Ember

by Madison Daniel

  “I’ll try, for you,” her eyes smiled.

  “Thank you,” I smiled back. She slowly walked toward the kitchen door and glanced over her shoulder to make sure I was watching. I was.

  After a few precious minutes alone the kitchen door flew open and Frank led the guests outside. Everyone found themselves a seat around the patio table. Everyone except Asia. She walked over to the shade of the corner trees, fumbling her cell phone in her hands. The wind blew through her hair and her smell overpowered the smell of the grill. It smacked Frank across his face.

  “Wow,” he chuckled as he strolled up to me.

  “I know,” I said.

  Sam sat with her parents and watched me, snapping a picture every once in a while. Her parents were more interested in Kai and Marcus though.

  “You boys are all in some kind of band together, right?” Sam’s mother, Rebecca asked.

  “Yes, we are,” Kai said with a grin.

  “Things have been pretty nice since Max came along and joined the band. Our songs have grown so much,” Marcus said excited. “He is so talented.”

  “Well, so I have been told,” Rebecca agreed and found me watching the table cautiously. She smiled at me and Sam turned her head embarrassed.

  “Maybe we could hear you gentlemen play sometime?” Tim suggested. Rebecca nodded politely in agreement, even though I didn’t think we were exactly their cup of tea.

  “We have our first show next weekend. You should come and shake what the good lord gave you,” Kai said as Sam’s big green eyes rolled in her head. Her mother laughed and blushed at his words. She seemed to like Kai. Sam’s father on the other hand, just looked at him with a false smile.

  The thunder rumbled, pulling my attention back to Asia who was now pacing back and forth, with her cell phone pressed to her ear. Funny, I hadn’t heard it ring. Back at the table things turned awkward.

  “Well, we will see if we can juggle our schedule around next weekend and pop in,” Tim said kindly but you could tell that he had no intention of doing so. Sam’s face filled with relief.

  “That would be phenomenal!” Kai exclaimed. “I’ll get my secretary Marcus, to juggle up you three some tickets.”

  “Wrong,” Marcus announced. “We leave the juggling up to Max. You know…Sam, Asia, Sam, Asia.” He made a juggling motion with his arms. Kai choked on his soda as Sam’s parents stared blankly with eyes as wide as saucers. She smacked Marcus on the arm and covered her face.

  “Marcus!” Kai choked.

  “What did I say?” Marcus hadn’t tasted enough of his foot apparently and began to open his mouth again. Without even looking toward the grill, I reached behind me and grabbed the first piece of meat I touched and whipped it like a baseball at the back of his head. My uncle watched with his mouth open in disbelief as the beef slapped Marcus on the back of his neck with a loud thwack. It slipped down to the ground and left a nasty welt in its place.

  “Ouch! What the…?” he screeched. Marcus whipped around and found my angry glare.

  “Max…I was going to eat that piece,” Frank scolded. “I had been saving that particular piece for this very barbecue.” He was mad but was having the hardest time not laughing at the same time. At the table Kai had laughed hard enough for his drink to fly out of his nose. Sam sat blushing; doing everything she could to not lose her mind. She smiled at me and that filled me with calm. Oz had already made his way off with the chunk of beef and was quite content for the rest of the evening.

  Things settled down from there as Frank and I served everyone their food. I apologized to Marcus as I slid him his plate and he sulked while he ate. Everyone began to eat except Asia. She was still on the phone and Frank nudged me. As I started to gather her some food on a plate, Sam stopped me.

  “Let me,” she said walking over to the shaded trees where Asia stood. I stood mortified watching her cross the yard. My hands sizzled as the storm called out a warning.

  “Oh no,” I whispered.

  Under Pressure_19

  ~Underneath It All: No Doubt~

  Sam approached Asia slowly as Asia hung up her cell phone angrily. She was very upset by the call and the sky darkened.

  “Bad news?” Sam asked. Asia looked directly at me and then back to Sam, but said nothing.

