This isn’t really about me, but about letting the stress subside for now. Stress, though natural, should not be normal. Surprisingly, I didn’t think bringing someone with me would help more. Crew’s not even doing anything—he’s just here.
“Sometimes, I’m on the sand. I’ll walk around, but you’ll mostly find me sitting here.”
“Not in the ocean?” He questions.
Ah, hell no! “I don’t have a death wish.”
“But it’s the ocean.”
“And we, as humans, have only seen less than twenty percent of it, at most,” I remind him. “The rest we’ve never seen? Yeah, I’m not about to find the Megalodon while I’m swimming in the saltwater.”
He laughs softly to himself. “You won’t find a shark that’s been extinct for centuries wash up on the shore, Firecracker.”
“Still not taking the chance.”
Just then, my phone buzzes in my back pocket, and ‘Blackbird’ by the Beatles starts playing. I just know it’s a text from Ali because she loves that song and it’s her ringtone.
Ali
Where are you???
And have you seen Crew? You two were supposed to meet us at the library an hour ago.
Fuck, I feel like such a bitch right now for forgetting to text her. She knows I wasn’t trying to neglect her because I never would, but I can feel the guilt creeping in right now.
“Was that Ali?” He assumes.
I nod, typing away. “I forgot to text her that we weren’t coming.” Which reminds me of a question that I’ve been meaning to ask Crew. “Hey, can I ask you something?”
He shrugs, which doesn’t give me a definitive answer, but I go ahead anyway.
“Why do you love Ali?” I change my sitting position, crossing my legs over each other like a little kid, because it’s most comfortable.
He furrows his brows. “Love?”
“I can understand, since I’ve known her longer than almost everyone, but I want to hear it from you.”
Crew takes some time to think about it. “She treats me like a normal person.”
Unlike me.The words aren’t spoken, but it’s definitely implied, which makes the sting slightly worse. “That doesn’t answer my question.”
“What?”
“I askedwhyyou like her,” I repeat. “Not about what shedoesthat you like. There’s a difference.”
“I answered your question,” he states.
“That’s a shit response.” I brush the sand off my knees. “You would have a much better, and sappier answer to this.”
“Are you always this stubborn?” He questions.
“Well, I wouldn’t call it stubborn.” I define it as bringing the truth to light. The longer information and emotions are hidden, the more power they gain.
“Love would make someone act completely different from their natural state of being,” I proceed. “Yet, you don’t act like a complete sap or anything when she’s around.”
“Are you always this straightforward?”
I shrug. “I’m just not quiet. You should know that I’m not afraid to ask or say what’s on my mind, Movie Star. Some people just can’t handle that.”
