tongue tied - jake kiszka

7.

   We spent a lot of the time out in the water, occasionally crawling back to land for more alcohol. My shoulders were pink and I knew that by the end of the day my freckles would start making their appearance.

   I found very quickly that I was actually enjoying myself. I stood in the water, looking out at everyone in front of me. The boys were entertaining and they reminded me a little bit of my brother before he became an asshole. I was drunk and sunburnt and a little saddened by the fact that I hadn't heard from him in a while.

I hated that I felt that way.

The sound of laughter dragged me out of my thoughts and I looked to see Posy wading over in the water towards me. "Are you having a good time friend?" She asked me, looking completely hammered and concerned at the same time.

Her curls were popping out of her bun, little curly whispies framing her face. I nodded my head, fighting the urge to hug her. I could really be such a sap when I was drunk. She peered at me closely and I could see both Josh and Jake looking over in our direction behind her.

I looked away from them quickly, returning my gaze back to her. "Your boyfriend seems a little lost without you." I said, smiling as I nodded in his direction. She whipped around to look at him, a huge smile spreading across his face as she did.

Jake was still watching me though and I shifted a little, trying to place the look on his face. "Hey." Posy said, placing a wet hand on my warm shoulders. "I'm gonna go smoke a little. Come with?"

Before I could say yes, she was already moving through the water and I followed close behind her, biting back a laugh. "Josh says I'm a feign, I know." She giggled drunkenly.

Once we reached the waters edge, she grabbed for the towels laying in the grass, handing one over to me. I wrapped it around my shoulders, wincing a little as the material touched my sunburn.

We walked back over to the shaded area below the tree she was sitting under when I met her. She laid her towel out, motioning for me to do the same so I did.

She sat cross legged, rolling a blunt with such ease. I never would've guessed she was drunk until she sprawled backwards onto the towel, laughing at herself as she did. "Come on." She said, patting at my towel next to her.

I laid down on my back, looking up into the branches. The sun peaked through small cracks between the leaves and I felt so warm covered in spotty sunlight.

"You know Jake's my best friend right?"

I looked over at her as she inhaled but she was still looking up at the leaves.

"Yeah."

She turned her head slightly to peer over at me. "He's a nice guy." I knew what she was doing. I nodded my head in agreement but didn't say anything else. "He's not interested in Dawn." Posy said, her voice low like we were sharing secrets.

"I know."

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. But I still hoped, for Dawn's sake, that he would come around. I figured he would eventually. Dawn had that effect on people, especially men.

Posy left the conversation alone after that and I thanked her in my head. I wasn't sure what else to say. He was a nice guy, but that really wasn't any of my concern at this point. But as we laid there, our eyes closed, drying in the sun, all I could think about was his arms around me in the water.

Suddenly I felt a few drops of water hit me in the face and my eyes fluttered open. Jake was standing above me, a stupid grin on his face. "Posy's trying to get you high, huh?"