  “Dinners ready,” Sam added as she extended her arms with the plate of food. A small crack of lightning flashed behind the house, sending the hairs on my neck to attention. This was about to get ugly.

  “Why are you doing this?” Asia demanded. Sam stepped back cautiously.

  “Why are you acting like this?” Sam demanded right back.

  “Ugh! I do not have time for these childish high school games Sam. If you want to spend the rest of the night pretending to be best buddies, then fine. But I’m not going to embarrass myself any further.” Her voice was so angry and I wondered who was on the other end of that phone call. The list was a short one.

  “First off, we will never be buddies. Second, Max and his family have gone to a lot of trouble for us tonight.” Sam’s eyes blazed over with anger. I took a step closer but Frank held me back by my arm.

  “I don’t belong here,” Asia gritted through her teeth. “And you know that,” she called out over Sam’s shoulder, making sure I heard every word.

  “Let’s not pretend anymore!” Asia stomped forward, knocking the plate from Sam’s hands. It started to pour rain over everything as she walked past me with her head down. Sam’s scared eyes found mine and I lost my temper and chased after Asia. I followed her through the house and out my front door, finally catching up with her at the side of her Jeep.

  “Asia…wait…please,” I called through the falling rain.

  “Max this was a bad idea. I should never have come,” she cried.

  “Why?”

  “Look at me Max…I look like a high class call girl, not someone you bring home to the family. I don’t fit here!” Her tears only seemed to upset her more.

  “This doesn’t make any sense Asia. You were fine until that phone call.” I had touched a nerve and she turned defensive.

  “Max...don’t!”

  “What did she say to you?” I demanded. “What does Lucy have over you? Tell me!”

  The thunder cracked over me as if to warn me that I was pushing too hard but I didn’t care about her warnings anymore. If I was to make any kind of decision, any sort of choice between her and Sam, then I needed honesty and I needed it now.

  “Max, don’t push me. You have no idea what you’re talking about,” her voice cracked. I stepped closer to her and she stepped back.

  “Damn it Asia! Don’t be scared of me!” I screamed as the rain poured down my face.

  “She fits Max…not me!” She stumbled into her Jeep and started revving the engine loudly.

  “Sam fits,” she said again but I could barely hear it. She threw the flower from her hair to the wet ground. It spun in the air, twisting down like a paper top. Her heavy foot smashed the gas pedal, spinning her tires in the building mud and drove off. I stood in the rain with my head down and my hands steaming. My mind felt numb. What was I doing? I was begging one girl for her acceptance, her heart. That scared me. I was running from the other girl who made that acceptance easy to have and easy to give. Almost like it was natural to do so and that was even more terrifying.

  The rain faded quickly as I stood out front, letting the sun warm my drenched and wet body. I sped the process along a little with a puff of heat. The storm rolled away down the road behind Asia’s Jeep as I collected myself and slowly walked back to the house. Inside everyone had gathered back in the living room quietly, making small talk. Everyone but Sam, she was cleaning up the kitchen. Dishes clanked softly from the other room. I felt drained. I felt embarrassed. Everyone looked at me with quiet smiles. Frank motioned for me to go into the kitchen and help, so I did.

  “Sam…I’m so sorry for…” I choked as I walked up to her small frame.

  “Max, you don’t ever have
to apologize for her.”

  “But…”

  “But nothing,” she had quickly ended the subject, point blank. I stood there for a moment while I listened to the conversations in the next room. She turned the faucet off and dried her hands. Gently she pulled her bangs behind her ear, exposing the lines of her neck and I followed them down to her lightly freckled chest. She was so beautiful.

  “I like your dress Sam,” I said softly and she stopped what she was doing and looked up at me slyly. “You look beautiful tonight.”

  “You’ve got kind of a sexy, wet dog thing going on,” she teased watching my still wet bangs and just like that I was happy again.

  “Thank you for coming today,” a smile broke across my lips again. She gently spun me around, pushing my back against the counter and leaned her soft frame into me. Her hips pressed against mine and her fingers slid into my front pockets of my jeans. With a slight tug she whispered.

