"Just figured I'd mention it." Because you couldn't figure out anything else to say? Sometimes I'd swear he was the most awkward person on the planet. I took my eyes off the sky for a second to glance at him. His dark eyes were still affixed to the stars, scanning the sky for more constellations. I smiled at the situation for but a second, then returned to a neutral expression before he caught me grinning like a fool.
"Didja know the Greeks had a constellation that was only one star?" I didn't respond at first, choosing to wait to see if he had anything more to say. Sometimes he'd go on and on and on. "Maybe it was the Romans actually."
"Primarily, it was the Greeks who named all the constellations and created the myths to go along with them."
"Oh." Now he was looking stupid. Normally, I'd get a little joy from correcting someone, but that time was different. Maybe it was that soft little "oh", or the fact that he was almost never wrong. In any case, I felt a twinge of guilt. I glanced back at him. He had switched from standing to lying in the sand. The light of the fire reflected in his glasses, and if I had studied them a little longer, I probably could've been able to see my reflection too. He smiled at me, and I turned away before I blushed or did some other girly, impulsive thing. Wait, why would I blush? I didn't like him. Too clumsy, too tall, too broad, too sarcastic, too... I was running out of words. He was too much of a follower. Always with others, following them, joining them. Leading a pack didn't really seem to be in his nature. Sometimes he seemed really desperate too. Looking for a friend, for attention. But he wasn't ready to give up his personality for the attention he so desired. I suppose that stubbornness could be considered a good quality. Or a bad one.
"You're headed for St. Joseph's right?" His voice called me back to the present, away from analyzing ever facet of his personality.
"Yeah." I replied, putting my hands back into my pockets. I kept my eyes away from him, pointed towards anything else. The ocean, the car, the fire.
"Well, have a, have a, do well there." More awkwardness. His attempts at small talk were adorably hopeless. I wondered what was going on in his mind right now. Looking at my back, laying on the cool sand, listening to the waves crash against the beach, and of course, trying and failing to hold an intelligent conversation with me. I got tired of standing, and sat. The sand moved slightly to accommodate my shape. Apparently, my sitting nearby encouraged his attempts once more. "Nice moon out at least. Detracts from the horror movie setting."
"Not by much. Still feels like Texas Chainsaw Massacre Two could break out at any moment." My bland, uninterested tone should've given him pause, but he was on a roll now.
"Could be worse. Could be Friday the Thirteenth."
But it's the fourth, which is an unlucky number in Japan."
"Good thing we're not in Japan then, or a sharknado probably would've already snapped us up." I giggled slightly. I couldn't help it. Sharknado. The stupidest premise for a movie ever. I snuck a look at him. He was sporting the biggest grin I'd ever seen. Clearly, my cracking at one of his stupid references made him happy.
"You're an idiot sometimes, ya know that." I retorted, hoping a well-placed insult would end this ridiculous dance of him and I.
"But a charming one!" It seems it did not work.
"Rather unpleasant honestly."
"Honest?" His tone was jovial.
"Honest." I tried to sound as serious as possible.
"I think you're lying."
"And why's that?" I really was curious what made him think I didn't absolutely detest him.
"Because otherwise, you wouldn't still be talking to me." Darn. He really did know me. I didn't respond. Instead, I tried to focus on my surroundings, enjoying the fire, the sky, the ocean. I heard him shuffle around, and a four and a half beat tone. Then he stood up. "I gotta go."
"Ok." I refused to look at him. I didn't like him. I really didn't, and looking back might give him the impression that I did. While I was bust not looking at him, I could hear his heavy footfalls grow distant. Then, abruptly, they stopped.
"Hey!" He called back. I couldn't help it. I looked. Maybe it was something important. "You're beautiful and don't let anyone tell you different!" I turned back around immediately. I didn't like him. I began to hear footsteps again, growing quieter. Then I couldn't hear them anymore.
~ ~
It's the fourth. Late. The stars are out, and it's a nice moon. I take a shot. All around me, girls are being flirted with. Some had tried me, but I denied them quickly. Not in the mood tonight. Tonight's the ten year anniversary. Ten years since he killed himself.
"See there? That's Orion's Belt."
