A Summer Kiss

It was a perfect summer day. The kind made for ice cream cones, short shorts and swimming pools. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the sun reflected off the long road, making the heat even stronger. Sarah didn't mind as she cruised along, car windows down, sunglasses on, making her way back to her hometown for the first time in awhile.

           She stopped using her GPS once she hit the main road in town - muscle memory kicked in and she knew exactly where she was going. She passed by her high school and the old Blockbuster Video where she'd worked, that had since become a bookstore. Sarah silently wondered how long that would last too - did people still buy books? The town seemed mostly frozen in time otherwise, with only a handful of storefronts having changed.

           She grabbed her iced Americano out of the cup holder to take a sip. She had stopped at Starbucks on her way out of the city because 1) the town would crumble before letting a Starbucks in (her father's words) and 2) seeing her parents required lots of caffeine. The straw started rattling with the sound of air instead of liquid and Sarah knew she'd need something else to keep cool. 

           She was coming up on the old Dairy Queen, where her and her friends practically lived during the summer. Perfect, she thought, pulling in. She made her way inside, immediately recognizing the familiar smell of the vanilla soft serve. "If You Steal My Sunshine," by Len, was playing on the radio and she instantly felt herself being transported back in time. That was the song of the summer in 1999, just before the start of her senior year.

           She ordered a classic Orange Julius, deciding to fully embrace the nostalgia. While she waited, she grabbed an elastic from her purse and put her hair in a ponytail. Her hair was shoulder length now, but back then it fell to the middle of her back, the brunette shade turning a little more red from the summer sun.

           She checked the time on her phone, realizing she was late. She grabbed her drink the second it was ready and quickly turned for the door, colliding with a man. The cup instantly lost its lid and the contents spilled all over his light blue polo shirt. He jumped back, sending a stack of papers he was holding to the floor. Sarah immediately bent down to pick them up and began apologizing profusely.

           "Actually, I prefer a Blizzard," he deadpanned, bending down to help her. 

           Surprised by his humour, she looked up at him so she could apologize again. His blue eyes were piercing and there was something familiar in them.

           "Sarah?" he said.

           He helped her to her feet, their eyes locked. Suddenly she recognized him.

           "Josh Duncan?" I can't believe it's you. I haven't seen you since..." she thought back, instantly realizing the irony, "...the summer before senior year."

           "The night of our first kiss," he added, a twinkle in his eye.

           "The night of our only kiss," she qualified further.

           They stood awkwardly for a moment and Sarah silently scolded herself for saying that out loud. Apparently it was still a bit of touchy subject for her, even 15 years later. 

           She broke the silence with the first thing that came to mind. "So, you grew up good." So much for less awkward, she silently scolded again, wishing she had a better filter between her brain and her mouth.

           She wasn't wrong, though. At six feet tall, with stunning blue eyes and dirty blond hair, Josh looked like an all-American quarterback. He had filled out since high school, trading his lanky frame for broader shoulders and a lot more muscle. The stubble on his jaw, which hadn't been possible in high school, made him even sexier. 

           "I hoped I might bump into you this weekend but didn't think it would be this literally," he said.

           "I'm so sorry again," Sarah replied. "I take it you heard about my parents vow renewal?"

           "Yep. What a perfect way to celebrate their 35th anniversary. Can you imagine being with someone for that long?"

           Sarah shrugged. "They're best friends," she said. "Like we were."

           They fell silent again and with that, Sarah knew she'd hit the 'awkwardness trifecta' and needed to get out of there.

           "Listen, I'm late. Here's my card - send me the dry-cleaning bill for your clothes and I'll take care of it. It was good seeing you, Josh. We should do this again in another 15 years."

           "Well actually--"

           Sarah bolted out before she heard the rest of whatever Josh said. Not her most graceful exit but it wasn't like she'd actually see him again. She couldn't believe she'd just seen him at all. She couldn't believe he remembered their kiss. 

           In the drive left to her parents' place, Sarah's mind drifted back to that time. That summer was perfect. Her and Josh were inseparable. Their days were spent with their friends or cruising around in his red pick-up truck, then she'd work the evening shift at Blockbuster, and they'd meet up afterwards to watch whatever new release had come out on video.

           The nights she didn't work would be spent in her backyard. Her dad would grill the yummiest burgers for dinner and once it got dark, her parents would go to bed and Sarah and Josh would stay outside, taking turns on the swing that hung on the giant oak tree, or laying on a big plaid blanket and looking at the stars. They'd share a can of Coke because Sarah could never drink a whole one, and if she got chilly, Josh would lend her his sweatshirt. They'd talk about travelling the world, and seeing the stars from the far corners of the Earth. 