  “Thank you.”

  I leaned down to give her a kiss when the clicking from her camera startled us both. Kai had snuck in and decided to capture the moment on film.

  “Nice,” he exclaimed. I rolled my eyes and looked down at her to see what she thought.

  “Say cheeseburger!” she smiled and turned toward Kai and he took a picture.

  7:31 p.m.

  The evening ended a little earlier then Frank had hoped for but he was content. He gave out hugs and handshakes to Sam and her family. They all thanked him again for his hospitality and began walking to their car.

  “A gentleman never lets a lady walk alone,” Frank said to me quietly. I took the hint and ran outside to catch up with Sam. She watched me with a smile as I bounced toward her family car.

  “Be safe.” I smiled and leaned in to kiss her goodnight. Her father honked the car horn, his disapproving smile shined through the windshield, with his palm against the steering wheel. One finger waved in the air, back and forth, signaling no, no, no. I blushed a little. She stood up on her toes, letting her fingers grasp my forearms and whispered in my ear.

  “Raincheck…”

  “Definitely,” I said.

  Kai and Marcus had already started to make their escape as well, arms full with bags of left overs. Both of them piled into Kai’s car.

  “Catch you later Max,” Kai called out.

  “I owe you one brother!” Marcus grunted with a mouth full of food.

  “Get out of here you two fools!” I yelled and they laughed as they drove off. I could hear them continue laughing the whole way down the road.

  As I strolled back to the front door, a quick flash of lightning in the distance caught my eye. Asia’s brilliant blue eyes flashed inside my head.

  “Maybe you’re right Asia…” I said out loud to no one. Maybe you don’t fit. Maybe I have been kidding myself the whole time? Maybe it was time to make things a little less complicated. I shook my head until her icy glare was no longer there. I walked in and helped Frank finish cleaning up. He didn’t press me for information and let me retire to my room.

  “See you in the morning son. Sleep tight,” he winked with a calm look on his face that I hadn’t seen before.

  “Okay,” I called from my room. What was he up to, I wondered? In my room the moon shined through the window, making me think of Sam and how calm she was when everything went crazy this afternoon. No more fighting it big guy…it was time to let her in.

  11:03 p.m.

  As peaceful as I felt after tonight’s fireworks at dinner, I was having the worst time falling asleep. I sat and stared at my clock, watching the minutes flicker by slowly. My body had no intention of falling asleep anytime soon. So I jumped from my bed, trying not to disturb King Oz as he lied snoring away at the end of the mattress. I had to admit it, I was jealous of how easily he could fall asleep and how grumpy he could become when you did actually wake him up.

  I stretched my limbs as I stood up letting various joints and bones crack, before I heard a faint tapping at my window. I couldn’t see anyone outside in the dark so I went to the window and opened it quietly. With a playful little growl, Sam jumped from under my window. Her eyes were spinning around in her head and she stuck out her tongue and giggled. I wanted to pretend that she had startled me but I was enjoying her cheerful spirit too much.

  “Hi Max,” she chirped.

  “Greetings Sam. And what do I owe this terribly late surprise to?” I asked. She smiled holding up my uncle’s truck keys.

  “Put a shirt on handsome, we’ve got ourselves a date.” She sounded as if she was buzzing; too much caffeine or something. She flipped her golden hair and walked away, leaving me stunned.

  “Have you been drinking?” I called to her half kidding. She stopped and caught my eyes over her shoulder.

  “Then again…forget the shirt.” A giggle followed. Her eyes were as green as emeralds, with the moons reflection spinning inside of them. That’s when I realized that she was wearing her bikini. It was covered by her over-sized tank top, which had begun to fall down one of her shoulders. The white strap from her bikini top peaked from behind the black and white stripes painted across the tank top.

  “Come on, the nights still young,” she said a little breathy. My mind stalled out with excitement as my eyes traced the outline of her exposed shoulder in the moonlight. I glanced down at the dark board shorts I was wearing and grabbed the closest tee shirt I could find. With it dangling in my hand I jumped through the window opening and ran after her. She was almost to Frank’s truck before I caught up with her.

