Landlocked (A water witch novel)

by C. S. Moore

  “Either way, I’m happily in your clutches.” Something I’d said lit up his eyes and his lips stretched into a half smile.

  The waitress cleared her throat and set the crab cakes in front of Jaron.

  ***

  The next day we were driving home and I convinced Sylvia and Dylan to let me go back with Clarissa, which wasn’t all that hard. But trying to convince Clarissa to let me drive home with Jaron was proving to be more difficult.

  “Come Clarissa, please?” I said.

  She rubbed the side of her head like I had given her a headache. “Listen I just don’t want to upset Sylvia. I mean, if she found out, she’d be so mad at me. I like having her trust me. Your aunt and uncle don’t trust anyone.”

  My face fell. I wasn’t going to keep asking her when she put it like that. I knew how much my aunt meant to her. I’d just have to call Jaron and tell him that I couldn’t drive home with him. Although I had been looking forward to being alone with him for an hour.

  “It’s okay,” I said, defeated.

  “Ugh.” Clarissa walked over to me and put a hand on my shoulder. “I’d go crazy if I were you. You always do whatever someone else asks and never get to do what you want to do. I always do whatever I want, whenever I want.”

  I laughed. “Yes, yes you do.”

  “Well, you should get to do that too. I’m your friend first, and sometimes best friends have to lie to parents.” She winked at me.

  “So you’ll cover for me?” I almost shouted before Clarissa sent me a be quiet glare.

  “Yes, but I’ll be driving behind him the whole way. I don’t know him well enough yet to trust him to keep you safe.” She gave me a knowing look. “You need to be careful with boys. Some of them are after only one thing,” she warned.

  “I’ve already had the sex talk. I’m not that naïve,” I said, though it was only partly true. “Do you think that Jaron is one of those boys?”

  Clarissa finished shoving her clothes in her overnight bag and turned to me. “No, I don’t think he is, but the intensity between you two is a little scary. I mean, last night at dinner, every second that you weren’t looking at him, he was looking at you. Watching your every move, like you were the most interesting thing that he had ever seen and he couldn’t get enough.”

  “Well, aren’t I interesting?” I joked, feeling a little uncomfortable.

  “Yes, Maribel, you are pretty interesting. But how intriguing could anyone really be when they are just cracking crab open?” she asked.

  I thought about our date. Jaron had been close to me the whole night, well over two hours, and yet in that entire time, I'd never gotten used to his presence. I had been hyper aware of him the whole time. His proximity gave me hot flashed, my overactive heart pumped too much blood. Being with Jaron was the craziest rush. When I was around him, I felt as alive as I did in my dreams of the ocean. It was as natural as hanging out with my aunt and uncle, or cutting my body through the open water.

  “Isn’t that how all guys are if they like a girl?” I asked.

  “Are you kidding me?” she asked through a laugh. “Teenage boys? No they aren’t attentive. Even if they do like a girl, they pay just enough attention to keep her around and that’s about it. Boys just don’t act the way that Jaron does.”

  I had never had a boyfriend or paid attention to them, but Clarissa had. “So what does that mean?”

  “Just that he's different, maybe more mature, maybe a psycho stalker. I just don’t trust him enough to let you drive off into the night with him unless I’m following behind you,” she said.

  “Really, what would you do if he turned into a psycho, anyway?” I asked with a smile.

  “Come on really? I’ve got a black belt, at least that’s what I told Jaron when you left to go to the restroom last night at dinner!”

  “You didn’t? Tell me you didn’t!” I pleaded. I wasn’t sure what Dylan had talked to him about the previous day, but I was embarrassed by the thought of what it might have been. And now Clarissa was telling him she was a karate expert.

  “I’ll lie and say that I didn’t if you really want me to,” she said, mischief dancing in her eyes.

  “Oh never mind,” I said, exasperated. “I don’t know why I’m surprised. Well, let’s get going. If we don’t make our way into town to shop for shoes, we’ll lose the reason why we are staying behind and letting Sylvia and Dylan go on without us.”

