Who Are You?
Sidewinder
.:.:.
The tailgate of her truck dropped as the back shocks absorbed the two adult’s full weight combined. Cars began to return home and fill up the parking area as Elise realized how late it had gotten. Everything was happening very quickly, she barely had a moment to reflect upon it all. She went from having practically zero friends, a nonexistent social life, a tightknit living situation to having eight wild, outspoken friends, a new job, and the freedom to live where and how she chose. The freedom was almost overwhelming but Elise was enjoying every bit of it so far.
During the times she did have a moment silence, she thought about reaching out to her mom or dad but seemed to always become distracted and forget. She wasn’t sure if that was intentional or not. Either way, there was a sense of relief buried behind the guilt. The guilt of leaving her home town so suddenly, the guilt of leaving her sister behind, it was all no match for the liberation from her past. Elise planned on making herself better by creating healthy relationships with others and herself. So far, so good.
The two sat in an unbearable silence for what seemed to be an hour. In reality, barely two minutes had passed. Elise fiddled with the phone in her hand while Matt played with the small flame of his lighter. He offered the open pack of smokes to which she declined.
“I feel like we just had this conversation of me being a dick and apologizing for it, yet here we go again. Sorry if that came off harsh last night. Johnny surprised me and I was caught off guard. S’no excuse but yeah…” The cigarette bounced between his lip before he finally lit the end.
Elise rubbed the corner of her temple, trying to politely shield the smoke from reaching her nose. Matt took the hint and mumbled a “sorry” before switching the cigarette to his left hand, holding it down and away.
The woman’s lips curled upwards before turning to look at the singer, “You don’t need to apologize for what you said to him, though I appreciate the admission. I really didn’t think anything of it.”
Liar
Matt chuckled, the recycled smoke jaggedly slipping from his mouth. “I had a brotherly talk with Brian just before the little shit’s comment. It hit home and I was a little on edge. For what it’s worth, and even though it was true, I kinda hope someday I can change that.” Matt calmly inhaled from the cancerous stick again.
Wait, what? Is he trying to say…?
Her head bowed with hands folding themselves in her lap. She desperately tried to distract herself from the stillness just created. Was he admitting to liking her? Did this tie into what he was trying to say at the restaurant? Between the secondhand smoke and the tension, her head began to ache. Her rosy pink lips parted in an effort to reply but nothing came out. A warm hand rested on top of her forearm. The light touch was just enough to cause her gaze to meet his.
“Do you want to go hang out at the beach for an hour or so?” Matt offered.
She nodded in excitement as the two jumped from the tailgate and made their way on foot to
the beach.
.:.:.
Elise plopped her butt into the warm sand. Her socks and shoes were placed besides her while Matt did the same. It was a stunning sunset; the calm water reflected the vibrant orange and red hues perfectly as the sun began to disappear below the horizon. The sparkle of the ocean waters mirrored the gleam in her eyes. The two of them sat without speaking a word. The silence was a treasure, neither of them wanted to ruin the peaceful moment. Elise hugged her knees to her chest and peeked across her shoulder to see a grinning Matt glancing over at her. She returned the grin once he moved a bit closer.
“Hm?” Elise asked, unsure if Matt had said something or if it was a noise carried by the wind.
“I didn’t say anything.” He shook his head confused.
Elise turned her attention back towards the sunset. She whispered above her breath, “It’s so pretty here. I almost forgot how amazing this could be.”
“That’s what she said.” Matt replied in the same breathy tone as Elise.
Her head flung to the side, a look of “really?” plastered all over her face.
“You’re such an idiot!” Elise laughed and threw her sock at him.
A perfect shot; it hit Matt right in the mouth. His expression turned to an overly dramatic look of surprise before he lightly shoved her shoulder with his sandy foot. Without thinking, she grabbed his ankle and pulled. Matt chuckled as his arms flew backwards to catch from falling over. He mumbled something before lunging at Elise and encasing her in a giant bear hug. The woman yelped as she was pulled off balance and landed onto Matt’s chest. His arms remained in place, her full weight now resting on Matt.
“I’m going to crush you to death!” She gasped out when he hugged her closer.
The laughter between them finally settled as they caught their breath.
“You realize I’m much bigger than you, right?” He loosened his grip around her.