  “What are you doing with my uncle’s keys?” I asked as I slid my arms through my shirt. Sand squished through my toes of my bare feet. Sam whirled around, glancing back and forth.

  “Kidnapping you,” she laughed.

  “What?” I felt confused. That only seemed to excite her more. Her little body fell into mine and she kissed me. Softly at first, but the passion simmered quickly, making my hands fill with heat.

  “I thought it was the perfect night for a swim.” She climbed up into the cab of the truck. I stood there with my left eyebrow cocked, staring at this crazy girl, as the engine clunked to life.

  “Sam, are you insane? Frank is going to freak out,” I yelled in my loudest whisper I could manage. Her hair fell in front of her glistening eyes as she smiled and revved the engine.

  “You’re out of your crazy little mind!” I snapped as I climbed in the truck.

  “Only when it comes to you.” The truck clanked into gear and she started down the road. I watched from behind us to make sure Frank didn’t come running from the house with a shot gun. He was surely going to kill me over this one.

  We were far enough from the house now that it didn’t matter if we turned back or not so I let the stress fade and enjoyed the ride.

  “Kidnapping huh?” I asked with my arm sticking out the window. I let my hand surf the midnight air. “Haven’t you tried this one already?”

  “It’s okay,” she winked. “Frank is the one who gave me the keys.” I was speechless. My jaw hit the floor and she found my expression…cute. I guess that simple barbecue was not merely to get acquainted with my friends at all. Frank had this planned from the beginning. Size up the girls and pick his favorite. Classy.

  “My uncle is very fond of you,” I said with caution. Her eyes fell still on my face.

  “And what about you?” she asked.

  “You’re growing on me,” I said trying not to look at her. “Kind of like mold,” I laughed.

  “Funny,” she scoffed as her smile returned. The gears of the truck ground together lightly as she shifted its gears.

  “I’ve been dying to take you to the beach.” Her tone was cool and calm now.

  “Sounds…” I caught her glance at me again and calmness blanketed me. Maybe my uncle was right. Maybe I knew it all along too. I scooted my body next to hers and slid my hand on her leg.

  “…Perfect.”

  Destiny_20

  ~Destiny: Zero 7~

&nb
sp; It took just over an hour to reach the secluded beach. Sam drove the truck onto the sand and backed it up against the incoming tide. Now I understood why she needed the truck, her tiny car would have never been able to manage this thick sand. I recognized the beach from one of her pictures she had taken; my favorite one with the palm trees and the little girl with her sea shell. She watched my expression closely as the thought filled my head.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked. It truly was. In the dark of night with only the full moon for light, it resembled her black and white photograph.

  “Yes,” I spoke soft and slow. She watched me with intense eyes that scared me for some reason. There was something behind those wonderful eyes. There was more to this night than just some swimming I thought.

  “So what did you have planned for tonight?” my voice cracked.

  “Definitely swimming,” her eyes flickered again. “Probably some making out.” Her smile grew to match her wild eyes.

  “Maybe more.”

  As I sat there choking on my own nervousness she darted from the truck. Her feet fell quickly, pushing her tiny frame for the moonlit water and she threw her tank top into the air. I watched it fall to the shaded sand as she reached the first wave.

  “My Samantha,” I said to the empty cab of the truck. Quickly I removed my shirt and ran after her.

  The water was cold but bearable and seemed to make every inch of my skin heat up instantly. Steam billowed up into the sky and I could feel her eyes watching heavily. She slowly waded up to me as the steam faded and my temperature leveled off to almost normal. I pulled her closer to me and the waves gently helped by sending her into my arms. I smiled and held her tightly. Her body felt like ice which soothed me immensely. We stood together for a moment letting the water rock us back and forth.

  “Sam,” I finally said.

  “Yes Max.”

  “I really do think I owe you an apology for earlier this evening.” A little mist of steam danced off my words as I spoke.