  “Don’t worry too much about it. They seemed glad to have us hang back. Maybe they need some alone time.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

  “Yeah, maybe you’re right.”

  I'd always thought it must have been hard for them to take me on. They never had children of their own, probably because they wanted to give me all of their time. We walked down the stairs and said goodbye to my aunt and uncle.

  “Drive safe, Clarissa,” Sylvia said.

  “By that she means, no speeding, no road rage outbursts, and no stops. Just here to home. Got it, you two?” Dylan asked, looking between us.

  “Got it,” I said.

  “Road rage outbursts, really? Come on, I’m a great driver,” Clarissa said.

  Dylan stared her down knowingly.

  “All right, I’ll be on my best driving behavior.”

  “We’ll just be an hour or two behind you, and I have my phone, so don’t worry.”

  They nodded slowly.

  We ran outside and got into Clarissa’s sleek sports car. I couldn’t believe any parent would give it to their teenage daughter. Let alone on her sixteenth birthday with a license still hot off the press. But she wanted a fast car, and her dad gave her anything she asked for. It went from zero to sixty in the blink of an eye, a fact that she had shown me several times.

  “So do you really want to go shopping, or do you want to go to Jaron’s place right now?” She put the key in the ignition.

  I thought about it. I'd like to have seen Jaron’s place but had a feeling that my aunt and uncle might swing by his house before they left. Just to make sure I wasn’t there. “No, we better go find you the perfect shoes. I’ll have the whole drive home with him.”

  “That’s right, play hard to get. Smart girl.” She put the car in drive.

  “I wish,” I mumbled, looking out the window.

  “What?” Clarissa asked as we pulled out onto the pavement.

  I pursed my lips, unsure if I should tell her what I was feeling, but decided that I had to tell someone and she was the only person I was close to that wouldn’t permanently lock me in my room once they knew. “I don’t know if I can play hard to get with him…”

  Clarissa let up on the gas and looked over at me. “What do you mean, Maribel? You just met him, for crying out loud.”

  I flinched. I knew that’s what she was going to say. “I know I just met him, but it doesn’t feel like that when I’m with him.”

  Clarissa wiped the surprise off her face. “I know, girl, and this is the first man in your life. So you’ve never experienced the excitement and rush you feel when your around a guy you like.”

  I wanted to protest that this was so much more than just the butterflies of my first crush but didn’t. It would make me look worse.

  “You don’t need to play games with him, but you shouldn’t throw yourself at him. Make him work for you. Make him put in the effort. If he sticks around, he’s a keeper. As they say, a faint heart never won a fair maiden.”

  “And you’re the expert?” I raised my eyebrows.

  “Yes, yes I am.” She laughed and turned her attention back to the road. “I've dated my share of good enough guys and losers. So I do know how to tell the difference. A loser won’t chase you, he won’t try, and he will just want to hang out instead of taking you on dates. Ugh, most boys our age are that way. I have to make sure that your first kiss isn’t with some loser, so make sure he doesn’t get fresh until I know about him,” she said.

  I bit my lip. “Um, I hope you know about him already because, and don�
�t get mad that I haven’t told you, but, I already kissed him.”

  “What?” she shrieked. “Okay, hold on.” She took a deep breath. “I’m trying to remind myself that you can do whatever you want, same as me. It’s just hard to when I view you as like almost my little sister or something.”

  “Um, I’m three months older than you.”

  “I know, but you are three years more innocent than me…” She glanced at me sideways. “Unless?”

  I cocked my head to the side, trying to understand her funny look, and then the reason dawned on me. “Oh no, jeez, I did just meet him!” I almost shouted.

  “Okay, good. You had me worried for a second. So, when did he kiss you? Where did he kiss you? Was it good? And how did you manage to sneak one with your aunt and uncle on the watch?”

  Ignoring the warmth in my cheeks, I answered, “The night before you got here, in the lake. So amazing I can’t even explain it, and luckily it was too dark for Dylan to see beyond the deck.”