"Yes, I know where Orion's Belt is."
"Just figured I'd mention it." Because you couldn't figure out anything else to say? Sometimes I'd swear he was the most awkward person on the planet. I took my eyes off the sky for a second to glance at him. His dark eyes were still affixed to the stars, scanning the sky for more constellations. I smiled at the situation for but a second, then returned to a neutral expression before he caught me grinning like a fool.
"Didja know the Greeks had a constellation that was only one star?" I didn't respond at first, choosing to wait to see if he had anything more to say. Sometimes he'd go on and on and on. "Maybe it was the Romans actually."
"Primarily, it was the Greeks who named all the constellations and created the myths to go along with them."
"Oh." Now he was looking stupid. Normally, I'd get a little joy from correcting someone, but that time was different. Maybe it was that soft little "oh", or the fact that he was almost never wrong. In any case, I felt a twinge of guilt. I glanced back at him. He had switched from standing to lying in the sand. The light of the fire reflected in his glasses, and if I had studied them a little longer, I probably could've been able to see my reflection too. He smiled at me, and I turned away before I blushed or did some other girly, impulsive thing. Wait, why would I blush? I didn't like him. Too clumsy, too tall, too broad, too sarcastic, too... I was running out of words. He was too much of a follower. Always with others, following them, joining them. Leading a pack didn't really seem to be in his nature. Sometimes he seemed really desperate too. Looking for a friend, for attention. But he wasn't ready to give up his personality for the attention he so desired. I suppose that stubbornness could be considered a good quality. Or a bad one.
"You're headed for St. Joseph's right?" His voice called me back to the present, away from analyzing ever facet of his personality.
"Yeah." I replied, putting my hands back into my pockets. I kept my eyes away from him, pointed towards anything else. The ocean, the car, the fire.
"Well, have a, have a, do well there." More awkwardness. His attempts at small talk were adorably hopeless. I wondered what was going on in his mind right now. Looking at my back, laying on the cool sand, listening to the waves crash against the beach, and of course, trying and failing to hold an intelligent conversation with me. I got tired of standing, and sat. The sand moved slightly to accommodate my shape. Apparently, my sitting nearby encouraged his attempts once more. "Nice moon out at least. Detracts from the horror movie setting."
"Not by much. Still feels like Texas Chainsaw Massacre Two could break out at any moment." My bland, uninterested tone should've given him pause, but he was on a roll now.
"Could be worse. Could be Friday the Thirteenth."
But it's the fourth, which is an unlucky number in Japan."
"Good thing we're not in Japan then, or a sharknado probably would've already snapped us up." I giggled slightly. I couldn't help it. Sharknado. The stupidest premise for a movie ever. I snuck a look at him. He was sporting the biggest grin I'd ever seen. Clearly, my cracking at one of his stupid references made him happy.
"You're an idiot sometimes, ya know that." I retorted, hoping a well-placed insult would end this ridiculous dance of him and I.
"But a charming one!" It seems it did not work.
"Rather unpleasant honestly."
"Honest?" His tone was jovial.
"Honest." I tried to sound as serious as possible.
"I think you're lying."
"And why's that?" I really was curious what made him think I didn't absolutely detest him.
"Because otherwise, you wouldn't still be talking to me." Darn. He really did know me. I didn't respond. Instead, I tried to focus on my surroundings, enjoying the fire, the sky, the ocean. I heard him shuffle around, and a four and a half beat tone. Then he stood up. "I gotta go."
"Ok." I refused to look at him. I didn't like him. I really didn't, and looking back might give him the impression that I did. While I was bust not looking at him, I could hear his heavy footfalls grow distant. Then, abruptly, they stopped.
"Hey!" He called back. I couldn't help it. I looked. Maybe it was something important. "You're beautiful and don't let anyone tell you different!" I turned back around immediately. I didn't like him. I began to hear footsteps again, growing quieter. Then I couldn't hear them anymore.
~ ~
It's the fourth. Late. The stars are out, and it's a nice moon. I take a shot. All around me, girls are being flirted with. Some had tried me, but I denied them quickly. Not in the mood tonight. Tonight's the ten year anniversary. Ten years since he killed himself.