About Time

by Danielle Torella

  “It’s okay,” I cut him off.

  He eyes me for further permission to enter my paper bag and I nod and look away fast. He smiles and slowly opens the brown bag and pulls out a hush puppy, “Oh, God I forgot how good these things are!”

  “I know right!” I squeak, forgetting I was in a car with a complete stranger. He rolls the bag closed. “Where can I take you?” I ask him.

  “I’m in Beaufort. You can just drop me off anywhere, I don’t want you going out of your way for me.”

  “I, uh, I live in Beaufort as well. It’s no problem. Just tell me where.”

  “Just in town is fine, anywhere is cool.” He tells me, I think he is genuinely not wanting to be in the car with me any further. I offer a nod and I can feel my face go flush. “Are you alright?”

  “What?”

  “You look a little pale, do you need to pull over?”

  I’m starting to get light headed and nod, pulling off into a shopping plaza parking lot. I hold my head and rub it and take in deep breaths. He leans in, “Do you want me to call someone? Or take over, or leave...But I would rather stay and make sure you are alright…”

  “I know I am boring and a pain in the rear, so if you want to take this as an opportunity to leave, I get it.” I look over at him for the longest time and I get a full look of him as we are in a well-lit lot. Wow. He has natural blonde hair, but not too light and it is cut to the scalp on the sides and long on the top, he uses his right hand and runs his fingers through the damp locks and I suddenly want to do the same. I actually mimic the motion with my own hair. What am I doing? I pull my hand away from my head and I look into his eyes by accident. Green, he has bright green eyes with golden specs in them.

  “What?” He asks looking concerned.

  I snap my eyes shut, squeeze them tight and scrunch my face, “Sorry I didn’t mean to stare…” My face must be red.

  He has this smirk on his face, I can’t tell if it’s amusement or annoyance. Either way, my heart is in my throat. He takes a bite out of another hush puppy, I didn’t even notice him grab another one. He pops the whole thing in his mouth and then he puts his index finger in his mouth and pulls it out from between his lips slowly, savoring. “Here, you should eat something, if you’re feeling light headed.”

  I reach into my bag and retrieve the grilled chicken sandwich, turn to the left with it and take a bite. It is so scrumptious and exactly what I needed. The flavors explode on my tongue and I must have let out a noise because he asks me, “What was that?”

  I turn to see what he is talking about and he has a raised eyebrow and full smile across his structured face. He has a little scruff along his solid jaw line, I give him a questioning look, “What?”

  “You said something when you took a bite didn’t you?”

  “Um, no…” I must have moaned again, Maddy told me I do that at times when I’m eating something really good and she always picked on me telling me that that must be my sex noise. Honestly I don’t think I make any noises, nothing has made me want to.

  “Why do you turn away when you eat?”

  I grab a napkin and cover my mouth and shrug. I’m not really sure, I normally don’t have a problem with eating in front of people. Even with Josh I have no problem. I just try to be a lady. “I am trying to be polite I suppose,” I answer his odd question. My turn to ask a question, “Why are you wearing a hoodie in this heat and on the beach?”

  He looks down to his zipped hoodie and unzips it slightly, I am greeted with a touch of tanned skin with a dash of chest hair. Josh waxes his chest and I find it to be unnecessary and weird for a guy. It’s a light gray color and it is darkened on the hood, shoulders and chest, from the rain. He is wearing black basketball shorts and sneakers. “I was working out and the heat helps my muscles.”

  “Oh.”

  “How are you feeling now?” He asks.

  I finish my last bite of my sandwich, “Better, thank you. I think I’m okay to drive now,” I go to put it in gear and his hand stops mine on the shifter, “Are you sure?”

  My stomach is clenching and by stomach I mean my whole abdomen and I have a weird tingling in my upper legs. I nod my head and try to smile. I feel like I’m starting to look like the Cheshire cat if I keep up the hidden nervous smile any longer.