  “Wow, that good, huh?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

  “No, it wasn’t just good. It was amazing. I don’t think my heart has ever beat that fast. After we stopped and my head cleared, I was embarrassed.”

  “Why?” she asked, turning the steering wheel.

  “Well, don’t judge, but I am almost worried that I wouldn’t have stopped if he hadn’t.”

  “Okay…” She pulled the car into a parking space. “I like him more knowing that he tried to be a gentleman, but I’m less sure that I should leave you alone with him, you hussy!” She winked at me before hopping out of the car.

  “I said don’t judge!” I pushed my door open.

  “Oh, I forgot that totally works. So, Maribel, don’t judge, but I regularly take candy from babies.”

  “I wouldn’t put it past you.” I stuck out my tongue.

  After Clarissa found a suitable pair of heels, I sent a text to Jaron.

  Hey, are you ready to leave?

  My phone dinged before I could put it back in my pocket. I flipped it open and read Jaron’s reply.

  Look across the street.

  I snapped my head up and looked out the window, in front of the store, parked directly behind Clarissa’s car, was a cherry red convertible Mustang. Jaron was behind the wheel, wearing a white T-shirt that fit tightly across his chest and arms. A huge impish smile marked his cheeks with dimples as he made eye contact with me. He was the most amazingly handsome thing that I had ever seen; more glorious than anyone had the right to be. How was I supposed to play it cool, or play hard to get? I didn’t even think I could play ’look away for five seconds’ with him. All I wanted to do was stare at him for the rest of eternity.

  “Ugh,” Clarissa groaned. “What did I tell you? Make him chase you. Now stop drooling. Although that car is pretty bad a—”

  “He did chase me. I didn’t even tell him where we were, and there he is, looking pretty happy with himself.” I made myself look away from him and turned to her.

  “Well, chasing is good. Stalking… not so much.” She sighed and dragged me to the cash register.

  “I don’t mind,” I said as she handed over her mom’s platinum card.

  “I know you don’t. That’s the problem.” She grimaced. “Okay here’s what I want you to do, act like you found a good pair of shoes and make him wait ten more minutes before you bounce out to him looking like he is the prize turkey at thanksgiving… deal?” she asked.

  All I wanted to do was run out the door and jump in the tan leather seat next to him and drive wherever he wanted to go. So maybe Clarissa’s advice was exactly what I needed. I turned around and picked up a smokey blue pump and glanced out the window sideways. Jaron’s smile turned into a pout as I held up a finger, indicating one more minute. I was glad that I wasn’t the only one who pouted at the thought of waiting another minute to be together. He seemed upset too at least. Which, for some reason, made me smile.

  “Yes,” I smiled at Clarissa. “I think I need to try these on."

  “Oh, I agree.” She laughed.

  I tried on the shoes and actually liked them enough to leave with them on, throwing my old pair in the box. I was quite pleased that Jaron perked back up as he saw us heading out of the store. Apparently the ten minutes hadn’t shot the wind out of his sails. I was about to say hello when Clarissa spoke up.

  “Hey, psycho, how did you find us?” she asked casually.

  His eyebrows shot up in surprise before he shook his head. I guessed he still wasn’t quite used to my bestie’s abrasive personality. “Well, I wanted to head into town so that when Maribel called me I wouldn’t leave her waiting.” He paused and winked at me. “But I spotted you two getting out of your car as I drove by, so I parked here with the sole purpose of freaking you out, as it is a fun thing to do.”

  I laughed. “Well it worked, you surprised me.”

  “In a good way?” he asked with a smile.

  “You popping up will always be a good surprise,” I said, walking to his car.

  “Always?” he asked.

  “Always.”

  “Oh Jeez, what part of hard to get do you not understand, Maribel?” Clarissa huffed. “Don’t go getting any funny ideas, Romeo. I’ll be behind you the whole time… and my car is way faster than yours, so don’t even try to lose me. I’m a virus, baby, ain’t no getting rid of me, just getting used to me.”

  “Do you think I’d try to get rid of you?” he asked, hopping out of the car and walking to the passenger side. Opening the car door with a small click, he ushered me into the seat. “Do you think that I plan on making off with your friend?”

