Arielle turned toward him, pulling her hand from his to touch his cheek. “Me too.”
“I don’t ever want to lose this.”
“Me either.” She peered out her window. “But I feel like it’s going to be so hard to keep our relationship as strong as it is now.”
Blake nodded. “I do too, but we have to work harder.” He reversed out of the driveway and began driving again.
“Where to now?”
Blake darted his gaze toward her, then winked. “You’ll see.”
Arielle wanted to cry, but they would be happy tears. She didn’t know how she’d found such an amazing boyfriend. Then sadness crept in because she had no clue when she’d see him next. It was too much and all of a sudden her chest grew heavy, like an elephant had sat on top of it and wouldn’t move. She steadied her breathing and rubbed at her chest some more, but deep down it wouldn’t help.
Nothing would.
The next stop was the parking lot behind the grocery store, where they’d spent many nights sitting and talking. They relived their memories there, then Blake took her back to the school. He made her get out of the car and grabbed her hand, pulling her along with him to stand on the field in front of the school.
He stopped about halfway down and to the right a little bit. “This is where we had the bonfire and you saved me from the clutches of Karla Lust.”
Arielle chuckled. “I didn’t think I had a chance with someone like you then.”
“But you still came up to me. You’re braver than you know, Ari. You need to have more faith in yourself because you are so special to so many people.”
She smiled, silence enveloping them both as Arielle replayed that night in her mind, like she was watching a movie reel unfold in front of her.
Arielle sat down on the green grass, biting her nails. Blake grabbed her hand, yanking her fingers away. “I thought we’d cured you.”
“Not so much. It’s been my bad habit forever.”
“Well, at least you aren’t doing it as much as when I first met you.”
Arielle watched as he sat down beside her. “You know, when I first saw you, you took my breath away. You were such a hunk…and I was so scared to talk to you.”
“You were scared to talk to me? There’s no way. You sure didn’t seem like it.”
“Oh, I was. Terrified. For some reason, once I introduced myself, all the reasons not to talk to you faded away.”
“So fate brought us together, then?” Blake lay back on the grass. “It would be nice to believe.”
Arielle lay back beside him. “I think it was, even though I’m not a firm believer in fate or anything.”
“And then I almost screwed it up.”
Arielle bit her lip. “Yeah, you were a moron.”
Blake laughed. “But I’m not anymore?”
Arielle shrugged, which was awkward lying on her back in the grass. She turned her head and looked at him. “The jury’s still out.”
“Your dad said something along those lines when I first met him. You sound like him.”
She tilted her head, her chest swelling with pride. “I don’t see my mom much, so my dad is all I have most days.” Arielle paused. “It’s funny, I always thought I’d be closer with my mom, but I was always a daddy’s girl. Reed was older and the one boy Dad and Mom had, so me being the baby and the girl made it tough on me, but I know everything my dad did was out of love.”
“You’re lucky, Ari. You dad is amazing. He even took me in…and not even my own dad will do that.”
“Sometimes being away for a while changes things. You’ll see. Maybe you’ll go home and your dad will realize how much he missed you.”
Blake frowned. “Or maybe he’ll be the same ass he always is.”
Arielle rolled over, draping her arm over Blake’s stomach and resting her head on his shoulder. He shoved his arm under her back and pulled her close.
Arielle could hear his heartbeat drumming like a beat in a marching band, loud and consistent. “I’m going to miss you more than you know.”
“Me too.” Blake’s voice cracked. Leave it to a guy to have so little words.
Arielle lifted her head from his shoulder in time to see a single tear slide down his cheek. She wiped it off. “Don’t be sad. We’ll be together again, sooner than you know.”
“I hope so. If I don’t see you soon, I’ll go crazy.”
“I’m sure my parents and your mom will work something out where I can come visit over the summer, and I’m sure you will be able to come visit too, maybe for a weekend here and there. Don’t worry, Blake. This love is strong.”
“Did you say love?”
Arielle’s heart raced as her cheeks heated, but she remained focused and nodded her head.
Blake grabbed her cheeks in his hands and pulled her face to his, smashing his lips against hers. “I love you too. And as long as we have love, nothing else matters.”
They lay that way for a long time, until the sun started to sink below the horizon and purple and pink hues took over the blue of the daytime sky. Arielle didn’t want to get up at all, but she had to, so she pried herself off Blake and stood, grabbing his hands to pull him up. His white shirt had dirt on it, so she tried to wipe it away but the stain had already set. “I think we’d better go. It’s getting late.”
Blake nodded. “I figured…but I don’t want to.”
“Me either, but it’s time. And don’t worry. We’ll talk every day and see each other when we can.” Together, they got in Blake’s car.
Silence filled the car on the way back to Arielle’s house. She didn’t know what else to say and she guessed Blake didn’t either.
When he pulled in to her driveway, she sighed. “Home sweet home.” Her heart ached, not for the first time.
Blake followed her in the house. Inside, it was all hugs and more goodbyes. Another lump formed in her throat as she watched her dad and mom both get watery eyes as they hugged Blake and said farewell.
