#atbos

[lyrics365]

너의 하나님 (feat. Ji Eunyoung, Lee Yoonhwa, Oh Eun)

neoui hananim yeohowareul saranghago geuui malsseumeul cheongjonghamyeo uijihara neoui hananim yeohowareul saranghago geuui malsseumeul cheongjonghamyeo uijihara geuneun neoui saengmyeongisiyo ne jangsusini jukkeseo neohui josang abeurahamgwa isakgwa yagobege jura maengsehasin geugose nega geoharira neoui hananim yeohowareul saranghago geuui malsseumeul cheongjonghamyeo uijihara geuneun neoui…

[mjcraig199]

Theo James as Jesse Hayden

[mjcraig199]

Chapter 11-Whips and Furs

My mind raced as I walked down Main Street. It was imperative for me and my sanity to leave the house while my mothers support group met to discuss every sad and depressing thing that occurred in their lifetime. It was great that she was finally getting the help she needed and taking therapy seriously, but did everyone in attendance have to laugh and cry hysterically?

Three days had passed since I went sailing with Leo and I, for the life of me, could not get that day out of my head. It was exciting and different and even fun, but after we docked, I immediately hopped off  Freedom and we awkwardly parted ways.

Everything between us felt different out on the water. Our guards were down, which meant we expressed our emotions and truths that we would never do under normal circumstances and I realized after I left, that Leo and I were similar in many more ways than I had thought. Not only did we lose our fathers, we both hid any real feelings from the world, albeit in different ways. I dealt with death by retreating in to myself, shutting down and keeping quiet, while he lived life moment to moment without thinking of any of the consequences. Was there a wrong or right way to deal with tragedy? Who knew? The only thing I knew was the lack of sleep I got the last three days from contemplating this question night after night was taking it’s toll.

“Watch it princess.”

I stopped mid step at the familiar nickname. When I looked up from the ground, I was only inches away from the scowling, yet still handsome, face of Jesse Hayden. “Try looking forward when you walk. You almost ran me over.”

“I’m sorry. I’m a bit distracted.” I side stepped to my right to give him room to pass by but he stepped right along with me.

“Not a problem. I was actually looking for you.”

“You were?” I raised my eyebrow skeptically.

He nodded. “Are you busy?”

“Not really. I needed to get out of the house so I went for a quick walk.”

“I see, how about a quick ride instead?”

“Excuse me?”

“Our bet. I seem to remember a certain someone, namely me, kicking your ass at pool… Or did you forget?”

“Oh right. That.” I blushed at my embarrassment for thinking a “ride” meant something a little less innocent. I prayed that he didn’t catch it. “You want to collect now?

“I don't have anything better to do. Max is working, Leo is surfing, and Danny is probably shooting up in some alley or something.”

I hoped he was kidding about that last part but his face gave nothing away. “So what you're saying is that I'm you're last resort. How thoughtful.”

“Don’t act like you’re offended. You are just as bored as I am. So, are you in or out?”

“A bets a bet… I guess.”

“That’s the spirit. Follow me, “The Magnet” is across the street.”

I followed Jesse across the way to a nearby parking meter where the beautiful Cadillac was parked. It was as gorgeous as I remembered with the shiny black paint and leather interior.

“You named the car “The Magnet?” I couldn’t quite figure out why he thought that name would fit such a beautiful vehicle.

“It’s actually short for something else… But I’ll spare your innocent ears.”

Jesses opened the passenger side door for me as I tried to piece together his last statement. When it finally dawned on me, I smacked him on the arm.

“What was that for?”

“That was for women everywhere. The… Magnet?”

Jesse laughed which was music to my ears. I knew from meeting him that not much made him smile, let alone laugh. It made me feel slightly smug.

“I was wondering how long it would take you to get it.”

Jesse checked his mirrors and then pulled out of the parking lot slowly. Very slowly.

“I think a snail just passed us.”

“It’s called ‘cruising’ princess. We’re supposed to go slow.” He placed his sunglasses over his eyes and leaned back in to his seat. He was the picture of relaxation, but I was getting antsy.

“You have a classic American made muscle car and you’re wasting it by going 5 miles per hour.”

“Relax, you'll get your ride,” my mind went immediately to the gutter again. “but in the mean time, why don't you sit back and enjoy the view.” I couldn’t help but feel like he was referring to himself.

