Ren

The sunrise is glowing pink through my bathroom window, and I feel fizzy and bubbly like a freshly opened soda as I sing the lyrics to a pop song currently stuck in my head and let the hot water run over my shoulders in the shower. I got up early this morning to spend a little extra time getting ready—super excited to start the day. It's Thursday morning and the last day of school.

After my hair is dry and makeup is satisfactorily done, I smile at my reflection in the mirror and then tie my hair in a ponytail, the way I know Gio loves. Walking back into my room, I quickly slide into a jean skirt I borrowed from Hannah, pull Gio's old Raiders t-shirt over my head, and gallop down the stairs for breakfast. 

The sound of his car idling in the driveway reminds me it's time to go, and I race around to find my other Converse shoe, MIA, as usual. Once I've find it and my backpack, I kiss my dad goodbye and smile as I open the door and see Gio standing in front of his car, waiting for me. 

He looks so good. Today, he's wearing his green cargo pants, black sweatshirt, and the hat I remembered from the first day we met. Walking toward him, I drink him in, never breaking eye contact, a very flirtatious smile cresting his lips.

His eyes glitter,  "Happy five-month anniversary, baby." 

My heart swells as I reach for his hand and squeeze it, communicating my feelings back to him in the gesture. "Happy anniversary, babe." 

The last three months have flown by, but it also feels like it's been forever since we've been together, both as lovers and as best friends. 

Giovanni has worked so hard in school all spring, and I've found he's so smart when he applies himself—especially in math. It actually makes me jealous of how easily it comes to him; he helps me all the time even though he hasn't taken stupid Algebra 2 yet. He just gets it. If I weren't a year ahead, he'd definitely be tutoring me. On his third-quarter report card, he had earned all B's and one A in Auto Shop, and hopefully, when his fourth-quarter report cards come out, he'll have yet another A in Geometry.

He puts the car into gear, and we drive off toward school. "We still on to meet Hannah and Zack tomorrow night at Mary's Pizza?" not taking his eyes off the road.

"Yep, Hannah's super excited. She's so cute and nervous about it. It's her first dinner date with Zack," I grin. It's silly. I'm almost as excited about it as she is.

Yes, Zack and Hannah are official now, and I couldn't be more excited for them. Both Hannah and Zack got lead roles in the musical: him as The Artful Dodger, and she as Nancy. 

Did I get a part, you ask? 

I am happy to report I did get a small role as Nancy's friend, Bet. With only two small lines to memorize,  it was a perfect first step into the acting side of things. Ms. Jones let me keep my role as assistant stage manager as well since I only appeared on stage three times.

You should have seen how hard I tried to convince Gio to work backstage with me, but in the end, he never did. And now, looking back, it was really for the best. I got to have time with just Hannah and Kristin and funny stories to tell him when we were together, and it allowed him to work on his car, hang out with Charlie, and play video games with his friends.

He, of course, came to watch me on opening night with my dad, Sydney, and Charlie. I'll never forget how nervous I was that evening, but I got through it, and every night after that got a little easier. For the very first time, I got to take a bow on stage with the audience doing a standing ovation—the exhilarated smile that spread across my face was completely off the charts. After I had changed and come out to meet them, Gio was waiting to hug me with a gorgeous bouquet of roses at the end of a show. I could have died right then.

But last weekend was closing night, and Kristin and I snuck Gio backstage to hang out. He said it was fun to see how a show is run. I even stuck my headset on his head for a few minutes when I went on stage so he could have a laugh hearing our stage manager, most likely making dirty jokes to the sound technician. Later that night, I took him to the cast party at Zack's house on the edge of town. And after months of flirting backstage, Zack and Hannah finally hooked up that night!

It's only been a week since they've been together and Hannah's first real relationship, so I suggested a double date, and Hannah was all about it. Gio really likes Zack, too, so it'll be nice to have a couple to do things with sometimes.

BRRINNG

I breathe a little melancholic sigh as the bell rings to signal the end of Study Hall and look into Gio's eyes—it's the class we'll ever have together this year, but he just grins ear to ear, pulling me up from my seat and out the door.