Arielle turned away, but it didn’t help since she could still hear everything.
When Blake finished saying goodbye to Mom and Dad, Reed came over and bumped fists with him. “See you soon, man.”
Blake nodded. “Yeah, man. Thanks.”
With all the goodbyes done, Arielle walked Blake out to his car. He wrapped his arms around her. “Guess this is my final goodbye.”
Arielle’s voice quaked as tears spilled down her face. “I don’t want you to go. Can’t you tell your mom you are staying because you want to go to college here? Tell her you don’t want to leave me, you can’t.”
Blake hugged her tighter, running his hands through her hair. “I can’t, babe. I wish I could, but I can’t. I have to go home and at least try with my dad. I even think I’m going to take a year off school to work on our relationship.”
She cried harder. “I know. I don’t want you to stay, even though I don’t want you to go either.”
“I know what you mean.” He backed her into the side of the car, kissing her for what seemed like a long time. He put every ounce of feeling into the kiss, and when he yanked away from her, more tears fell and she tried to catch her breath.
“I love you,” he said
“I love you too, Blake.”
He got in his car and Arielle backed up, crying so hard she hiccupped and gasped for breath. She wrapped her arms around herself in a hug and squeezed tight, swaying back and forth to try to comfort herself.
Blake started the car, then rolled the window down. He grabbed his shirt at the collar and ripped it right down the middle. Then he threw it at her and she caught it.
He winked. “A little something to remember me by.”
“Like I need your shirt to remember you,” she said, but she held the shirt up to her nose. His clean, citrusy scent surrounded her and she imagined she’d be smelling the shirt every day until she saw him again.
He waved one last time, and she waved back, then he pulled out of the driveway and Arielle
dropped to her knees, sobbing, the lumpy rocks digging into her skin, straight to the bone, but the pain in her legs didn’t hold a candle to the pain in her heart.
When she’d cried so much she couldn’t produce another tear, she went into the house, bypassed her family, and went straight to her room, burying her face in the pillows.
She stayed there the whole next day.
Chapter 19
The Start of the Summer
With the arrival of summer break came vegetable season, her mom’s third job. Arielle ran the stand every day until Mom got home from work, then she took over, even if Arielle tried to make sure she didn’t. She was picky when it came to…well…everything. And stubborn, but of course she would never admit that.
Strawberry season kicked things off, but they didn’t grow their own. Arielle had to get up at six in the morning to be at the strawberry field by seven, pick as fast as she could, then sell them. Meanwhile, they worked on planting their garden in between customers. It was a busy time of year, but also a fun one. Sometimes she wished she could be a normal teen and not have a care in the world all summer, but then working with her family taught her about responsibilities so she appreciated it too.
The first few weeks of summer, Arielle spent her time taking care of customers and writing in her journal. She’d also started writing poetry. She didn’t know if it was any good, but it helped keep her mind off Blake until she could talk to him at night. Every night.
Writing also stopped her from thinking of Jess, who still hadn’t spoken to her. Arielle didn’t have the energy to go to her house again, or the fight it would take to be invited inside. It turned her insides outside thinking about it. Jess knew how Arielle felt, so the ball was in her court. She knew where Arielle lived, so she could come over any time.
Blake was working part time at the beach over the summer and spending his free time surfing. Arielle’s parents decided she could go visit in a few weeks, in time for her birthday, which was great news. Blake’s mom had said he could come up toward the beginning of the school year too, so at least they would see each other a couple times.
When the day finally came for her to go to South Carolina, every part of her shook with excitement. She couldn’t wait to see him, but she would only be with him for a weekend. It made packing easy as she’d thrown a few outfits in a small bag and hopped in the car with her parents, who took her to the airport.
About to board the plane, Arielle hugged Dad and then Mom. “Thank you, guys, so much for letting me go see him.”
Mom held her breath. “Be safe, Ari.”
“And don’t forget to call,” Dad said.
“I won’t.” She kissed Dad’s cheek and gave Mom one last squeeze. “Don’t miss me too much.”
She thought Dad whispered, “Oh, we will,” but she couldn’t be sure as she walked down the short hallway terminal to board the plane.
The window seat was awesome and she found herself staring out it the whole flight, watching the clouds and the sky surround her. It was strange being this far up. She’d never ridden in a plane before, but she realized she kind of liked it. Except for the turbulence…which she hated. It scared the crap out of her the first time.
When the plane landed, she couldn’t have been happier to get off. She carried her small bag off the plane and walked out to find Blake waiting with a smile on his face. He ran to her and lifted her up, spinning her around in the air. Then he planted a big kiss on her and it lasted way too long since they were in public, but she couldn’t worry about it because any moment she might fly away. She couldn’t breathe around the happiness threatening to suffocate her.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” he said, setting her down and running his hands down the length of her hair, then tracing her face with his fingertips. Goosebumps ran down her arms from his touch.
She linked her hand with his and left the airport with him leading the way to the parking garage where he’d parked his car.
When they left the busy streets of the airport, Arielle grabbed his hand and pulled it into her lap. “So, what’s been going on?”