Without commenting further, I took his advice and leaned back to make myself more comfortable. I took a cue from him and fished out my sunglasses to block the sun from my eyes. There wasn't much to look at, I’d been up and down this street my whole life, but the sun was shining and the breeze from the open windows blew lightly through my hair, giving downtown a whole new look. The few people on the streets stared at us as we drove by. I felt cool. I felt confident. The warmth of summer made my bare thighs stick to the seat, but I didn't care. The smell of the leather and seeing the sights brought about a flood of memories of my dad driving me to get ice cream in his Cadillac. I ran my fingers along the coated wood-grain dashboard and then rolled the manual windows up and down. They definitely didn't make cars like this anymore. I felt Jesse’s eyes on me, then mine on him, and for a brief second I was certain that we completely understood each other.

I had to turn away before Jesse could see the tears forming in my eyes and after wiping them away, I brought up the first thing to come to mind.

“You have fuzzy dice on the rear view mirror. How cliche.”

“If you like that, you should see all of the kinky stuff Danny keeps in the back. Whips, furs—“

“Ok! You can stop there. I get it.”

“I’m just messing with you. You’re kinda cute when you blush.”

I turned away, angry at his admission. I was tired of these boys messing with me. I lifted my shoulders confidently, “I’m not as innocent as you think I am.”

“I guess you will just have to prove that to me.”

We approached the end of Main Street, and with that, the edge of Downtown. I was ready to say my goodbyes and to to let myself out when Jesse dropped the hood.

“What are you doing?”

“Buckle up princess. Time to show you what she can do.”

Jesse revved up the engine and peeled out of the street and on to the highway, leaving a trail of smoke behind us.

After twenty minutes of what can only be described as reckless driving, Jesse pulled the car over as we approached our apparent destination.

My breathing was rapid and short and I fought as I tried desperately to catch it. My knuckles were ghost white and my fingers ached from clinging on to the safety handles. I feared for our lives at every bend and turn. I know I wanted to be shown what the Cadillac could do, but this was crossing the line. I looked over at Jesse whose face gave no evidence of fear and I suddenly lost my temper. I smacked his arm but when he didn't flinch I hit him again.

“What the hell is wrong with you? We could have died!”

“I thought thats what you wanted?”

“I wanted to go faster than two miles per hour not 100 on the side of a winding cliffside!”

I got out of the car and stomped to the cliffs edge, not even bothering to close the door. I watched the rough waters slam against the jagged rocks and almost lost my lunch just thinking of what could have happened if Jesse lost control of the vehicle. I heard the car doors close and turned to see Jesse walking towards me.

“I had a handle on it” he said when he reached my side. “I would never put you in real danger.” I ignored his words and lifted my chin in defiance. He sighed in defeat and lit up a cigarette. “I’m sorry Layla.” His voice was sad and filled with remorse. It reminded me of Drew whenever he was genuinely sorry about something he did and it melted my resolve. I could never stay mad for too long when I heard that tone of voice.

“Fine. I accept your apology but please, don't ever drive like that again.” He gave a slight nod and I knew the subject was dropped. “What is this place?”

“You’ve never been here before? I discovered it one one of my late night drives. Do you like it?”

“It’s gorgeous up here.” I answered honestly when I got a real chance to soak in my surroundings. We were at what seemed to be the highest point of Warren, which not only looked over the ocean, but also the entire tiny town. I could literally see for miles.

Jesse threw his cigarette over the edge and walked over to “The Magnet” I followed behind and copied him when he hopped to sit on the trunk of the car. The car dipped with the weight of our bodies, and Jesse took out another cigarette, rolling it absentmindedly in his hands for a minute before sticking it behind his ear. I watched as my feet dangled off the ground, unsure of what to say next. Jesse wasn’t the easiest person to talk too what with his intensity and all. Not to mention I wasn't the most chatty of people to begin with either. We were quite the unusual duo.

My eyes caught site of a bumper sticker with the logo of one of my favorite bands and it occurred to me that we might have a few things in common.

“I like the bumper sticker. Black Flag is one of my favorite bands.” When Jesse just stared at me, I realized that the car wasn't his and the sticker probably wasn't his either. “I guess Danny likes them too.”

He rolled his eyes. “That sticker is all me. He may sing in a band but the guy has terrible taste in music.” I smirked a little. It made total sense that he liked the same music as I did.

“So, how do you know so much about classic cars and hardcore punk?” Jesse asked me with intrigue.

