It Starts With Him

07

Okay, Devyn. Just take a deep breath. It's simple. Stand with your back to the wind. Hold it up by the bridle point and let the line out. Wait for the right wind, and let it fly!

I wait until what seems like the right time and toss the bright pink kite into the sky. It does a couple of pathetic twists in the sky before sailing down right towards me. I flinch as the metal rod in it smacks me in the cheekbone and I shout in frustration.

I grab it and throw it to the ground and groan loudly. Why did mom put fly a kite on the list? Is it really that interesting to do? Short answer: No. I shield my eyes from the sun and start stomping aggressively on the kite in anger.

"I think it's dead. You've killed it," a voice from behind me says. I spin around and see Hayes standing there, her hair pulled into a high ponytail. She's wearing a light pink sweatshirt and leggings. In this heat?

I chuckle and pick up the kite. I shove it towards her, built up anger still in my veins. "Fine. Take it's corpse and put it out of my sight. I murdered it in cold blood and I don't have remorse," I respond, and she laughs. 

"Why are you trying to fly it anyway?" she asks. I hesitate. I debate in my mind whether or not I should tell her about my mom's list, but it leaves my mind almost as quickly as it entered it. I think it's something I want to keep to myself.

"Just thought I'd try it out. Technically, I flew it. It was up in the air for a good two seconds," I reply, and she smiles. She tosses the kite onto the ground and tightens her ponytail. "Well, how about you give the kite flying a break and come with me. I was just about to go to the ice cream truck down at the beach," she offers.

That could be fun. I can cross of kite flying on the list, so why not? I smile at her, and then glance behind her. In the not-so-far distance, I see some guy standing near an oak tree. His light brown/red-tinted hair is gelled back on his head, and his brown eyes are settled on me and Hayes. I look away and convince myself it's nothing. I'm definitely still paranoid from the encounter with Rocco from last week.

I've spent the week since then mostly inside, reading, or binging Netflix. I should have gotten out more, but I was a bit freaked over the whole situation. That's why it feels so great to see Hayes. My first human interaction for a week outside of Lucas and dad feels refreshing. 

I focus back on her hazel eyes and widely grin. "If they have chocolate cookie dough, I'm in," I reply. We start walking out of the park and towards the beach. 

"Oh, trust me. Name any flavor and they have it."

I trail behind her for a moment to pull the list out of my shorts pocket and check off fly a kite. I glance over at the checked off "Night swimming!" Because technically, I did night swim. Even if the majority of it wasn't swimming, but partial drowning... But hey, it counts, right?

After joking around and laughing, we finally reach the ice cream truck. I get a double scoop chocolate cookie dough sugar cone, and Hayes gets a bowl of mint chocolate chip. We go to sit on a log by the water when I see the guy from before. He's standing at the far end of the beach by the parking lot. He's far away, but his sights are still set on us.

Come on. Can I really not have one nice summer? Not one normal day?  

After eating our ice cream and joking around, I notice the sun starting to set on the horizon of the water.  "I should head home soon," Hayes says with a frown. "Dad wants me to meet one of his coworkers. Family dinner night," she explains. I had forgotten about her mega-rich producer dad. 

"Wow, look at you," I say with a laugh. I bet her house is huge. 

I sneakily glance back to the edge of the beach and sigh in relief to see the rusty brown-haired boy gone. See, I knew it was nothing to worry about. Probably just a random guy scouting the area for his newest hookup.