Marlon: Where are you?
Hazel: I’m at the lake.
Hazel walked away with her phone to a more secluded area. She sat on the wooden dock and tucked her hair behind her ear. She smiled at Marlon who was at the other end of the video call. He looked weary. His hair was all messy like he just got out of bed.
Hazel: How was the family therapy?
Marlon: Sucks … (chuckled as he rubbed his eyes).
Hazel: (Laughed lightly) What happened? Did anyone got sedated again?
Marlon: Hah … I wish I had … it would’ve been better if they strapped me on a chair and injected me with morphine.
Hazel: Oh my God … that bad?
Marlon was walking around fixing himself a drink.
Hazel could see in passing how lavish his apartment in Goldstone was.
Marlon: Who are you with? Are you staying there long?
Hazel: (Looked over her shoulder) You know … the usual … Jan, Finn, Theo, his cousins … some of his neighbors around here …
Marlon: (Squinted his eyes) Theo? The jock? Is he back for the summer?
Hazel: (Cleared her throat) I think so … I thought I told you he was coming back for the summer?
Marlon: Yeah, you told me but I didn’t know he was already there … so … when are you going back?
Hazel: (Lifted her shoulders) I don’t know … we just got here … three or four days I guess … what about you? When are you coming back?
Marlon: (Grunted) I don’t know … the same maybe … three or four days … I hate being stuck here with my parents … in a rehab facility nonetheless … I need to get out of here.
Hazel: To a party? Or meet your friends?
Marlon: (Drank up his water to the bottom and let out a long breath) Aahhh … that was good … I’d rather see you … there’s a party here every day … Mandy called … she wants to get back together … (Rolled his eyes).
Hazel: Oooh … getting laid … (laughed loudly).
Marlon: Hmm … no … not with her anyways.
They laughed.
Marlon: My dad reminded me to tell you about the summer program … are you coming?
Hazel: (Glanced away to look at something) Uhm … I’m not sure … my parents are in Gastonbury … I can’t really go until they’re back, and I don’t know when they’ll be back … (pursed her lips, eyebrows furrowed).
Marlon: (Opened his fridge to get a can of beer) Please don’t tell me you’re canceling on me because of the Jock? (Raised his brow and stared straight at Hazel through the phone)
Hazel: What? No … I told you … I have to wait for my parents … and I’m not canceling on you … I wanna do the summer program thing … is that beer?
Marlon: (Took a gulp of his beer) Uh … huh … good … ’cause I got something I want to show you in Goldstone … you have to come here and stay at my place.
Hazel: It’s 9 o’clock in the morning … don’t you think it’s too early? What do you want to show me?
Marlon: I know right? I wake up early here … and it’s good beer … (raised the can at the phone) you should try it … (sip from his can) … I can’t tell you until you get here, it’s … private … I need you to promise that you’re coming … it’s important for me
Hazel: (Paused for a moment and studied Marlon’s expression through the lens) Is this similar to the party? You’re not taking ‘no’ for an answer are you?
Marlon: (His jaw fell open) Wha … (raised both arms) I thought you said you were coming? Are you bailing out on me? It’s the Jock isn’t it? I can feel it through this phone you are bailing out …
Hazel: I’m not bailing out … (laugh lightly) … I promise, I told you … and it’s important for you, of course I’ll come … can you at least tell me what it is?
Marlon: No … you won’t come if I tell you … (took a gulp of his beer) … where is everybody anyway? I haven’t heard a sound since we started this call.
Hazel: (Looked over her shoulder) They’re at the cabin … having breakfast probably
Just as they were talking about it, Theo was calling for her in the background.
Theo: Micky! You wanna go for a swim?
Hazel: Oh … they’re looking for me … I have to go … call you later?
Marlon: (Raised his brows) Sure … or text … who’s Micky?
Hazel: (Giggling) I’ll tell you all about that later … I have to go … I hope you have a better session today … ‘kay? Let me know how it goes … (kissed her hand and waved at Marlon).
Marlon: Thanks … bye babe … love ya’
She tucked the phone in her back pocket and tiptoed her way to Theo, “I’m coming!” she said.
“Who was it? Jan?” Theo asked and handed her a towel.
“Oh … no … it’s Marlon … he’s asking me when I’ll be back,” she said.
“Why?”
“I promised him to do the summer program thing I told you about.”
“Right … did you tell him it’s just the two of us here?” he asked.
“No … you said it’s better that no one should know?”
“Yeah, I was just checking … we don’t want your mom to worry, so … you wanna go for a swim?”
Theo extended his hand and Hazel took it with a smile. They ran toward the lake and left all their stuff by the water. Theo put a life vest on Hazel and for himself as well.
He’s always so responsible like that. They both could swim, Theo was a better swimmer than Hazel but it was just the two of them there. No one was available to come. Theo was there to mend the cabin because his grandfather was moved to a nursing home just recently. The place was empty.
They jumped into the lake. She screamed from the freezing water. He emerged right in front of her and flicked his wet hair to the side.
“Are you okay? Too cold?” he asked.
Her teeth rattled but she laughed it out, “I forgot how cold the water is … I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?” he was concerned.
Theo … his green eyes were looking at her, water dripping on his beautiful face, his cheek reddened in contrast with the pale of his skin from the coldness of the lake. He pinched his nose … his gorgeous nose. His lips were moving, smiling and she was mesmerized by everything that he was. To be alone with him was a rare thing for her in the past. It was all coming back to her. The way she always felt when she was alone with Theo … her first love.
“I’m sure,” she replied. Her cheeks were probably turning red as well for a whole different reason.