“You already know. I’ve been working and surfing. That’s pretty much it. And talking my nights away with my girlfriend who I miss but didn’t realize how much until I saw her beautiful face.” He placed a hand over his heart.
Arielle scoffed. “Oh please. I’m sure you have plenty of things to keep you busy. I doubt you’ve even thought about me much.”
“Oh, trust me, I have. Plenty. Pretty much all I do is talk about you to everyone, and when I’m not talking about you, I think about you.”
Arielle’s heart swelled. “I guess I’m kind of glad to hear it, but you sound like you might have a little problem. Maybe we should find a cure.”
Blake laughed. “I’m afraid the cure would be for your family to move here, and I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”
“If they had the money, I bet they would because this place is beautiful.”
All around them was green grass, and not the green like in Ohio, but emerald green. The leaves of all the trees shimmered in the hot summer sun. It was different, but in an amazing way.
“It is nice, but this isn’t the most beautiful part. Wait until you see what I have planned for us.”
She couldn’t wait.
***
Blake took her to his house first. His mom was at work and his dad sat in the living room, watching something on TV. He didn’t say a word to them as they entered the house and took the stairs up to his room.
The house was big, fancy, and a bit intimidating. The wood floors were a light brown and the walls were all blues and green with trim in different colors depending on the room. Blake’s bedroom was pale blue with white trim and paintings of the beach lined one whole wall. She examined one of them. The buttery golden sand sparkled against the vibrant blue sky. There were kids tossing a ball back and forth, laughter twinkling in their happy eyes.
The painting was gorgeous and made her grin with happiness. Blake’s body heat hit her as he stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “You like it?”
She nodded. “It’s beautiful.”
“You should take it, then. When you leave to go home, it’s yours.”
She half turned to face him, still in his arms. “I can’t. Blake, it’s yours.”
“It was mine, but now it’s yours.”
There was no arguing with him, so she nodded and accepted his gift.
He turned her all the way around. “Now, I have big plans for you tonight. You brought a bathing suit?”
She nodded.
“The bathroom is down the hall. Go change into it and put your clothes on over it. We will be at the beach all day.”
“Okay.”
She did as he requested, putting her one-piece black swim dress on. She loved it so much because it had white polka dots all over it. She threw on a pink sundress to cover her suit and walked back to Blake’s room.
“I’m ready.” She held her arms out and spun around.
“You’re perfect.” He paused, running a hand through his hair. “Let’s go. Bring a change of clothes.”
She wasn’t sure why she would need one, but she grabbed her bag and brought it along, just in case.
***
The beach was amazing. The swooshing sounds the waves made calmed her nerves and the smell of salt water and sun was infectious. She shuffled her sandals off and let her toes sink into the soft sand below her feet as she walked toward the water.
Blake stopped her. “You do know how to swim, right?”
She put her hands on her hips. “Yes. Of course I do. I took lessons five years in a row.”
“Good, because I want to show you how to surf, but tomorrow. Today is about swimming and lounging and fun.”
“Your parents won’t care if we’re down here the whole time?”
He shook his head. “My mom is scheduled to work a lot this weekend so my dad will be home, and neither of us n
eed to be around him.”
“So nothing is any better with him, I guess.”
Blake shrugged. “Sometimes…but most of the time it’s the same. I don’t know, I don’t think anything will ever change.”
Arielle touched his face. “It will get better.”
Blake leaned into her touch. “I hope you’re right, Ari. It’s hard to believe right now.” He tickled her sides, lightening the mood. She squirmed and ran away from him, her feet sinking into the sand, making it hard to gain any traction. He caught her, tackling her to the ground, and lay half on top of her as he tickled her even more. “Let’s get all the heavy talk out of us and have some fun. Three days is going to fly by.”
As if she didn’t know. It was all she could think about.
The afternoon they spent alternating between lying on the beach in the warm sun and swimming in the salty ocean. Arielle watched Blake surf. He’d said he’d show her tomorrow, but he couldn’t wait. Since she didn’t feel comfortable getting on a board, she sat on the sand and didn’t take her eyes off of him. He looked amazing standing on the board, riding the waves, although he wasn’t good at it. He stood for a minute or two each time before he fell.
But he loved it and she wouldn’t be the one to tell him to find another dream.
When the sun started to set, Arielle linked hands with Blake and walked along the shore, the water tickling her toes every time the waves crashed against the land. She watched the colors swirl through the sky, all orange and yellow with a vibrant pink, like some famous artist painted the picture, so close she wanted to reach out and touch it.
They kept quiet, Arielle smelling the salt water and fresh air around them. She breathed deep, trying to inhale those scents so much she’d be able to take them home with her.
Blake pointed to a spot a short distance up the beach. “Where we’re staying tonight.”
It was a tent. On the beach. Arielle stopped, gulped, and stared at him.
He laughed. “Calm down, Ari. Get your mind out of the gutter. I thought it would be nice to spend all three days together, so I found a tent in our garage and asked my boss if I could set it up here since this is his site. He said sure and so here we are.”
Crush: A YA Romance Collection Page 88