“My dad had a car just like this sitting in the garage and he would always come out and work on it, eventually teaching me about it but my mom had to sell it for…” I searched for the right words, “financial reasons. And I know about Black flag because, unlike Danny, I have excellent taste in music.

His lips began to move, almost forming a smile. “Can’t argue with that. My ex would hate you.”

His statement threw me off guard. “Why would she hate me?”

“Because you’re everything that she claims to be. She thinks of herself as this badass chick who knows about music and cars and pretends that she doesn’t give a damn about what anyone thinks of her but in reality, she’s an insecure little girl.”

My mouth dropped a little. I was sitting next to someone with relationship baggage worse than mine.

“Plus,” he continued, “you look like that.” He waved his hand over me.

“Umm thanks?”

“Don’t worry, it’s a compliment. You’re the badass chick she wished she was wrapped in the prom queen package.”

“She doesn’t seem like a nice person.”

“She was the biggest bitch I’d ever met, but I was completely obsessed with her. I thought I was in love and I kept trying to convince myself that the constant fighting and breaking up was normal. She was in to drugs and cheated on me every chance she had. We ended things for good before we left Boston, but fuck me for still thinking about her.”

This was the most I had ever heard Jesse speak at one time and he was pouring everything out in one singular moment. It was clear that he was holding all of this in and I was almost flattered that he chose me to talk to.

“Lately though,” his voice slowed down and dropped an octave, “I haven't been thinking about her at all.  In fact, today is the first time since arriving in Warren that she came to mind.”

“Why is that?” I asked with my voice lowering as well but my curiosity was at it’s all time highest. He bore in to me with that intense gaze of his daring me to look away. When I didn’t he turned away and muttered something incoherent to himself.

“What about you, princess? Ever been in love?” I noticeably stiffened at the question. “Sorry. Of course you have. Bet you would never hurt him by cheating.”

Jesse was both right and wrong. I was always faithful to Drew, never for a second thought about another guy, but that didn't mean I never caused him pain.

“Cheating isn't the only way to hurt someone. All I ever seem to do is cause pain to the people I love.” I decided to be candid with him. It was the least I could do after he opened up to me. “Yes. Yes I have been love.”

“What happened?”

“He was better off without me. If you love them, set them free, right?”

“Wrong.” He answered immediately. “I say, if you love them, never let go. But what the hell do I know?” Jesse took the cigarette he tucked away earlier, lit it up, and took a long drag.

“Smoking kills ya know.”

“Does it?” He asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Never heard that one before. Judge all you want but I take advantage every time we dock because Leo has this stupid ban on smoking on the boat. He’s afraid I'm going to set the boat on fire, but how much damage can I do? We’re on water for chrissakes!” He took another puff and exhaled slowly.

I laughed at his outburst. “He actually mentioned that the other day.”

“Did he now?” he raised his eyebrow in suspicion.

“Yeah. Against my better judgement, I went sailing with him.”

Jesse shook his head. “Let me guess, he gave you a tour of the boat, taught you how to sail?”

“Yeah, so?”

“I’m going to kick his ass! I cant believe you fell for it, that’s his move to get girls to go out with him!”

“He said he never takes girls out on Freedom.”

“Don't be so naive Layla, that boat is a bigger pussy magnet than ‘The Pussy Magnet’. Have to hand it to him though, the man has game.”

I understood then what Jesse was saying about Leo. Of course the whole thing was planned, I was a fool for thinking he would ever remove his mask.

“So I guess the story about his dad passing away was a line too? A way to get sympathy points?” I couldn’t hide my disappointment.

Jesse who was puffing away, suddenly choked on smoke and started coughing. “He told you about his dad?” he asked as soon as his throat cleared. I nodded. “Wow.” Jesse’s eyes watched me in disbelief which was more unnerving than his signature intense gaze and made me squirm in my seat.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“You don’t get it Layla, Leo never talks about my uncle. Ever. Not even to me and Max and we were there when it happened.”

“He told me it happened last year.”

He nodded slightly. “Hardest day of his… well, our lives. My uncle Frank raised me when my dad went to prison and my mom, well she didn’t give two shits about me. He took me in permanently and changed my life. He set me straight, taught be how to be a man. He gave me a family and I could never thank him enough for that. After it all went down, Leo grew obsessed with fixing the boat. He stopped eating and sleeping, it almost killed him and I… I went to a dark place. It took Max to stop our destructive behavior. The two of us started helping with the repairs, making sure Leo took care of himself and when it was done, we left, and well, you know the rest.”

