"Just a little lake across the Alabama line, But I was king of the ocean, When daddy let me drive..." -- Drive 'Alan Jackson'
8
She told her mom that they would be taking the boat as she reached the last step and was met with curious glances from her sisters.
"You're not taking the boat. You don't even know how to use it," Ellie, the eternal pessimist stated.
"Thanks mom," Tessa said sarcastically before facing her mom. "Mom, you know I can drive it, so is it OK if I take the boat?"
"You'll have to get gas for it," her mother told her before leaving to get the key from the kitchen. "And I want you to call me when you get there and when you leave."
"Mom."
"Don't Tessa, just call me OK?" She nodded as her mother leaned in and gave her a hug. "Have fun."
She smiled at her sister before grabbing Teddy's arm and leading him out the front door. She could hear her older sister's protests from outside and smirked to herself.
"Can you back your truck up to the garage?" She asked and he nodded. He was amazed with her. She could drive a boat? She looked happy today too. Not that she didn't look happy on other occasions, but for some reason there was a certain radiance coming from her.
He got out to at least attempt to help her, but she swatted him away and told him to wait by the truck. He grinned in a goofy manner as he gazed into the garage and was surprised to see a motorcycle in the far corner. Surely Tessa and her sisters didn't drive it. He laughed at the thought.
"OK, ready?" She asked and he nodded, getting in the driver's seat. "Oh no, I'm driving."
"But its my truck," he laughed.
"No offense, but I don't trust you with the trailer attached."
"OK, OK," he laughed as he got out and let her take his place. They stopped for gas and then stopped at a Wendy's to pick up lunch.
"You need something to swim in," she stated as she stuffed her mouth with fries. "Got anything at your place?"
He shook his head as she pulled into the parking lot of a Wal-Mart they just happened to be passing by. "Then you'll have to buy one."
Shecould tell me to steal a toothbrush and I'd probably do it, he laughed silently as the two of them rushed into the store and to the clothing section. He grabbed a pair of navy blue swimming trunks in his size and quickly paid for them.
Before either of them knew it, they were back in the truck and on their way to...
Where was it we're going? Ted thought in a panic.
"You know, you never told me where you're taking me, you little kidnapper," he stated, and although her heart skipped a beat when he said 'kidnapper', she tried not to let it bother her.
"We are going to the lake," she told him. "And its a long drive."
"How long?" He asked curiously.
"Probably an hour or more," she told him and he nodded.
"So you come here a lot?" He asked curiously and she shook her head.
"No, I haven't been in about three or four years. My dad used to take us all the time, but..." She trailed off. "But I haven't been in a long time."
"So you have two sisters?" He asked curiously.
"Three," she corrected him reluctantly. "But you most likely won't ever meet the other one." She felt if she said her name she'd be cursing herself or something, and that was the last thing she needed.
"Oh." He wasn't sure how to approach any further questions about her, so he didn't. He just assumed that something bad had happened, and even though he wanted to know, he left the subject. "So your dad taught you how to drive the boat?"
Again she felt a small pang in her heart, "Yeah. He did."
"Another hard subject?" He assumed and she nodded. "So how about you ask me questions?"
She smiled and nodded, which stopped any ounce of tears that had begun to form at thoughts of her sister and father. "So why Georgia?"
"What?"
"Why? Out of the other forty-nine states, you picked the most boring one of all. And I want to know why." She laughed.
"It doesn't seem so boring to me," he stated. "It is hot though."
She laughed and agreed with him as she checked the oncoming road signs so she wouldn't get lost. "You still haven't answered my question."
"I chose Georgia because I closed my eyes and pointed and my finger landed on it." He laughed honestly and she burst into a maniacal fit of laughter.
"You mean it was all accident?" She was still laughing a little.
"Well, on my part, but in all reality I think everything happens for a reason," he confessed and she gave a look of understanding. "But then I pulled up a list of every town and city and I closed my eyes and pointed again and that is how I landed... Here. And I seem to be highly entertained no matter where I go." He smiled at her, referring to their little conversations and banter since the first day she met him.
"So what made you move in the first place?" She asked curiously and when he didn't say much she spoke up, "If you don't want to answer you don't have to."
"No its fine. I just I was tired of my old life and people telling me what I could or couldn't do so I sold the things I could live without and moved." He told her, honestly, again. She didn't know how he could just open up to her like that. She had only known him for a few days, weeks at the most.
Their conversation faded out, as did most of the radio stations, except for one playing classical music and another playing country music. She chose the country and expected a protest from Teddy, but he was fast asleep.
- - - -
They finally arrived and got out almost immediately to stretch their legs before backing the boat into the water.
"You ready?" She laughed as she gave him instructions and soon, their boat was tied neatly to the dock and she was sitting in it, waiting for Teddy to change into his swimsuit.
They spent almost two hours riding around the lake, waving at other people in boats who were fishing and swimming with their friends and family. It was the perfect day for something like this.
She killed the engine when they were far enough from everyone else so that they could swim for a little while. He was a little hesitant, but when she splashed him and he realized just how hot it was, he knew it would be stupid not to join her.
"I think there's life jackets in there if you want to just float for a while." She told him and he nodded as he climbed back onto the boat and grabbed two so they could just float together.
"Are you having fun?" She asked curiously.
"Yes I am." He laughed.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Because when I woke up this morning the last thing on my mind was swimming in a lake with a girl that knows how to drive a boat better than most men," he laughed as she rolled her eyes and gave him a playful splash.
"I guess I'll take that as a compliment." She laughed as she kicked her feet on the surface of the water.
They floated for a good while, until the sun looked like it was a long distance runner on the last stretch of a mile-long race. She finally spoke up, "I think we should probably start heading back to shore. It'll be dark in a few hours."
He didn't speak, just followed her orders and got in the boat. On the way back, she gave him a small lesson on driving and let him steer for a little while so she could rest.
A chill settled over them as the boat sped along the water and the wind dried their soaked skin and hair. He glanced at her and found her with her knees pulled up to her chest and her eyes closed. She was sleeping, or so he thought.
"Stop looking at me you creep," she laughed before opening her eyes and staring back at him.
"I'm the creep? You're the one who knew I was staring at you with your eyes closed," he laughed as she got up and took his place at the wheel.
"Its a gift," she joked and laughed as she steered them next to the dock. "Now get out and help me."
He laughed at her and shook his head as he got out and tied the boat up. "Ok, Lobsterface."
"You're one to talk Elmo!" They joked about each other's new sunburns as they loaded the boat up and began to leave.
They stopped at another fast food restaurant for dinner, that they ate outside on a picnic table while they watched the sunset.
"I had fun today," he told her. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," she laughed as she looked at him.
"So how come you're not with your boyfriend?" He asked the question he had been wanting to ask all day.
"I don't have a boyfriend," she told him and he explained that he saw her and Jake the other night. "Oh no, seriously. He is in California with his own girlfriend now."
"Oh. I don't care or anything, I was just wondering," he tried to play his question off as mere curiosity.
"Suuure," she laughed as she threw their trash away and they got back into the truck. "Come on I need to get home before Ellie makes my mom regret letting me take this thing out."
- - - -
"So I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked, and she nodded, knowing he was talking about the pet store. "OK, bye."
She waved goodbye as she shut the garage door and watched him drive away. She almost couldn't believe she had had so much fun with someone she had only known for a couple weeks.
In fact, it was probably the most fun she had ever had in her life.