Crushing Summer

by C. M. Stunich

  “And dogs,” I added. “Drug dogs. Two onsite police officers. It pretty much blows.”

  “There goes my junior and senior year,” Casper said with a sigh. A second later, a group of kids sprung out of the neighbor's bushes dressed head to toe in white scrubs, masks over their faces and latex gloves on their hands. They made faux coughing sounds into the crooks of their elbows and dancing around the edge of the yard. It was pretty pathetic actually, especially when you considered how much time and effort had gone into the prank. Casper and I both chose to ignore them.

  “Anything else I should know about my new school?” he asked as we walked across the grass, under the TP strewn tree and through a field of plastic forks. There were at least a hundred of them stabbed into the ground around in the yard. Clever, real clever.

  “Everyone knows everyone, and they have since kindergarten for the most part. I used to like almost everybody until … ” I didn't finish my sentence, didn't have to. Casper unlocked the door, walked inside and disabled a security alarm before ushering me in and bolting three different locks behind me. I felt bad he had to live this way. San Aplastar had always seemed quiet and lazy to me. Now it was dangerous, too? I sighed.

  Casper's house was pretty normal. The living room had a sofa and two recliners, a coffee table and a flat screen TV. The dining room was full of fake plants and old fashioned mirrors, but the table itself was pretty standard – oak, six seater, matching chairs. Casper lifted up his hands and spun in a slow circle.

  “Welcome to the humble abode,” he said and then cringed as an egg smashed into the window behind me. I spun to look, but it was just the kids in the masks, holding a basket of eggs that they were using to pelt Casper's car, the tree trunk, and the front of the house. “It was better the first few days,” he admitted grudgingly, dropping a shrug. “But at least Julie's not here to see it. I wonder if they've even realized she's gone yet?” Casper dropped onto the couch with a sigh, and I moved forward to join him. In the empty house, only the space of a single cushion separated us.

  “They'll get tired of it after awhile,” I promised, thinking of the previous years. Usually there was a burst in the beginning, a lull in the middle, and a rush at the very end. I didn't tell Casper that the very end was what undid Missy Ula for good. That, and coming to school her first day of sophomore year to find that nobody had forgotten the puking incident on the Tilt 'n' Hurl, and that everyone was more than willing to pretend that they had perfectly valid reasons for treating the girl like crap. “They won't be this intense all summer. The Assignment is … important, but people still do things, vacation and all that.”

  “I guess,” he said, cocking his head to the side. “But where does that leave you?”

  “Me?” I asked. I picked at a loose thread in the floral fabric. “I guess I'll spend the rest of the month being wanted and despised.”

  “By Shayla?” he asked.

  “Not just Shayla,” I said, thinking of the faces fanning out around me, leering, laughing, calling my name. “I'm not a very good Crush. I'm not making any new friends this summer, that's for sure.”

  “What would make a good Crush?” Casper asked, scooting a little bit closer. His knee was less than an inch from my own.

  “A female version of Pat,” I replied with a wrinkled nose. “Last year's Crush … ” I held my breath thinking of Tatiana. I'd always thought she was desperately in love with Justin, following him around, kissing him constantly, resting her head on his shoulder in any possible spare moment. It might not have been love that I was seeing but fear. Like with Heidi. “Wasn't very good at her job either. I think people are getting restless. The Crushes from previous years have always really enjoyed their perks.”

  “A harem of gorgeous men in tow?” Casper asked, and even though he was smiling, I could tell he didn't think it was very funny.

  “That's the idea,” I said, thinking of all the boys in The Assignment. If I used Heidi's Most Beautiful Boys in San Aplastar list, I could probably put together a pretty good looking entourage, but it wouldn't be me, it wouldn't mean anything. This was better, sitting here with Casper. Dangerous maybe, but better. “Lots of first kisses, some serious groping, and definitely no more carting around a V card.” I said it without thinking, like I was talking to one of my girlfriends. Casper grinned and I smiled. There was no taking it back now.

  “Good to know,” he said, his voice dropping, getting darker, pulling me in. I licked my lips and glanced towards the front window. It was still dripping with egg yolk, and it was hard to see from here if there was anyone still out there. I turned back to Casper and watched as his hand dropped from the back of the couch to my knee. I could feel his handprint limned there in red hot heat, even through my jeans. “So, let me just repeat what you said. To be a good Crush, you need lots of kissing, serious groping and … ” Casper didn't finish his sentence, but his eyes were half-lidded and his pulse was leaping in his throat, dancing against the pale skin of his neck like it was desperate to be touched.

  “I don't mind carrying around my V card,” I said, trying to let him know where I stood at this point. Some people were okay with hopping into bed after a date or two. Me, I wasn't quite up for that. “Doesn't take up much room in my wallet,” I explained, and Casper grinned.

  “But you didn't say anything about the kissing.” He leaned forward, stinging my lips with a barely there kiss, his lips as flight as air against my skin. “Or the groping.” His mouth moved against mine as we leaned into each other, heat catching on the newborn emotions, the tender freshness of a relationship on the first leg of what could – could – become a very long race. I shivered as his hands slid over my hips, pulling me up against his body, our chests colliding in a rush of fire and the smell of smoke.

  I touched my hand to the base of his neck and he groaned into my mouth. My heart stopped for a moment. This is the closest I've ever felt to a boy, and I just met him. I slid my fingers across his throat, feeling a gentle tingling in my bones that was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. His hands slid up the back of my shirt, smoothing over my skin, eating me alive in the best way possible. I breathed in deep, gasping as his fingers ran up my spine.

  Smoke.