Jesse continued his quest to see through me and into my soul, making me defensive.

“What?”

“I’m just trying to figure you out.”

“Trust me Jesse, theres nothing to figure out.”

Jesse got up from the trunk, stamped out his cigarette and silently moved to the drivers seat. His dismissive behavior was a sign that the talking hour was over and his walls were back up. I solemnly took my seat in the passenger side, gave him one last glance, but he ignored me and turned on the ignition.

He drove much slower this time which eased my tension. Occasionally I would feel his gaze on me but it only lasted for a second. When we reached my house, he sat there silently with the engine still running.

Awkwardly I turned to him “Thank you for today. It was—“ what could I say to describe the last few hours? Enlightening? Confusing? Scary? Sexy? Instead I just settled for “fun”.

I reached for the handle when Jesse grabbed ahold of my arm. “What is it about you that makes us want to open up?” the question sounded more for him than it was for me which was a relief considering I had no answer for him. He came closer to me, his faces only inches from mine. I imagined him kissing me, a thought which made me almost run out of the car, but instead he turned away and stared out in to the distance. I went for the door again and managed to get out but not before I heard him say “… she would definitely hate you.”

[mjcraig199]

Chapter 10- Sailing

It was my last weekend off before the madness of the gala would officially begin, so I decided to take advantage of the free time and head to the beach.

My plan was to bring Desi along since she loves to frolic in the water but my mother insisted they have a bonding day. I hesitated initially of course but she was quick to remind me of the deal we struck last night, so I caved and Des was ecstatic.

The day was perfect beach weather. High 80’s and not a single cloud in the sky. One of the advantages of working so close to shore is the knowledge I acquired of all the non-tourist areas. I practically had the beach all to myself.

I laid out on my towel in my pink bikini and matching board shorts and closed my eyes to let my skin absorb the rays. I hadn’t done this at all this summer and the warmth was exactly what I needed to relax.

I remembered coming to this very spot with Drew a couple of years ago. We stayed and watched the sunset together as we ate whatever we packed for the day and then waded in the water and played until night fall. It was one of those perfect summer days that you wished would never end, but that’s just not how life works. In reality, all good things must come to an end.

I was beginning to drift asleep when a sudden drop of cold water dripped on to my bare stomach. I jumped from the cold and lifted my wayfarers, ready to curse however was responsible directly to hell. Standing above me was Leo, soaking wet, with a shit eating grin on his face. His hair was a dark blonde now due to the ocean water. His blue and black board shorts were still soaked which caused them to hang low on his waist.

“Damn, deep thoughts, if I didn't know better I would say that you're not happy to see me.”

“I’m not happy to see you. How did you even find this place? Only locals know it exists.”

He looked down at me with the most smug look he could make and touched a finger to his nose.

“Got a nose for finding the best surf in any town. It’s a gift.”

He then stuck his board in the sand and sat beside me, making himself comfortable.

“You alone out here?”

“Does it look like I’m alone?”

“Calm down deep thoughts. It was just a question.”

“Sorry.” I started to feel bad for my attitude.

“No worries. I think I’m getting use to that mouth of yours. Are you planning on getting in the water or are you just going to sit here all day looking sexy in that bikini?”

I covered myself with my ams, although I couldn’t seem to hide much.

“Don’t get shy on me now deep thoughts. You’re hot. Everyone can see it. Nothing to be ashamed about.”

“I’m not ashamed of anything and my name, for the hundredth time, is Layla.”

“I know what it is. So back to my question, What were you going to do?”

“I was working on my tan.”

“You shouldn't tan. It would ruin your skin.” He took his hand and softly ran it down my cheek. “Such soft, perfect skin.” I slapped his hand away. “I love it when you’re fiery!” He laughed. “Let’s go, I’m bored.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“You don't think I'm a murderer still, right?” I turned my nose up at him. “Come on, Let me take you sailing.”

I shook my head no.

“Please, if you come with me, I promise to call you by your real name.”

It was a really tempting offer and judging by Leo’s grin he knew it was too..

“Fine”

“That’s my girl!”

“I’m not you're girl, Leo.”