  “No, but I know boys. And Maribel is too innocent and good for a boy to be a boy with her, got it?” she asked through narrow eyes.

  “Should I be female with her, then? I’m not sure I can manage that. I’m quite robust, you know,” he said, smiling down at me.

  “I’m sure you are, just be careful. Sylvia and Dylan think she is safe with me and I’m trusting, well… she’s trusting she’ll be safe with you. So make sure she’s safe.”

  “She will be. I promise. Never even had a ticket. She’ll be fine with me driving. If your parking job is any indication, I’d say she is a lot safer with me than in your car.”

  Clarissa rolled her eyes, unable to argue. She was bad at parking.

  “I’m literally right here, stop talking like I’m not it’s super annoying,” I said. It was one thing for Clarissa to tell Jaron she knew Karate when I was gone, but to discuss my safety while I was right there almost made me feel like I was between my aunt and uncle still. “Let’s go before we're too far behind Sylvia and Dylan. They’ll start to worry. They always do.”

  “All right,” Clarissa said, turning to her car. “You go on, I’ll follow.”

  “I have the feeling you’d rather lead this convoy,” Jaron said, jumping over the driver’s side door and nestling behind the wheel.

  “Nope, I like to drive too fast.”

  “So do I,” he said. “But today I’m delivering someone else’s goods, so I’ll take it easy.”

  Clarissa opened her car door and muttered something before getting in, I wasn’t sure but it sounded like, “I’m pretty sure she’s your goods.”

  I hoped Jaron hadn’t pick that up. I thought I was doing a good job of not being too eager. But as we pulled away, the call of his body was too much. I reached my hand out to ensnare his. As my fingers touched his work-worn skin, every nerve in my body sang in response. He intertwined his fingers with mine and smiled a crooked smile, almost like he could hear my body’s reaction to him, and pressed on the gas pedal.

  9

  I had never ridden in a convertible. My aunt and uncle thought they were dangerous, and as we made our way through town, I couldn’t help but agree. The buildings and people whipped by without metal frame or window separating us.

  “What’s the matter?” Jaron asked, stealing a quick glance at me.

  “Nothing, why?�
�

  “Really? Nothing’s wrong” he said, raising one full eyebrow up questioningly. “You are just as tight as piano wire all the time, right?”

  I realized I was sitting pencil straight and my shoulders were hunched upward. I tried to shake off my anxiety and relax. “It’s just, I haven’t ever been in a convertible,” I said, trying to make it seem like I wasn’t a complete coward. “And I’m not used to the feeling of not having a nice metal frame around me.”

  He pulled to the side of the road and looked over at me. “You think you need a cage for protection?”

  “No, I don’t need a…” I tried to think of a way to defend the way I was feeling, but his choice of words had taken me by surprise. From an outsider perspective, I guessed the life that my aunt and uncle had provided for me resembled a… “Cage.”

  “Good,” he said before leaning over to me. Sliding his hand behind my neck, he worked his fingers into my thick hair. “You need to do this every now and again,” he whispered shakily.

  Adrenaline pumped through me at his touch and my scalp prickled with sensation at the attention it was getting. “Do what?” I asked, sure that I would do whatever he said.

  “Let your hair down,” he said, pulling the elastic out of my hair, sending my long locks cascading over my shoulders. His eyes lit up with want as he watched. “What are you doing to me?” he asked absentmindedly, searching my face.

  “I think I should ask you that question,” I said, leaning into him.

  His fingers tightened around the roots of my hair, tilting my face up to him. His warm breath tickled my lips and I couldn’t wait to taste him again. Muscles flexing, he pulled me to him. A car horn blared behind us, making us both jump. I looked over my shoulder and saw Clarissa wearing an impatient face behind the wheel of her car.

  “I forgot she was following us,” I said lamely.

  He smiled wide. “Me too. Let’s get moving. I think I need something to keep my hands busy when I’m with you, or… they end up on you. What are you doing to me?” he asked again with a laugh.