She rolled her eyes, “Yeah, yeah…”
Elise shifted her weight to her legs before carefully slinking out of his arms. Immediately, Matt grasped her wrist and brought her body closer. She blinked a few times unsure of what was happening. Matt’s eyes softened as he studied her face. Sand fell from his arm and hand as he cupped the side of her face. The mild abrasion Elise felt from his grit-covered thumb rubbing along her cheek was an unusual sensation. One she didn’t mind at all. She swallowed roughly when her heartbeat began to pound out of control.
“Heads up!” a voice yelled out from across the beach causing the two bodies to break apart.
They moved just in time before a football came spiraling towards them and into the ground.
“You Dip-shit! You could have hit them!” A man huffed running towards them, head down as his feet dug into the sand, “Sorry guys, my friend is a terrible sho-Hey, Shadows! Lombard!” Brian greeted between breaths.
Elise looked at Brian then to Matt, “Uh, Lombard?”
“It’s a long story.” Matt scratched the back of his head as Brian smirked.
“Shouldn’t you be at home getting ready for work tomorrow, hm?” Brian questioned quickly while retrieving his football.
Elise rose to her feet and brushed herself off. Satisfied, she grabbed her shoes and stuffed her other sock back inside with the other one.
“Ummm, maybe?” She hummed, “I actually should be getting back. Gotta be there bright and early before they open.”
Brian stuck the point of the ball into Matt's chest, “Dude, that reminds me. The ladies moved their fashion montage or some shit over to our place. ‘Beers and Balls’ only at Johnny’s place. Elise, you've bigger balls than Johnny so you're welcome to come along.” The guitarist grinned as he waved at a waiting Johnny to head back without him
Matt looked at Elise who motioned for him to go. "Thanks, Brian, but I should get back."
"Let me walk her back and I’ll be right over.” He grabbed his shoes and smiled at her.
Of course, she declined by shaking her head.
“Go ahead, it doesn’t make sense to walk out of your way just for me. I have my phone if anything happens. I’ll try not to pick up any hookers on my way back.” Elise smirked and began walking away not even waiting for Matt’s response.
“You can’t go alone!” The band mates shouted at her only to receive an “I can’t hear you!” from the woman. Her hand shot up, never once looking back, and waved.
“She didn’t say we couldn’t follow her.” Matt looked towards his friend who had the same idea. A devilish look appeared on the men’s faces. They gave her a head start before stalking after her like a couple of predatory Sidewinders.
The tailgate of her truck dropped as the back shocks absorbed the two adult’s full weight combined. Cars began to return home and fill up the parking area as Elise realized how late it had gotten. Everything was happening very quickly, she barely had a moment to reflect upon it all. She went from having practically zero friends, a nonexistent social life, a tightknit living situation to having eight wild, outspoken friends, a new job, and the freedom to live where and how she chose. The freedom was almost overwhelming but Elise was enjoying every bit of it so far.
During the times she did have a moment silence, she thought about reaching out to her mom or dad but seemed to always become distracted and forget. She wasn’t sure if that was intentional or not. Either way, there was a sense of relief buried behind the guilt. The guilt of leaving her home town so suddenly, the guilt of leaving her sister behind, it was all no match for the liberation from her past. Elise planned on making herself better by creating healthy relationships with others and herself. So far, so good.
The two sat in an unbearable silence for what seemed to be an hour. In reality, barely two minutes had passed. Elise fiddled with the phone in her hand while Matt played with the small flame of his lighter. He offered the open pack of smokes to which she declined.
“I feel like we just had this conversation of me being a dick and apologizing for it, yet here we go again. Sorry if that came off harsh last night. Johnny surprised me and I was caught off guard. S’no excuse but yeah…” The cigarette bounced between his lip before he finally lit the end.
Elise rubbed the corner of her temple, trying to politely shield the smoke from reaching her nose. Matt took the hint and mumbled a “sorry” before switching the cigarette to his left hand, holding it down and away.
The woman’s lips curled upwards before turning to look at the singer, “You don’t need to apologize for what you said to him, though I appreciate the admission. I really didn’t think anything of it.”
Liar
Matt chuckled, the recycled smoke jaggedly slipping from his mouth. “I had a brotherly talk with Brian just before the little shit’s comment. It hit home and I was a little on edge. For what it’s worth, and even though it was true, I kinda hope someday I can change that.” Matt calmly inhaled from the cancerous stick again.
Wait, what? Is he trying to say…?
Her head bowed with hands folding themselves in her lap. She desperately tried to distract herself from the stillness just created. Was he admitting to liking her? Did this tie into what he was trying to say at the restaurant? Between the secondhand smoke and the tension, her head began to ache. Her rosy pink lips parted in an effort to reply but nothing came out. A warm hand rested on top of her forearm. The light touch was just enough to cause her gaze to meet his.