           That last night she saw him was one of those nights. Sarah remembered it so clearly, like it was a movie playing in her mind. The air was warm and the stars were so bright, they didn't need the patio lanterns to see. She sat on the swing and Josh sat on the blanket. They were each listing the places they wanted to travel to first - agreeing on Paris - and made a pact, right then and there, that once they got through senior year, they would leave their small town behind and see the world together.

           Josh insisted they shake on it and made his way to Sarah, standing in front of the swing and grabbing the two ropes on either side to stop it from swaying. His arms were just above her shoulders. Sarah froze. Even if she had wanted to move, she couldn't. He was so close to her she could feel the heat coming off his body. The only sound was the sound of their breath. She looked up at him with wide eyes, the blue in his just as piercing in the starlight, only, he was looking at her in a way he hadn't before. Intensely. He leaned down and gently kissed her. It was warm and soft. She thought it would feel strange, but it didn't. It felt... perfect. The perfect kiss. The perfect night. Then she didn't see him again... until now.

           Sarah pulled into her parents' driveway snapping herself back into the present, her skin tingling from the memory. Shake it off, she told herself as she got out of the car.

           Her parents were waiting for her outside.

           "You're late," her father said, tapping his watch. "Don't you know you're not supposed to keep the bride waiting?"

           Sarah laughed. "I'm sorry, I stopped to get a drink and ran into Josh Duncan, of all people. I never thought he'd come back here. Did you know he was in town? It doesn't matter, he was a minor distraction and now I'm all yours. Ugh, my drink! I need one, mine ended up on the floor and it's crazy hot out here." She spoke fast and made herself out of breath.

           "Honey," her mom said, "relax, we've got lots of time. And about Josh--"

           Sarah's mom stopped, glancing towards the driveway. Sarah turned to see a red pick-up truck pulling in.

           "You've got to be kidding me," she said, instantly recognizing it.

           A moment later Josh stepped out, wearing a change of clothes and holding a tray of Dairy Queen - two vanilla cones, one Oreo Blizzard and one Orange Julius.  

           "Mr. and Mrs. Schaeffer, I come bearing gifts," he said, stopping in front of Sarah first and extending the tray. "Try not to get this one all over me," he said to her with a wink.

           Sarah took the drink and was about to say something snarky back, but shot him a look instead. The one place she did manage to have a filter was around her parents. 

           "Josh, Sarah just mentioned she saw you," her mom said. "How kind of you bring these, you didn't have to! You're already doing so much!" She grabbed the cones and gave one to her husband.

           "What is he doing, exactly? And, why here?" Sarah asked, confused and now deeply regretting her quick getaway earlier.

           "Well, we realized that the back deck only has enough space for the ceremony and we wanted a separate dance floor so Josh is going to help your dad build one," her mom replied.

           "He's quite the contractor now," her dad added, "swanky office in the city and everything. Taking the reins from the old man, huh, Josh?"

           "Yep," Josh replied, glancing at Sarah, "'fulfilling my destiny' as my father would say."

           It was all coming back to her. Josh leaving - supposedly to finish out the last week of the summer with his dad in the city - then never coming back.

           "Well," said Sarah, looking at her parents, determined not to let her memories distract her, "that's... great. This weekend is all about the two of you, so I'm so glad you're getting what you want. Mom, we've got a lot of food to make, so let's get started, huh? We'll leave the boys to the backyard."

           Sarah and her mother went inside to the kitchen. The house, like the town, hadn't changed one bit but it seemed smaller now than when Sarah was a teenager. The next few hours were spent prepping hors d'oeuvres for the party - deviled eggs, crab-stuffed mushroom caps, smoked salmon canapés - Sarah was onto peeling carrots for a crudités platter but got so lost in thought about Josh, the carrot she had was almost entirely shredded. 

           "When was the last time you saw him?" her mother asked.

           She always could read minds, Sarah thought, then answered. "That summer before senior year. Right before his dad made him start interning for the firm."

           "He's only been in town a few days," her mother said, answering Sarah's question from earlier. "He's house-sitting for his mother while she's away. Your father ran into him at the grocery store and they got to talking. That's when he offered to help."

           Sarah nodded, but stayed quiet.

           "Why didn't the two of you stay in touch back then? You were such good friends. To be honest, your father and I never understood why you didn't end up together. We always thought there was something special there."

           Sarah didn't deny it. "He left, Mom. We had a plan - we made a pact - and he broke it."

           Before either of them could say more, the men came in from the backyard.

           "Wait until you see what we built," her dad said, beaming with pride. "Now, it's almost dinner time. What would you kids think about me firing up the grill, like old times?"