“Not yet deep thoughts. Give it time.” He jumped up and dusted the sand from his backside and then extended his hand to help me up. I grabbed it with some trepidation and then followed him to the ocean.

The boat was tied to pier 33 just like the first time I saw it, but unlike last time, the sunlight made it looked even more beautiful. The gold trimmed paint flickered as it bobbed up and down in the waves. It was truly mesmerizing.

“Beautiful, isn’t she?”

“I think she’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”

Leo turned to me and smiled. “Yup, thats how I used to feel.” He patted her thoughtfully. “She’s even better inside. Come look.” He climbed over the edge and helped me do the same. He gave me a tour of the sailboat starting with the deck. Once aboard, the ship seemed much bigger and the dark wood gave It a modern feel. He then brought me below deck where it resembled a studio apartment. There was one twin bed in the far corner and two hammocks beside it.

“The three of us take turns sleeping on the bed. The hammocks are comfortable but will mess up your back if you lay in it too often.”

“I can’t believe the three of you live here.”

“It’s small but we only use it to sleep. Most of the time, I’m the one steering so when the weather is right, I’ll sleep up top on deck. Since we’ve docked here though, Jesse’s been staying at his buddies house. He’s not allowed to smoke on board so he makes sure to get his fix when he can. Max gets cabin fever and usually will get a hotel or he’ll make a friend and stay with them.”

“You don't ever get cabin fever?”

“You kidding? I would stay out in the open water forever if I could. Check this out.” He pulled me to the other side of the room. “This is the kitchen. It’s filled with all the essentials.” He opened the fridge and I took a peek.

“Theres only beer in here.”

“Like I said, the essentials.” He then dropped down on the brown love seat in the middle of the room.

“This is where we watch movies on our tiny portable DVD player.”

I browsed the movie collection. “You have every Tarantino movie here.”

“The man is a genius. We never get tired of watching his films. The bathroom is over there in case you need it, and that concludes out tour.” He took my hand in to his. “Now lets take her out to sea.”

I was impressed with everything I saw on my little tour but nothing impressed me more than watching Leo at the helm. He was a master at setting sail, and it seemed to me that this was the only thing he ever took seriously. Every time we ran into each other he was always grinning, joking around, or being inappropriate, but looking at him now, he was all business. His eyes remained focus on a point that only he could see. As we got further he directed me on how to work the sails until he found a spot he was satisfied with and dropped the anchor. We were out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but water surrounding us.

I continued to watch Leo as he moved around the ship effortlessly. I was being thrashed around by the waves trying to find my sea legs but Leo adapted with no time at all and moved with utter confidence. It was  as mesmerizing as the boat itself.

“Like what you see, deep thoughts?”

I shook my head out of my trance not realizing I was staring. “I’m sorry. I’m just impressed with all of this. You really know what you’re doing.”

“I would hope so, otherwise we’d be screwed out here. She's the only woman in my life so of course I would know how to handle her. Try not to be too jealous.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Do you want to steer her?”

“No. No, I couldn't.”

“Sure you could. I’ll show you. He stepped up to me and helped me stay steady on my feet. “You’re not much of a listener, are you?”

“I’ll admit it’s not my strongest suit, but what I lack in listening I make up in other ways.” He winked at me. “Let me raise the anchor first.” He reeled it in quickly. “Ok now stand in front of me over here and grab the wheel at 10 and 2.” I followed his instructions but I wasn't anticipating the wheel being so heavy and I lost control.

“Whoa. Hold on.” Leo came from behind me and grabbed the wheel.

“I’m going to crash.”

“Look around you, theres nothing to crash in to. Now spread your feet apart for balance and hold tight.” I took the wheel again while Leo continued to hold on. “I’m going to let go now. Remember to put your strength behind it.”

I braced myself as he slowly withdrew and I was alone at the helm, sailing. The ocean mist lightly sprayed my face as I inhaled the fresh air. I understood then why the boat was called ‘Freedom’, because thats exactly what I felt. It was exhilarating.

“You look good up there.” Leo complimented.

“I feel amazing.”

“It’s euphoric isn’t it? Nothing like the open sea to make you feel like you’re flying. If I could, I would never leave.”

“I can’t believe I’ve never asked this but where are you heading to anyways?”

“We’re headed south to Key West. A friend of my dads makes good money running a fishing boat about three days a week and spends the rest of his days relaxing on the beach. It’s the life.”

“How, very Hemingway of you”

“That’s the idea. He’s one of my heroes.”