  I drive into town and neither of us speak, I think he has sensed my awkwardness. “This is good,” He tells me and points to a gas station. He opens the car door, but before he steps out he looks back at me, smiles and holds out his hand, “I’m Derrek by the way.”

  “Margot.”

  “Well thank you for the ride Margot and lending me your umbrella.” He takes my hand and brings it to his mouth and kisses the back of my hand. My pulse is out of control right now and I feel like my nerve endings are on fire. My breathing has hitched and is irregular.

  I pull in my bottom lip and nod.

  Derrek ducks down and exits my Blue Belle, “Have a good night and drive safe.” He closes the door and he puts his hood back up and jogs up to the small station building and glides in. I notice that he has tattoos on his legs and his calves are jacked. He wasn’t kidding about the working out. My skin feels like I have been swimming in a volcano, I go to turn up the air conditioner and see that it is already cranked. I roll my eyes and start to fan myself.

  I drive slowly back home.

  I pull in at home and I see Maddy’s beat up car and I am surprised that she isn’t out tonight. It’s a Friday night. When I get out I grab my hush puppies and umbrella, my heart skips a beat. It isn’t until I walk past her car that I see an unusual car next to hers. Oh, man she brought a guy home. She doesn’t typically do that, she normally goes to the guys place.

  I want to walk in and make to my room unseen to avoid seeing things that I don’t want to see. I have walked in before and caught her on the couch ass up and a guy going at her from behind. I ran out the door as fast as I could. But what’s even sadder is that I thought about the fact that I have never done that. Josh is a very one to two position kind of guy and he likes to take the reins on that part of our relationship.

  And most others.

  I creek open the door and peek in. When I see that the lights are off in the living space I tip toe through the area. Once I get to the hall I see a familiar face coming at me and he is just in a bed sheet.

  “Uh, hi…” The guy starts, “I’m Michael.”

  I smack my forehead and laugh, “Yeah, Ms. Datton is your aunt right?”

  He smiles and does a gunshot motion with his hand and clicks his mouth, yup definitely more of Maddy’s taste. “I uh, was just getting a bottle of water…”

  I step aside and wave him off and go down the hall. I hope I missed the quite literal grunt of their evening, but I am sure I will be putting my headphones in tonight. I reach my room and Maddy pops her head out.

  “Hey, did you meet Michael?”

  I stop in my door way to my room and I nod, “I did.”

  “Hot right?” She giggles, “Thank you for passing his number on to me.”

  “No problem. Well, have fun I am going to bed, it’s been a long day and night.” I start to close my door when she puts her foot in the door jam.

  “What happened?” She asks with a raised eye brow.

  I sigh and think back through the evening, “I went to the beach and I am just tired, it has been a long week. That’s all.” I don’t indulge her, because I don’t need any accusations about me cheating on Josh. It’s bad enough that a year ago he accused me of doing such a thing. That tore me up inside, because that is something that I would never do. I believe that if you are with someone and if you are not happy and if you do happen meet someone new then break it off with that current person. Don’t drag another casualty into it. Just end it and then move on. There is nothing worse than a cheat.

  She opens her mouth to say something but Michael comes back down the hall and pinches her butt and that makes her squeal. “Okay, I will see you in the morning the
n Margot.” She pushes him back into her room.

  I just hold up my hand when Michael winks and waves at me. He is a good looking guy, in fact he reminds me of the kind of guy you would see on one the romance or erotic novels I have been reading. He has dark tanned skin, black hair and steamy eyes. The things I couldn’t see in the phone picture Ms. Datton shared with me, but in the flesh I got to see his six pack, flawless body all wrapped up in a white sheet.

  After meeting Derrek and seeing this Adonis, I am at a loss and now very wide awake. I wonder what Josh is up to. Instead of texting him I decide to call him. It’s not that late yet and he should still be up. “Hey,” I say when I hear him pick up the phone.

  “Margot? It’s late, what’s going on?” The way he greets me is more like a friend than someone I have been in a relationship with for the last few years.

