on the higher education train like most of his grade, Brody checked the box that said "undecided". He told me that he couldn't see himself in college and that he needs time to think about it. So, he's planning on doing what he's been doing all along – working at his uncle's auto body shop and surfing.

By the time Brody's nineteenth birthday came, all of his friends were moved into their dorm rooms and already well into college life. It happened to fall on a Sunday, two days before my first day of school on the eighth of September. Luckily, they all got together on the Friday before and had a boy's night to celebrate. For his actual birthday, it just ended up to be him, his mom, and I.

In the morning, we both woke up early and went to The Sand Dollar because my parents wanted to treat him to a birthday breakfast. He tried to slide some money my mom's way, and when that didn't work, he gave it to Robyn. She ended up giving it back to me. Then since the weather turned out to be perfect, Brody and I hung out on the beach until the golden hour approached and we were both starving for dinner.

"I swear to God, my mom is gonna make such a big deal about this," Brody grumbled to himself when we reached his house after the walk back from the beach.

"Stop it, she's so cute," I laughed, rolling my eyes and giving him a gentle push.

He stopped walking to send me a flat look. "She still calls me her 'baby boy'. I'm nineteen now," he enunciated his age, as if I didn't know that already.

"She loves you, okay?" I tried reasoning with him. "I'm sure having you as a son isn't the easiest thing, so just let her live."

"Are you dissing me on my birthday?" Brody dramatically gasped, putting his hand on his chest like he was honestly offended.

"Yes. I am," I grinned.  He shook his head and tried to hide the smirk that was peeking through his lips.

With a self-satisfied hum, I kept on walking up his driveway to the back door. I felt him right behind me as I waited for him to open it, but rather than doing that, he swiftly came up beside me, grabbed my face and brought it to his in a hasty, messy kiss.

The two of us walked inside his house after Brody pried his lips off of mine, with his hand lingering on my waist as we walked through the kitchen. Paula was mixing, chopping and whisking by the stove like a madwoman, getting dinner ready for us.

"Hi kids!" She chirped over her shoulder when she heard us come in. "Dinner will be ready by... maybe seven. I don't know yet. This is taking longer to cook than I thought."