After ten minutes of enjoying watching him struggle to put my tent up and failing, I smirk at him. “Oh, poor baby,” I mock. “Need a woman to finish the job?”
Jayson lunges for me and tickles my ribs. “I always finish the job.”
“I wouldn’t know, would I?” I playfully sass back trying to wriggle away from him.
“Oh, now you’re really going to get it,” he declares, and I run for my life, giggling like a schoolgirl.
“Julien, save me from your brother!” I shout and run over to him, throwing myself on his back for protection.
Out of nowhere, a blast of water comes hurling across the backyard and drenches us. Hailey and Elijah have turned on the garden hose and are laughing hysterically as they douse us with frigid spigot water. Pandemonium ensues. We chase each other around the yard trying to dodge being drenched with the water. Ryder playfully jumps on Elijah and tackles him on the ground. Jayson yanks me off Julien’s back to carry me football-style to safety behind a tent, and Brea and Hailey struggle to pull the water hose away from each other. Thankfully, Mom leaves us towels on the back patio to dry off with once things settle down.
After finally finishing putting up the tents, we roast marshmallows and make s’mores using the grill, because we don’t have a firepit like the one at Ryder’s house. I’m not going to complain. No matter how you make them, burnt, melted, gooey marshmallows are the best, and I eat ten of them. It’s too late in the summer for fireflies to be out, but the cicadas have emerged and are creating quite a racket. I look around at all of my friends and a feeling of contentment washes over me. Jayson is sitting beside me holding my hand on his thigh, while everyone else is sitting in lawn chairs talking.
Someone taps me on my shoulder, and I turn to see it’s Ryder holding my acoustic guitar. “Play for us?” he smiles.
I haven’t played in front of a group since the cookout at Ryder’s years ago. I usually just play with my dad or sometimes with Ryder.
“Go on, Liz. Show us what you got,” Jayson says, releasing my hand. I’m greeted with claps and whistles. I stand to take my guitar from Ryder and as he hands it to me, I feel his pinky finger curl around mine. He pulls me to the middle of our circle before taking his seat.
“Ok, here’s one,” I say and start playing the melody to “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran. I love it when everyone joins in to sing because it makes playing the song more fun for me.
When we finish, Elijah exclaims, “Damn, Ry. I didn’t know you could sing.” Ryder shrugs, embarrassed.Hailey requests I play one more song.
“Hmm. Oh, I’ve got the perfect one,” I wink at Jayson. He’s not the only one who can be romantic.
I sit back down in my chair next to Jayson and turn toward him. My fingers tenderly pluck at the strings in a gentle melody before lightly strumming the music for “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flack. My voice starts soft and low, then grows with intensity and power as I sing the words about a woman who experiences her first kiss, her first touch, her first all-consuming love with the man she desires.
Jayson and I stare into each other’s eyes as I sing the love song just to him even though we are surrounded by our friends. I notice how his chest starts to rise and fall deeply, how he swallows hard, how his eyes change from silver to black, reminiscent of the night he came to my room and kissed me for the first time.By the end of the song, when my voice drifts off into the summer air, no one makes a sound. It’s as if everyone’s in a trance, hypnotized by the words of the song.
“Jesus, Liz,” Jayson breathes. He gives me such a heated look, my heartbeat stumbles and my legs go weak.Oh, hell yes. I look forward to sneaking into his tent tonight.
Ryder: Where u at?
Me: At the library.
Ryder: Meet me out front in 5.
I turn my phone’s screen off and hand my application over to the head librarian. After talking with my parents to let them know I would like to get a job, we decided that something part-time after school would be appropriate. They are worried anything more will mess with my studying. I love books and have volunteered off and on at our local library for years, so me working here is basically a given. I just have to go through the formalities of an application and background check first.
“Before I finalize next week’s schedule, Elizabeth, is Monday, Wednesday, Friday, from four to six still good with you?”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you,” I tell Mrs. Peters.
She files away my application and stands to shake my hand. “Sorry about all of the paperwork. I’m sure you understand.”
“Yes, ma’am. I understand. I’m excited that I actually get to work here now. I love this place.”
Mrs. Peters chuckles, “I still remember you in pigtails when your mom would bring you and Hailey in for story time.”
The loud rumble of a car engine stops outside the library doors. We both look over and my mouth drops open.
“You go on ahead, sweetheart,” she tells me after seeing who the driver is from the rolled down passenger side window.
I’m already rushing out the doors. “Bye, Mrs. Peters. Thanks again. See you next week!”
“Hey. Need a lift?” a deep voice calls out to me, cocky grin on his face.
“Oh my God, Ryder! You finished your car!” I run over and place my hands on the open window. “This is the most unbelievably kickass car I have ever seen!”