  “Not much I just wanted to ask how your day was and week for that matter. We haven’t talked in a few days. I know brunch was awkward but…”

  “Don’t worry about it. My parents just like to intrude and what my mother said about…well it was a step too far.” I am glad to hear him say something about that and that he didn’t care for it much either.

  “So, that ex, she is moving back into town…Was it serious with her?” I close my eyes as if he can see me and I am afraid to find out the answer.

  He is quiet for a moment, “We dated for a year, but it wasn’t anything serious I would say.”

  “Well it must have been something if you were together for a whole year…” I softly push for more information.

  He lets out his aggravated breath, the one that I get from him when I have overstepped. “Margot, do you really want to hear that it was pretty much just a sexual relationship? That we only saw one another for a fuck?”

  I can feel my dinner start to rise up into my throat. I don’t say anything. I want him for once to apologize. But he doesn’t, well not for the right thing. “Look Margot I am sorry but that’s what it was. We are adults and should be able to handle hearing things like that. Plus you are the one who pushed for an answer.”

  “But you didn’t have to be so crude about it.”

  “And you don’t have to be such a fucking prude.”

  I feel the tears start to spill up over my eyes and drop down my cheeks. I muffle it of course, because to cry is to show that you are weak.

  “I’m sorry, I have been drinking and I didn’t mean for it to come out that way. I know you had a fucked up relationship in the past and I was a douche to speak to you like that.” He is trying to make it better, at least he is acknowledging it.

  I suck it all back, “I know. It’s okay. I shouldn’t have pushed you.” I wipe my cheeks and all of a sudden I am ready for bed. “I am going to go bed. I…”

  He cuts me off, “Yeah I need to get going too. Talk to you later,” and he hangs up. Was I really going to tell him I love him? We have never told one another those words before.

  I need to clear my head and what better way to escape reality than reading? I get changed and open my fox jar and grab some more honey, which I am starting to run low on, I will have to snag an extra handful later. Tonight I need something different to read. I don’t remember reading for too long, before I know it I am greeted with green eyes.

  I have the day off today, a Saturday of all days. This is rare. I get up early and hope to escape before the couple comes trotting out of Maddy’s room. I grab a yogurt and my beach bag. I have been to the beach a lot recently and maybe, just maybe I am hoping to run into Derrek. I mentally punish myself for hoping to see another guy, while dating one already.

  Something inside of me today is antsy, I am getting tired of the same ol’ same ol’. I get to the parking lot and sit in my car for a few minutes. Contemplating. I pull out my phone and go through my music, I have a lot of pop and country I need to change that up. I know about this music store just down the way, so I get on foot and make my way down the strip of little shops on the coast.

  I stop outside of the music store and tuck my hair behind my ears and go in. I am blasted with an upbeat electronic sound over the speakers. I see an array of people, guys, girls and they are all dressed very differently. Some in bathing suits and other in skinny jeans and boots.

  “Can I help you find something?” A young man asks me. He is in a white t-shirt and black cargo shorts and Chuck Taylors. His hair is cut super short and from what little bit I can see it’s dark blonde, he has blue eyes and the man is jacked. Muscles galore and I can see peeks of tattoos on his upper arms.

  I don’t think I have noticed so many good looking guys in my life before, feeling shy I look down and shuffle my feet, I take in a breath, “I’m tired of the same old music on my phone, I need something new.”

  “Right on! We can definitely help you with that. What are you tired of?” I go to answer him and he holds up a single finger with one and with this other hand his index finger shushes me, “Let me guess, you have a large collection of Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and…Justin Timberlake.”

  Well I will be damned. “Yeah, am I that easy to read?” I look back down.

  “I see it every day, it’s not a bad thing, people just get too settled and miss out on something new that is even better.”

  “Huh, that sounds like life advice as well.” I mutter to myself.

  He starts to walk and I follow him. He must have heard me because he says, “Yeah well we offer that service as well, five bucks an hour.” He winks and smiles. He is cute, reminds me of the late and great Heath Ledger with that boy next door smile. “Give this a try if you like female vocalists,” He hands me a CD of a band called The Pretty Reckless. “It’s not something you will hear on the local stations, but that’s what makes it great.”

