My Favorite Explosion

I collapsed onto the couch, unsure how to handle all of what had just unfolded on me. I know for a fact that I was not ready to see Vic yet, at all. Seeing him when I was told he wouldn’t be home was a lot to handle. I knew it was a matter of time, but I never thought it would happen just hours after getting off the plane. I thought I’d have at the very least a day to get ready for it.
I turned the TV on, flipping through the channels in an attempt to distract myself from what exactly was going on. My favorite movie, The Fast and The Furious was on, and they were playing all six of them. I knew what I was doing tonight! This movie was the reason I had gotten the nickname of Letty, no one thought to call me that until these movies came out. Yes, Letty’s name was Leticia but as a shortened version of Scarlett it worked pretty well. People didn’t call me that until he started to. God, I’m so pathetic I couldn’t even think about his name right now.
I started laughing at myself and how pathetic I was acting. I needed to stop moping around and feeling sorry for myself about this. It wasn’t even the worst thing that had happened to me! I had been through so much more while I was in South Carolina, that I was coping with so much better than what I did to myself seven years ago. I had no one to blame but myself for what I had done, I made my decision to leave all by myself. Even against my father and brother’s advice, but I was dead set on getting out of California for a while. Which ended up being longer than I had expected, but couldn’t have been soon enough.
My eyes glued to the TV watching the best scene, “Dude I almost had you!” I laughed along as Vin Diesel insulted Paul Walker’s character. I finished my beer getting up to grab another from the fridge while I thought about everything I needed to start doing in my three weeks of being off from work. I had to look for a car since I did not have one and hated relying on people. I had to finish unpacking, but that could wait until tomorrow. I would have to call and find out about my schedule, but I’d probably wait until a week before I return to do that. The company knew I was going to be busy these next two weeks. I realized I should be writing all of this down so I went to my room to grab a notebook and pen, but on the dresser was something I didn’t remember putting there. It was a picture frame, with a picture of Mike, Vic, Austin, Alan and I with the four of them holding me in their arms. I smiled at the memory that resurfaced from the picture. We were at the beach, the day that Vic and I started whatever it was we were. I always told myself we were dating, but he wasn’t able to commit to the title. Even three years later when I exploded on him and left two weeks later.
“Vic!” I yelled running towards him on the sand happy to see that him and Mike had kept their promise of joining us on our adventure today.

“Hey gorgeous!” he smiled picking me up and spinning me around in a hug. I felt my face turn bright red at his name for me as he put me down on the sand as Mike walked over to give me another hug. “Hi Mikey!” I exclaimed holding my arms out to receive a Mike bear hug which he did. “What’s up shorty?” He laughed crouching down about a foot to give me a hug. “Oh shut it” I laughed as he let go. “I’ll sick Austin on you!” I giggled

