THE NEXT DAY…

            I don’t know what to do. I’m sitting on my back porch flipping through a magazine, not really reading it. I can’t concentrate on anything. All I can do is think about Ashley. Did I make a huge mistake? I made her cry… GOD I’m an IDIOT. I had what I’ve always wanted. And I basically told her to get lost. I’m an idiot…

            My thoughts are interrupted by a loud splash. I turn my head to where the sound came from, only to see Ashley emerge from underwater. Oh shit. She decided to go swimming now?! She climbs out of the pool and stretches. Her small bikini leaves very little to the imagination. Her back is to me. She turns and stops when her eyes meet mine. I smile sheepishly and she waves a little.

            “I miss you.” I shout to her.

            She smiles and yells, “It’s only been a day.”

            “I know… but I’ve been with you, like, 24-7 since you moved.”

            “Well… what if I come over?” She shouts after a few seconds.

            “What if?” I yell.

            She walks into my yard and up the stairs to my deck. She stands in front of me. Oh my god… there are water droplets sliding down her abdomen. I gulp. She sits next to me on the bench.

            “So much for not hanging out, huh?” she asks as our eyes meet.

            I smile.

            “Hey… I’d like to try again. I’m going to try really hard not to force you into anything. But you’ll have to try too, k? ‘Cause if you start flirting with me… I’ll lose it.”

            I nod and tell her, “Okay.” I want to tell her that I don’t want her to try again. I want to tell her that I love the way her hair gets extra curly when it’s wet. I want to tell her that I think I’ll die if she doesn’t move her shoulder that’s touching mine. But I don’t. I just sit there and smile.

            “So… how’s… everything…” She says breaking the silence.

            “Everything is fine. Now that you’re here, that is.”

            “That was fast.” She says laughing.