“The man took a shotgun to his face. Doesn’t seem like much of a role model.”

“He lived hard and died young.”

“And that’s what you want?”

“I’m just taking it one day at a time. Besides the destination, I don’t know what tomorrow will bring.”

“That sounds terrifying.”

“Are you scared of everything?”

“I wasn’t always.”

“So what happened?”

I stayed quiet.

“Message received. Here…” He stood behind me again and grabbed the steering wheel. “Let’s anchor for a minute.” He steadied the wheel, thankfully, I was far too distracted at the closeness of our bodies to hold on any longer. Because of our height differences, my head was right on his chest and I felt the steady speed of his beating heart. His hand grazed mine and I gulped hard. My body temperature was rising with his heat until I couldn’t take it anymore. I shifted to the side, out of his hold, to cool down and to rid myself of the shock that I felt at how my body reacted to his.

“Are you ok? You’re bright red.”

“I’m fine. Just a little sea sick.”

“Sit here. He walked to the front of the ship, grabbed a drink from the cooler and patted a spot on the floor beside him. “Give it a minute for you’re stomach to settle.”

I sat next to him, pulled my knees to my chest and closed my eyes. After a moment, the boat stopped bobbing up and down and I was able to open my eyes and see a pensive Leo staring off in to the distance.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked when he noticed me stirring.

“Yeah. Sitting down really helped.”

“Good. That’s what Jess does whenever he gets sea sick.”

I chuckled. “Thank you for teaching me how to sail.”

“My pleasure. I don’t take just anyone out on the boat, you should feel special.” He stretched out his legs and placed his hands behind his head.

“Do you ever stop?”

“Stop what?”

“The jokes. The sly grins. The flirting. Does that mask ever come off?”

Leo stared at me, surprised at my bluntness. I didn’t mean to call him out like that but the combination of being out at sea and watching Leo in his element with his guard down made me question who the real Leo Hayden was.

“You’re nick name really suits you deep thoughts, you sure you want me to stop calling you that?” When I didn’t reply back he let out an exasperated sigh. “You think you know me?

“Not at all. I could probably sit out here everyday with you for a lifetime and still never figure you out.” It was the truth.

“Sounds like an offer.” His grin was back and I hopelessly shook my head. “Ok. Ok. You want to hear something real? This boat , ‘Freedom’, was my dads vision. His dream. But he passed away before he could finish it so I made it my dream. I fixed her up with the boys help and we left Boston without looking back. I didn’t know when I left that I would love sailing so much, because… because it reminds me of him.”

Leo’s eyes became glossy before he turned it way from me. He downed the rest of his beer and slammed the bottle beside him. The sound of the glass hitting the deck made me wince as the silence grew between us. I had no words that could make him feel better. What was ironic about the situation is that I knew exactly how he felt. How I was, and very much still am, in his position.

I remembered when my father passed away and how no amount of sympathy or comfort would fill the void he left behind, so I stayed quiet. I accepted the words with a polite nod until the words stopped and I was left alone. What could I say to Leo that wouldn’t make him feel the same way?

“I… I lost my father too.”

Leo turned toward me, eyes wide. “Thank you,” I said. “Thank you for being real with me.”

“You’re welcome.” He shook his head and ran a hand through his wind blown hair. “Fuck this! Let’s go for a swim.”

“Excuse me?”

Leo stood up, shook his shoulders loose and jumped in place. “Let’s jump.”

“No way. Not going to happen.”

“Deep thoughts, you made me show emotion. You owe me this.”

I hated his logic.

“The water is freezing.”

“No its not.” He lied.

“It’s too high to jump.”

“It’s only a few feet.” Another lie. He had an answer for every excuse and I was running out of excuses.

“Can you stop being scared for a second and live a little?”

He grabbed my hand and dragged me to my feet.

“On the count of three, we jump.”

“Leo…”

“One.”

“Please… I …”

“Two.”

I squeezed his hand and he squeezed back, assuring me he wouldn’t let go.

“Three!”

We leapt off the side of the boat, hand in hand. The cold temperature of the water hit me hard but it was refreshing. When I broke the surface, Leo was right next to me laughing. His laughter made me laugh until we were both in hysterics splashing water at each other.

The sun was setting when I started to shiver so we climbed back aboard ‘Freedom’. Leo wrapped me in a towel and rubbed my shoulders and arms to stop me from shaking.

