Luna

• 4 •

You Guys Must Be Synched or Something

It was 6:45 pm. 

I had gotten all of my homework done for the weekend, showered, and after some time picked out an outfit for the bonfire. 

I was lazily brushing my hair when there was a knock at my door. "Come in," I called, watching my door open through the reflections in my mirror. 

My mom was standing in the threshold, a slight smile on her face. 

"Cole said you were going out?" She asked. 

"Yeah," I nodded, putting down the hairbrush and turning to her, "This girl I met at school, Kim, she invited me to a bonfire with her boyfriend and of couple of their other friends." I felt bad for warping the truth, but I didn't want my mom to react the same way Cole had about this whole situation. 

"Good," She breathed out smiling wider, "I knew this was the right place to go. How late will you be out?" 

I shrugged. "I honestly don't know. Do I have a curfew in this new land?" I smiled, joking. 

"Not tonight," She spoke, "Go have fun."

She left my room just as my phone started to ring. 

"Hello?" I spoke, already smiling. 

"Hey, I'm outside," Paul's voice drifted through, "I'm gonna go up to the door." 

"No!" I rushed, immediately grabbing my purse and sweater, "I'll come to you." I went down the stairs, seeing my parents working at the table, 'I'm leaving!"

The both yelled a goodbye but didn't move from the kitchen. From the front porch I could see Paul's car after the long driveway. He was leaning against the passenger door.

We met eyes and I smiled, hanging up the phone. It had only been a day since I've seen him and  yet I missed him so much. 

"Hey," He smiled and opened the car door for me. "Ready for an awful night?"

"Yes," I fawned, going along with his joke, "Someone finally understands me." 

He laughed and shut my door, heading over to the driver's side. 

"I didn't realize you lived that close to the beach." Paul said, starting the car and pulling onto the road, "I could've just walked with you." 

I gave him a short nod. "I told you so. Wait walk? How far is your house?" 

"Other side of town," He gave a half hearted shrug, "small town though." 

We pulled up to the parking lot on the beach. Down by the shore I could already see Sam and Jared gathering up branches from the edge of the forest. 

Kim and another woman were sitting on a log, laughing and talking. 

I hesitated in the car, watching them. 

Paul was already at my side, door open. He noticed I wasn't moving. 

"What is it?" He asked, looking from his friends to me. 

"Nothing," I shrugged, glancing to him then back down to the shore. 

"Hey," He spoke much softer now, "You can tell me. What is it?" 

"I just..." I finally looked him in the eye, "feel like an outsider that's all. You know, new town, new people." 

He smiled, "Trust me, you belong here just as much as the rest of us."  He held out his hand to help me down from the car, "Ready?"