           Sarah jumped in quickly. "I'm sure Josh has other plans, Dad. You've been working out there all day, he probably wants a night to himself. Right, Josh?" She shot him a look so he'd back her up. They didn't need to spend any more time together.

           "Yeah, Mr. & Mrs. Schaeffer, I wouldn't want to put you out."

           Sarah smiled, relieved that Josh had taken her cue. He smiled back but she could see that familiar glint in his eye. Uh oh, Sarah thought.

           Josh turned back to her parents and continued. "My mom stocked the freezer with some of those microwave dinners before she left - that'll be just fine."

           Sarah knew exactly what he was doing and there was no way to stop it. 

           "Nonsense!" her mother replied. "That's not a meal! You're staying for dinner. That's that."

           "Well, if you insist," he said, shooting Sarah an even bigger grin.

           They all made their way out to the backyard. Sarah and Josh set the table while her dad fired up the barbeque and her mom seasoned some fresh burgers. Like old times, just like her dad said and Sarah felt 17 again. It was all so surreal. When she looked at Josh, she could still see her scrawny friend from high school. She had missed him.

           "You didn't have to stay for dinner," Sarah said to Josh.

           "I wanted to spend a little more time with you," came his response. 

           Once dinner was over, Josh left for the evening but her parents made him promise he'd come back for the party the next day. Sarah said goodnight and went up to her bedroom.    Her room was exactly as she'd left it. Her walls were covered in movie posters she'd gotten from work that summer: "Armageddon", "Urban Legend", "Meet Joe Black"... all featuring leading men she had crushes on.

           She caught her reflection in the mirror that rested on her old desk. Wedged in the frame were all sorts of photos of her and Josh. Her, sitting on the bed of his truck eating an ice cream cone; him, standing on the swing out back, posing like he was going to jump off; and the two of them laughing - but she couldn't tell where. She was happiest when she was with him, she remembered.

           The next day went by in a blur and before she knew it, Sarah was standing on her parent's deck watching them renew their vows. It was another scorching day and she was relieved she'd brought the outfit she did - a breezy lilac strapless dress, hitting just below the knee, and silver strappy sandals. Josh arrived wearing a relaxed white linen button down with rolled up sleeves and navy blue shorts. Sarah made a mental note to keep liquids away from him.

           The party wrapped up several hours later. The guests had all gone home but Josh stayed to help Sarah clean up. Her parents were headed to a bed-and-breakfast and Sarah saw them off before joining Josh in the backyard a little while later.         

           "It was a nice party," he said, "and you look beautiful. You grew up good, too."

           Sarah smiled and blushed a little, still embarrassed she had used those words yesterday.

           "Josh, I need a break before I start cleaning. Do you want a drink?"

           "I'm way ahead of you," he said, motioning towards the oak tree.  

           She looked over to see a plaid blanket spread out, a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice and two glasses.

           "Your mom hooked me up," he said with a shrug, when Sarah looked back at him.

           They made their way over and sat down. Josh poured the champagne.

           "At least one thing has changed since we were 17," she said, clinking her glass to his. "Beats sharing a can of Coke."

           They sat in silence for a moment. The stars had come out and the sky was clear, a cool breeze giving relief from the heat. Sarah wasn't sure what to say and was having trouble ignoring how utterly strange this whole blast from the past felt. She wondered if Josh felt that way too or if it was all in her head.

           "So, this is weird, right?" he asked, answering her silent question.

           "Totally," she said, relieved, thinking maybe now the rest of their conversation wouldn't be as uncomfortable.           

           "I remember our last night here like it was yesterday."

           So much for that, she thought. Then out loud, said, "Josh - I don't think we should--"

           He cut her off. "It was a little cooler outside than it is now. You were wearing my blue Gap sweatshirt. Paris... That's where we were going to go first."

           "We were going to go to a lot of places," she said, finishing her drink and moving to the swing. If she was going to be stuck in this uncomfortable conversation, she at least didn't have to sit right next to him.

           "I had no choice. You know that. My father made me stay in the city, he made me work at the firm. I didn't want to be there. I wanted to be with you."

           "You must have known there was a possibility he'd want you to stay. So why didn't you tell me? Better yet, why did you kiss me? Why open that door at all?"

           Josh moved over to her, standing in front of the swing, arms on either side, just like back then.

           "Sarah," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I had to kiss you. I wanted to all summer and that night was... perfect. You felt it too, didn't you?"

           She looked up at him and could see a hint of nervousness in his eyes.

           "You know I did," she said, after a pause.    

           They were quiet again for a moment, then Josh broke the silence.    

           "So now what?" he asked, tilting his head towards hers.

           Sarah smiled. "Now," she said, "we finally turn our only kiss into our first kiss."

THE END