“I’m not stopping by the way.” I looked at him unsure of what he was talking about. “The nick name. It’s too perfect for you.”

I went to smack him but he dodged my attack and ran for the helm.

“You’re a jerk.”

“You wanted to see the real me. Ready to get back to dry land?”

I watched the sun set as we got closer to land, but I was not ready for the responsibilities waiting for me in Warren.

[mjcraig199]

Garett Hedlund as Leo Hayden

[mjcraig199]

Dylan O'brien as Max Walters

[mjcraig199]

New Chapters!

After the boys of summer chapters 2,3 and 4 are up. I will put them up on tumblr in a few days but in the mean time, you can check them out on wattpad by clicking the link below. thank you!

http://www.wattpad.com/myworks/26429348-after-the-boys-of-summer

[mjcraig199]

Chapter 1: Saddest Summer Ever

“Here we go again.” Ruby sighed. “Another summer of slave work.” 

We joined the rest of my coworkers in the dining hall. This would be my third, and hopefully last, summer working at Warren Yacht Club. Summer was the start of the busy season which meant waiting hand and foot on the snobby rich folks from the city. My last two years at this job were spent in the boiling hot sun checking boats in and out of the dock. Everyone hated that particular task but I did it with a smile in hopes of moving to the wait staff, no matter how bad it ruined my complexion. The hard work payed off though, and I was moved up by Mrs. Caulfield herself, who was impressed by my customer service skills.

“You’re so lucky to be indoors this year. You’ll be comfortable in the air conditioning while I’ll be out there burning in the sun collecting golf balls.”

“It’s not so bad. The golfers tip well.” I assured Ruby.

“Not as well as the dining room. You’re going to be rolling in cash.” She stated with a bit of envy in her tone. That was my big reason for wanting to be a waitress. Money was always a big problem with my family but was only made worse by my acceptance in to college.

We found Pierce Meyer in front of the crowd. He wasn’t easy to miss with his tall, skinny frame and red-orange hair. Besides Ruby, he was the closest to being ‘more than an acquaintance’ to me. They were almost friends, if I had the time to have them.

“Hey Pierce. Did we miss anything?” Ruby asked.

“Nope. You’re just in time. Do you think Ms. C is going to cry during her speech this year?”

Ruby shook here head. “I think the old bat is too dried up to produce any tears.”

“Ten bucks says she’s in tears by the time we’re out of here.”

“You’re on Meyer.” Pierce and Ruby shook each others hand and then turned to me.

“You in Lay?” Pierce asked. I just shook my head “no.”

Before the announcements, I took some time to inspect the new recruits. I could differentiate the oldies from the newbies by the color vest they wore. Theres was a navy blue, while ours were a deep red. Most of them were huddled together in the back of the group. They were fresh faced kids who had not truly experienced life and all of it’s wonderful tragedies. I envied them and their innocence.

Mrs. Caulfield cleared her throat to grab the attention of the crowd. When the volume didn’t decrease, she cleared it louder. Finally, the talking stopped.

“Welcome! I hope everyone got some time to get to know each other. You’re going to see a lot of these faces, so get use to them. To those of you have worked here previously, I hope you will help the new staff with their duties.” Pierce snickered at the word “duties” and Mrs. C shot him a death glance. I elbowed him in the ribs to make him pay attention.

“And to the new staff,” she continued, “Please show our veterans some respect and don’t hesitate to ask any questions. Now, as you might of heard, this Yacht club has been here for 100 years. In fact, this year we will be celebrating our centennial with a Gala at the end of the month. If you prove yourself worthy, you’ll be able to work the party. My great great grandfather, Charles Caulfield, was on of the founders of the town of Warren. He helped to establish this town to be one of the greatest in all of Maryland.” 

Mrs. C pulled out a tissue and dabbed the corner of her eyes. I Looked over to Ruby who rolled her eyes and reluctantly placed money in to a smug faced Pierce’s hand.

“I apologize for my emotions. I’m just very proud of this town and my lineage, and I know all of you will continue to make me proud. With that said, it is time to break up in to smaller groups. You all have your assignments, so please make way to you leader.”

I waved bye to Ruby who met up with Conner, her team lead, while Pierce and I stayed in the dining hall. Our team lead for the restaurant was Cynthia Cho. She’d been working here for a couple of years  already when I first started to help pay off her school loans. She was always very kind to me and I felt comfortable to work under her.