"Don't be sad," he tickles my rib, forcing a smile out of me. "We'll have the whole summer together! After work on Saturday, I'm coming straight over to swim in your pool!"

"Okay," I smile. "We should just get you to swim trucks to keep there; I have a feeling we 'll be there a lot this summer."

"Sounds like a great plan to me," then kisses me heartily on the cheek.

We helped each other clean out our lockers. I had given all my books back, so I just take out my binder, mirror, and our photo from prom and carefully slip them into my backpack. When we get to Gio's locker, he only grabs the drawing I made for him of the door, tucking it in his pocket before gleefully hucking the remaining contents of his locker into the nearby trash can.

Damn, he's so happy this school year is finally over.

We run to his car, hop in and peel out of the school parking lot, and decide to take the long route out to our destination for today. You guessed it—the beach. We dive up the 101 north, then west through the rolling hills and vineyards, and finally back down the coastline on Highway 1. Suddenly, he pulls sharply into a small gravel parking lot. 

"What are we doing here, babe?" I say, giving a puzzled look to a cute little yellow and white beachside gift shop.

Gio cuts the engine, looking out the window seriously, "Nothin'; I've just been looking for something and thought maybe they'd have it here."

We wander around the cramped store, looking at trinkets, shells, t-shirts, and magnets. I decide to use the restroom now—Gio might be able to find a place to pee on the beach, but not me, I'm taking the opportunity to use a nice indoor bathroom while I have it. When I reemerge from the overly perfumed toilet room, he's at the counter buying a big bag of rainbow-colored saltwater taffy. 

"That's not what you came in for, is it?" I ask as we walk back toward his car.

He unlocks and opens my passenger door first, "Nope. I love taffy, though. Want one?" 

"Sure," I smile. 

When he gets in on his side, he hands me the bag, and I start rooting through it to find the yellow and green ones I like best—pineapple swirl. I smirk as I grab two for good measure. My breath catches when I lift my head to hand the bag back. Gio is silently holding a small white box, extending it towards me. My eyes go wide—it's the kind of small box anyone knows the contents of—jewelry. 

I've only fantasized about a guy getting me jewelry. This feels bigger than big. My brain can't find words. "G-Gio. I—"

He shushes me, "Just open it."

I do as he tells me, slowly taking the box from him and opening the lid, my heart rate quickening to beat a double-time rhythm. On a thin chain hangs a delicate sterling silver cut-out image of a wave in the center of a heart, and I pull it out to let it drape across my fingers. It's a simple but delicate necklace, not very expensive, but I couldn't love it more.

 I lean over to hug him tightly, blinking back the wetness in my eyes. "It's beautiful, Gio. Thank you!" 

"I'm glad you like it," he beams. "Let me put it on you." 

I hand it to him and turn, lifting my hair so he can secure it around my neck. He fumbles a bit with the tiny latch but finally gets it and turns my shoulders so he can see. 

A soft smile dawns on his peach lips as he nods in approval, "It looks perfect on you." He lightly touches it with his fingers, "I want you to remember how much I'll always love you when you wear it." 

I collapse into the seat at his words, nearly in a swoon, like he's drawn back Cupid's bow, firing yet another love-tipped arrow into my already throbbing and besotted heart. He chuckles at my reaction, but I know he loves to see how much his words affect me.

He drives us a little further and then veers off course again—this time, away from the ocean, left across the road and up a little incline. He swiftly parks in front of a little white school, grabs his bag of taffys and gets out.

I follow him, "Why are—oh—is this you're old school?"

"Yeah. Seaside Elementry. I went here from Kindergarten through sixth grade when they shut down the sixth through eighth classes and transferred me to West Hills."

We walk around the building and up some stairs while he talks about being a kid there. He opens a little chainlink gate into a playground, and we sit on the swings to eat our taffies. The upper playground has an incredible view of the bay, and the June afternoon bends the sun toward the horizon. 

As our swings languidly slip back and forth, we lock eyes, sending each other smilies with secret underlying meanings. A palpable static tension builds as the wordless conversation passes between us. He blinks at me, and with a dimpled smirk, his hazel eyes become so intense and salacious that I just have to know what he's actually thinking.