“Do you want to go hang out at the beach for an hour or so?” Matt offered.
She nodded in excitement as the two jumped from the tailgate and made their way on foot to
the beach.
.:.:.
Elise plopped her butt into the warm sand. Her socks and shoes were placed besides her while Matt did the same. It was a stunning sunset; the calm water reflected the vibrant orange and red hues perfectly as the sun began to disappear below the horizon. The sparkle of the ocean waters mirrored the gleam in her eyes. The two of them sat without speaking a word. The silence was a treasure, neither of them wanted to ruin the peaceful moment. Elise hugged her knees to her chest and peeked across her shoulder to see a grinning Matt glancing over at her. She returned the grin once he moved a bit closer.
“Hm?” Elise asked, unsure if Matt had said something or if it was a noise carried by the wind.
“I didn’t say anything.” He shook his head confused.
Elise turned her attention back towards the sunset. She whispered above her breath, “It’s so pretty here. I almost forgot how amazing this could be.”
“That’s what she said.” Matt replied in the same breathy tone as Elise.
Her head flung to the side, a look of “really?” plastered all over her face.
“You’re such an idiot!” Elise laughed and threw her sock at him.
A perfect shot; it hit Matt right in the mouth. His expression turned to an overly dramatic look of surprise before he lightly shoved her shoulder with his sandy foot. Without thinking, she grabbed his ankle and pulled. Matt chuckled as his arms flew backwards to catch from falling over. He mumbled something before lunging at Elise and encasing her in a giant bear hug. The woman yelped as she was pulled off balance and landed onto Matt’s chest. His arms remained in place, her full weight now resting on Matt.
“I’m going to crush you to death!” She gasped out when he hugged her closer.
The laughter between them finally settled as they caught their breath.
“You realize I’m much bigger than you, right?” He loosened his grip around her.
She rolled her eyes, “Yeah, yeah…”
Elise shifted her weight to her legs before carefully slinking out of his arms. Immediately, Matt grasped her wrist and brought her body closer. She blinked a few times unsure of what was happening. Matt’s eyes softened as he studied her face. Sand fell from his arm and hand as he cupped the side of her face. The mild abrasion Elise felt from his grit-covered thumb rubbing along her cheek was an unusual sensation. One she didn’t mind at all. She swallowed roughly when her heartbeat began to pound out of control.
“Heads up!” a voice yelled out from across the beach causing the two bodies to break apart.
They moved just in time before a football came spiraling towards them and into the ground.
“You Dip-shit! You could have hit them!” A man huffed running towards them, head down as his feet dug into the sand, “Sorry guys, my friend is a terrible sho-Hey, Shadows! Lombard!” Brian greeted between breaths.
Elise looked at Brian then to Matt, “Uh, Lombard?”
“It’s a long story.” Matt scratched the back of his head as Brian smirked.
“Shouldn’t you be at home getting ready for work tomorrow, hm?” Brian questioned quickly while retrieving his football.
Elise rose to her feet and brushed herself off. Satisfied, she grabbed her shoes and stuffed her other sock back inside with the other one.
“Ummm, maybe?” She hummed, “I actually should be getting back. Gotta be there bright and early before they open.”
Brian stuck the point of the ball into Matt's chest, “Dude, that reminds me. The ladies moved their fashion montage or some shit over to our place. ‘Beers and Balls’ only at Johnny’s place. Elise, you've bigger balls than Johnny so you're welcome to come along.” The guitarist grinned as he waved at a waiting Johnny to head back without him
Matt looked at Elise who motioned for him to go. "Thanks, Brian, but I should get back."
"Let me walk her back and I’ll be right over.” He grabbed his shoes and smiled at her.
Of course, she declined by shaking her head.
“Go ahead, it doesn’t make sense to walk out of your way just for me. I have my phone if anything happens. I’ll try not to pick up any hookers on my way back.” Elise smirked and began walking away not even waiting for Matt’s response.
“You can’t go alone!” The band mates shouted at her only to receive an “I can’t hear you!” from the woman. Her hand shot up, never once looking back, and waved.
“She didn’t say we couldn’t follow her.” Matt looked towards his friend who had the same idea. A devilish look appeared on the men’s faces. They gave her a head start before stalking after her like a couple of predatory Sidewinders.
Notes
Oh, Matt. Well, he tried. (: Comments are always appreciated. Thanks for reading!
Well damn! ;) glad you’re back!
6/2/19