“Ready for another summer Layla?” Cynthia asked.

“Ready for it to be over.” I answered. Cynthia grinned and analyzed her staff as they gathered in front.

“Looks like a good group. Already three hot newbies in the bunch.” I rolled my eyes. Why was everyone who worked here so boy crazy?

“You sound just like Ruby.”

“How dare you? She is so much worse than me. You should have seen her at Tavern. I think she made out with everyone there.” I laughed a little because I could completely picture Ruby doing that. “Look at this guy,” she gestured to one of the boys in the group. “She would be all over him.”

I inspected the person Cynthia pointed out. He was definitely Ruby’s type: hot. He was several inches taller than me with short brown hair. He smiled at one of the girls who was clearly putting the moves on him, which displayed his cute, boyish dimples. From where I was standing, I could see that he filled his uniform out pretty well. I could already imagine every eligible girl in Warren going after this guy.

Cynthia dragged a stool from the corner of the room which broke me out of my trance. 

“Looks like this is everyone.” She said to herself before making her introduction. “Hello team members! My name is Cynthia and I am your team lead for the summer. I have been working here for five years, the last three spent here in the dining hall. Today I’m going to break you off in small groups led by a senior staff member who will show you around the yacht club.”

Cynthia pointed at four people and told them to go with Pierce. I knew he was happy with his group when I saw him check out one of the blonde girls. She separated everyone until the last four standing were assigned to me. The group consisted of a teenage brunette girl, a chubby guy, an older lady and Ruby’s hot guy.

“Hi everyone.” I announced. “My name is Layla and this is my third year working at Warren Yacht Club and first year in the dining hall. I’ll start our tour outside and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.” When no one said anything I turned to leave the room with my group following behind.

I showed them the golf course first and the site where all the weddings are conducted. The group was mostly quiet, only commenting on how nice the club was or how hot it was outside. It wasn’t until we reached the docks, when the questions started rolling in.

“How rich are the people that come here?” The brunette girl asked.

“We’re not allowed to discuss finance with the members but judging by the cars they drive, I would assume it’s a lot.”

The chubby kid raised his hand next. “Do they tip well?”

“Umm from what I’ve been told, they do, but it really depends on the job performance.” The Chubster  nodded and then an older lady raised her hand. I really needed to learn their names.

“Are many of the members rude?”

I sighed. “I’m going to be honest and say yes, some can be a bit abrasive but I promise that with time you will learn to handle them.” I didn’t go in to detail about the abuse that some staff have experienced. Many of the staff have quit due to poor treatment, especially those who worked in the dining hall. If I had the ability to cry, I would have broken down several times when I first started. Luckily most of the members know me, but that wouldn’t stop some from looking down on someone like me. 

I looked up at Ruby’s hot guy waiting for him to ask a question but he just gave me a sweet smile and I moved on. 

“Well, it looks like we’re done for the day. Please remember to clock out before you leave and I will see you tomorrow.” The group disbanded but Ruby’s hot guy lingered behind.

“Great tour.” He said and I was shocked at the his deep baritone voice. “Very thorough.”

“Thanks.” I muttered. I started walking back to the club with him following closely behind.

“It was kind of cold though.” I stopped at his directness. It wasn’t the first time I was called cold, it was mostly done behind my back, but it was the first time a stranger said it to my face.

“Oh?” I said.

“Yeah. It was kind of stiff and rehearsed.”

“I’m sorry you felt that way.” I said in my robotic tone.

“Can I offer some friendly advice?” 

“You can offer.” I said. “Doesn’t mean I’ll take it.”

“Fair enough.” He smiled warmly. “For starters, you could have asked for our names.”

I blushed in embarrassment. “Yeah, that part kind of slipped my mind but I’ll eventually learn everyones names the more we work together.”

“You could always practice on me. Go ahead, ask me my name.” I looked around my surroundings, waiting for this to be some sort of lame prank pulled off by Pierce. When no one jumped out of the bushes, my shoulders sank in defeat.

“What is your name?” I asked, again in my robotic voice.

“My name is Max Walters.” He grabbed my hand and shook it. “I look forward to working with you.”

“Umm… me too.”

Max smiled a hundred watt smile and then walked past me to the dining hall but not before he turned around to look at me. “Now that wasn’t so hard, Was it?” Before I could answer back, he jogged away.

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