"What?" I grin, my eyes sparkling.

"What? Me? You're the one giving me all these seductive looks!" Then he drops his voice with a  tantalizing smirk, "Like a very naughty school girl tempting me to do something bad with her."

"Ha! Well, you look like a sexy bad boy who's very much into playing games," I tease him back. My eyes light up, "Hey. Let's play a school game then. Boys Kiss Girls!"

His eyes twinkle mischievously as he murmurs, "I've always liked that game." 

"Yeah? Try to catch me then," I taunt him.

He grins widely, his eyes on fire with the challenge. "Oh, I'm gonna catch you," he warns.

I shriek at the top of my lungs as I leap off my swing, throwing the bag of taffy to the wood chips. He takes off after me, hot on my heels, chasing me around the playground. I run as fast as I can in a wide circle around the climbing structure, pausing on the opposite side, making him guess which way I'll bolt next. I dart left, and he sprints behind me, and I scream again with excitement.

Knowing I'll be short of breath soon, I climb up the tall slide, cursing my tight jean skirt, impeding my ability to take two steps at a time. Looking back, I let out a yip as I see he's right behind me. He reaches to grab me, but I manage to climb to the top and slide down just in time. 

I think I've made a clean escape, but he leaps onto the slide and just catches the back of my skirt as I try to run off. Happily defeated, I let him pull me back onto the slide and into his arms, breathless and laughing like kids. As our breathing slows, he whispers, "I'm never letting you go now."

He captures my mouth with him, and it's like fireworks shoot off in my chest and slowly sparkle down around us as he pulls me down on top of him to make out alone in his old playground.

As sunset approaches, we sit on the swings for a bit again, rocking back and forth in a trance, looking out onto the bay, its deep blue water glinting in the distance.

Abruptly, he whips his head to mine, "Do you believe in fate?" 

I'm caught off guard for a moment, not expecting such a profound question, though he does like to discuss deep questions with me sometimes. 

My eyes search the sky above me, "Um, well, I think it's fun to believe in it sometimes, but I also kinda think it's something humans have made up to make themselves feel better... like there's some sort of grand purpose to their life... but really, I kinda think life is just... random," I see Gio purse his lips at that, "Why, what do you think?"

"I don't know," Gio says, the little crease between his eyebrows forming, "Maybe it is all psychological, but certain things have happened in my life that seem oddly connected. Sometimes it seems as if things had to, or were meant to, work out a certain way."

I scoff, "So, you think we have no free will? I just can't believe we have absolutely no choice in what happens in our lives."

"No, I think we have a choice," he continues thoughtfully. "More like we have the free will to go against it, but if you have the courage to follow it, you might just find exactly what you were looking for. If you fight it, you just take the long road and go around and around until you finally get there." 

He runs his fingers delicately up and down the swing's chain while thinking. "Almost like... your fate will eventually be discovered, but you choose how you ultimately get there," he looks at me, beautifully sincere and serious.

"I think I love that idea," smiling at the thought.

As evening begins to fall, we keep looking at each other as our swings, at first in sync, gradually changing to disparate and passing back and forth, but finally returning to synchronicity again. Once they do, he leaps off his swing, takes my hand, tucks me under his arm, and walks me back to his car.

As we drive back to Bayfield to spend the night together, the wind whipping through the open windows, tangling my hair in its salty fingers, he takes my hand in his, and my chest grows so full it threatens to explode like a pinata—both exhilarated and euphoric with the anticipation of spending the whole summer with him. 

While 'All For You' plays on the radio, we make plans to go on day trips to San Francisco, go camping together by the beach, and also just relax and swim in my mom's pool, like we had fantasized about five months earlier. The summer seems to stretch before us, like the seemingly unending expansiveness of the ocean.

The sun sinks low over the water, sending glittering rays of sunlight, scattering across the waves below us, dancing across our faces, glinting off the windows of his car. Waves, forever cyclically pushing out and then pulling back in. Our hands intertwined as we wind the succulent-covered cliffs above the sea.

♡♡♡ THE END ♡♡♡

https://youtu.be/J95gaG7MYQY

••• A/N •••

Thank you SO MUCH for reading and making it to the last chapter!

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