  “Thanks, what about rock?” I ask, I have always wanted to give rock more of a chance, but Maddy always told me pot heads and rednecks only listen to rock.

  “Oh, where to start my lady…” He leads me over to the other corner of the store, “The new Linkin Park is fucking awesome! They took it back to deep sweet sweet heavy rock. Lots of energy.” He hands me the CD. “Now how about some Three Days Grace, Shinedown and take it down a little notch with Thirty Seconds to Mars.”

  I happily take all the plastic cases and walk back to the checkout counter with the guy. I set them all down and he starts to ring them up, “I’m Justin by the way.”

  “Margot, and thank you for all the help. I really needed it.”

  He waves me off, and gives me a psssh, “That’s what I am here for.”

  I pay him with cash and when he hands me back my change he tells me, “If you ever need more recommendations day or night…” He writes something down, “Here is my number,” Looking me in the eyes, “Day or night.”

  “Don’t you charge by the hour for advice?” I respond.

  He shakes his finger at me, “No my lady that was for life advice. I am free of charge for music advice and guidance.”

  I laugh, “Thanks I will keep that in mind.” I wave bye and as I am about to turn and leave I see a colorful flyer on one side of the double glass doors. “What’s this all about?” I point to the bright blue paper.

  “Ah, the roller derby! You’ve never been?” I shake my head no. “Oh, there is so much I can teach you grasshopper. There is a North Carolina league and they practice and have bouts just about every weekend all over. You should check it out! There is one tonight in Durham. In fact I am going to be there. I’m kinda the voice, if you will. I announce the game and keep everyone entertained, well besides the lovely ladies.”

  “Eh, I don’t know…”

  He pulls out an extra flyer and hands it to me, “Think about it. If you want to try new music, why stop there? If you come, at the door tell them Just-in-yo-mama sent you and you will get in for free.”

  I take the flyer and stick it in my bag, “Thanks, I will think about it for sure.”

  “Alright! Take care and rock on!” He sticks out his tongue and r
aises rock hands.

  Outside I giggle and I’m feeling like I am on top of the world today now. I am about to head to my spot when I run smack into the bare chest of a very solid and damp Derrek.

  I drop my bag and we both sink to the ground to pick up my new CD’s and he examines each one. “Still wrapped, I assume you just went shopping?”

  Standing back up I rest my hand on my cheek feeling embarrassed about my clumsiness. “Sorry about running into you like that.”

  “No worries, there was minimal damage,” he winks.

  I take in his glistening body, sculpted, but not bulging, defined abs for sure and tattoos on his chest, ribs, arms and then my eyes travel to his V and I see only part of a tattoo which is half covered by his trunks.

  “So new music huh?” He asks and I am startled back to reality.

  “Oh, yeah. Tired of the same old stuff.” I admit.

  “These are excellent. You’ll love them.” He hands the stack back to me and I once again have to put them away. “Are you coming or going?” He asks looking from the beach to the parking lot.

  “Undecided, but I see that you were busy…” Oh crap did I just make a comment that he has been working out and that I had noticed? Because I waved my hand over the length of his body. Face palm.

  He chuckles, “Yeah I was dong laps on the beach and was about to dive in to cool off. Care to join me?”

  “Oh, um, I don’t normally go in.”

  “What do you do here then?”

  I wave my hand over in the direction of my now not so secret spot that I like to sit at, “I read and soak up the vitamin D.”

  “What do you read?” He asks, what is this twenty one questions?

  “Just about everything.”

  “What are you reading right now?” Oh, he would have to ask that wouldn’t he?

  I pull my book out and show him, “This one today…” I blush about the hottie on the cover who is practically naked.

  He nods, smirks and goes to hand it back, “Want it back? Go in with me.” He is coming off as cocky and controlling. One thing I am trying to get away from a little bit today. He sees my face drop, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to tease you or…”