“Sounds like a fair fight” Austin laughed walking up behind me as the boys all did their handshake half hug greeting. I made my way back to our area that we had set all of our stuff up on and laid down on my blanket in an attempt to tan my pale white skin. I pulled my black Raybans back over my eyes getting myself comfortable and resting. Until I felt a pair of hands reach under my back and I knew exactly what was going on as I opened my eyes to see who was the cause of this. Of course it was Mike, my jokester of a best friend. “Michael put me down!” I laughed holding on to his neck so I didn’t fall as he ran to the water. “Nope” He laughed continuing to run. We were too close for me to try and fight it, otherwise we wound both be seriously injured by the rocks and sea shells that were around us. All I could do was brace myself for the cold salty water. Which is exactly what it was. Freezing cold. “Oh I fucking hate you!” I yelled laughing as I came up for air after he let go of me. “No, I don’t think you do” He laughed swimming back to the shore. I followed behind him as I felt seaweed and God only knows what else was in here. Once we reached the shore, thankfully my glasses still on my face, I made my way back to my towel to return to my tanning session but my plans were changed when I found Vic laying on my towel. “Uhm, Vic? Is there a reason you’re on my towel?” I laughed approaching him. “Yours was already out and I don’t know where Mike put mine so I figured this was easier” He smirked still laying there. “Well I’d appreciate it if I could have it back” I chuckled. “Nah, I’m good” He smiled putting his sunglasses over his eyes. I shrugged my shoulders walking away, letting him think I had actually given up that easily, but ran back laying on top of him claiming my spot back. “Ugh!” He yelled in surprise not expecting me to do that as I laughed. “Was that necessary Letty?” He asked flailing around under me “Well that’s a new one” I laughed still laying on top of him “What is?” He asked perplexed. “When did you start calling me Letty?” I asked with the same perplexed confusion. “You kinda remind me of Letty from Fast and Furious, do you not like it?” “It’s different. I like it” I smiled. “But for your knowledge, Letty’s name is Leticia. Not Scarlett” I chuckled “Are we really about to dicuss this with you still laying on top of me?” He asked hesitantly, as if it was a terrible to thing to have a girl lay on top of you on the beach. “Well are you going to get off of my towel?” “I’m pretty good right here” He said with a genuine smile. “Well then so am I” I laughed adjusting myself to rest my arms on his chest leaning my chin on my hands. “Better?” He asked “Well I figured I’d comfortable if I’m going to be here for a while. I’ve got tanning to do” I laughed, “So, where were we? Oh, right, I was explaining that Letty’s name is actually Leticia. Not Scarlett, but it’s definitely something different from Scar. I am not an evil lion from The Lion King!” “So you’re saying you wouldn’t push me off a cliff if you had the chance?” Austin asked as he walked by. “Eh, no. I don’t think so” I laughed “Unless I’m pushing you off a stage into a mosh pit once you become famous” “Still waiting for that day” Austin laughed yelling back to me. “You wouldn’t push Austin off a cliff?” Vic asked shocked “Would you push Mike off a cliff?” I laughed “I want to sometimes. You at least have the excuse of having the same name as that evil bastard in the Lion King” “I’m not sure if it’s an excuse, pretty sure it would still be murder in our world” I laughed “Do you think lions have court?” Vic asked with a serious face.

“You’re kidding right?” I asked pushing my sunglasses to the top of my head. “No really!” he laughed, “Like, do you think they have court sessions when one lion gets into a fight with another? Or when one lion steals another lions lady lion?” “A lady lion?” I asked baffled by some of the things he was coming up with. “Yea! I don’t know what they’re called"

“It’s a lioness” I laughed “Yea! A lady lion!” He laughed sticking to his new name for them. “Whatever you say Vic” I laughed resting my head back down on my hands. I laid on top of him listening to his heartbeat, instinctively counting the amount of beats as medic school had drilled into my head. He was actually tachycardiac, meaning his heart rate was increased and I was curious as to why. But that’s not something you can go around asking people. “Hey Scarlett?” Vic asked with a shake in his voice “What’s up Vic?” I answered picking my head up to look at him. “Making sure you didn’t fall asleep” He said with that shake still in his voice. “You’re lying” I said to him knowing he was by his nervousness. “Excuse me?” He asked sounding offended, but knew I had caught him. “It’s simple. You’re lying. You knew I wasn’t sleeping. What did you really want to ask me?” “Well, it’s not what I wanted to ask you.” He said shifting around, pulling me up by my arms so our faces were inches away. “It’s what I wanted to tell you, Letty. I think I really like you” He said turning his head away as his cheeks turned red, but not from the sun. “You think?” I asked, curiosity in my voice. “well, I mean—“ He started but didn’t have a chance to finish his sentence once he turned his head I wasted no time in crashing my lips against his. He responded quickly but definitely surprised and kissed me back. “Well it’s about fucking time!” Mike yelled as he walked by kicking sand on us. Both of us lifted a hand to give Mike the finger, laughing as neither of us broke the kiss. I walked away from the dresser that Mike had managed to sneak that picture onto, after I placed it picture side down on the dresser. I knew I couldn’t look at it every morning. I quickly took my contacts out, putting on my thick rimmed black glasses before I forgot to later. I continued out of my room with the notebook in hand grabbing my cigarettes off my nightstand to go upstairs to get another beer and outside onto the deck. I sat down at the table lighting a cigarette and opening my beer, enjoying the salty California air that was all around me. I had lived near the beach in South Carolina, but it was nothing compared to the scent of the ocean here. The wind picked up for a moment blowing my jet black hair into my face forcing me to look up from my notebook holding my head in the wind, closing my eyes enjoying the breeze against my face. I placed my pen down on top of my notebook, deciding that my list could wait. I was home, and I was going to enjoy my first night of freedom.

Notes