  I smelt smoke

  Drawing back from Casper, I turned towards the front window, my body singing and humming a brilliant rhythm. I wanted to keep going, keep listening to that sound. When I thought of my future plans, earning my degree, traveling, possibly pursuing architecture, I heard that same sound, that same song. I don't know how you're supposed to know who you're supposed to be with, if a slow buildup is as good as an instant flame or vice versa, but what I did know was that I liked Casper's song. For now, that was all I needed to know.

  But the smoke.

  “What?” he asked, his voice groggy. “What's wrong?”

  I didn't see anything, but when I breathed deep, the air felt thick, wrong.

  “I smell smoke,” I told him, hoping beyond all reason that my classmates wouldn't go that far, that they wouldn't even consider something like that. Like fire. Casper sat up and closed his eyes. He breathed deep, and I watched as his chest expanded, pressing against the confines of his shirt. When he opened them, I could tell he smelled it, too.

  “I'll check the stove,” he said, rising to his feet. I followed after him, watching as he checked the oven and burners. “It's all good in here,” he confirmed, putting his hands on his hips and frowning in thought. The smell wasn't strong, but it was getting worse. “Maybe Julie left a candle burning or something?” He didn't sound like he believed his own words, but it was worth checking.

  As he moved down the hallway, I paused back by the front window and saw that the pranksters were gone. Switching over to the window next to the fireplace, I checked again. Nothing, just a bunch of flowering bushes and a full trash can. I kept going, peeking out of the mini blinds that covered the sliding glass door, the kitchen window, and even found my way into a spotless laundry room. I still didn'
t see anything. The backyard was quiet, if a little plain. There was green grass and a small patio set, that's it.

  “I didn't find anything,” Casper said, reappearing in the hallway with something clutched in his hand. “So that only leaves a single option.” He lifted his arm up, flashing me the Julie tattoo, and showed me what he had. It was a hunting knife with serrated edges and a thick, black handle. He dropped it back to his side immediately as if he was ashamed of it. “Outside.”

  “I checked all the windows,” I told him as we walked to the front door and paused, contemplating, like there were zombies outside or something. “I didn't see anyone.” Casper nodded, but he didn't drop the knife. Instead, he opened the door expecting trouble trouble, green eyes narrowed, knife held carefully by his side. The car was still dripping with eggs, but otherwise, I didn't see anything. “All clear?” he asked, sounding unsure.

  I moved past Casper and walked down the driveway, making sure to keep my eyes out for Students or worse, the Assigned. My eyes scanned the sky for a moment before I realized why we could smell smoke but not see it. There was nothing burning in or around Casper's house. The smell was coming from across the street.

  The school was on fire.

  Casper called 911, but was told there were already firetrucks on the way, so the two of us sat next to each other on his lawn and watched. It only took a few minutes for them to get there and hardly any time at all to put out the fire. I didn't even see any flames, just big clouds of smoke and steam blooming out of the building from somewhere on the first floor. It was hard to tell from here.

  “Who would want to set the high school on fire?” Casper asked, searching around in his pockets like he was looking for a cigarette. Remembering he'd tossed them at the restaurant, he gave up and rested his elbows on his knees. The sun was blasting down from above and even though it was getting late, it didn't seem like it would be stopping anytime soon. The sky was still so clear and the air so warm. Each breath burned, making my chest hot and summoning tiny drops of sweat from my skin.

  I didn't hesitate with my answer.

  “Nick Bishop or CC Marion, maybe both.” Casper raised his brows at me and then flopped backwards into the grass with a sigh. I looked down at him, at his dark hair mingling with the blades of grass. They were freshly watered, a rich, dark green color that mimicked Casper's eyes.

  “You've really got this Assignment stuff down, don't you?” he asked as I slid down on my side next to him. He rolled over and we stared at each other for a moment.

  “I grew up with it,” I said. “Comes with the territory here.”

  “So, basically, they were just trying to be 'bad'?” Casper made quotes with his fingers.

  “Exactly. During the Assignment, you do things just to do them. There's no thought of consequences. As long as it falls in your realm of expertise, you can get away with whatever you want. It's freeing in a way, but also grossly stifling.” I thought of Julie, of how we weren't 'allowed' to be nice to her. Sure, we could throw rocks at her, smash her bike, kick her while she was down. As long as we were being mean, we were free, but it was a false sensation, like a bird in a large cage. It gave the illusion of true freedom, and it was a dangerous way of thinking.

  Casper leaned in close and pressed a surprise kiss to my lips.

  “Sorry,” he said, not sounding at all like he really was. “But I just had to do that. Couldn't help myself. I think, despite your crazy town, that I actually like you.”

  “That's okay,” I replied. “Kissing makes me a good Crush, remember?” And then I kissed him back, just in time for a new set of Students to show up and start coughing on the street in front of us. They didn't last there long. I guess watching Casper and I tie tongues was a bit of a turn off. I had a brief thought someone might tell Cage, but it didn't stop me from enjoying myself. I was a teenager, he was a boy, I was a girl, why couldn't it stay that simple?

  “Are you sure about this?” Casper asked as we climbed out of his car and paused in the parking lot next to the beach. All across the sand, bonfires flickered, throwing sparks up into the night air. They danced and twirled like actors in an exotic play before fading away into the darkness of the sky. “Is this really where you want to go for our date?”

  I nodded, forcing back a small shiver of fear. My last few public outings had been disasters, but I wasn't going to hide all summer, and with little hope of my parents funding a two month trip to Italy, here I would stay. Bonfires on the beach made San Aplastar nightlife. If I didn't show Casper at least one good thing about this town, I'd be doing a disservice to both of us.

  “It is,” I said, glad that he was willing to stand behind my decision. Casper nodded and shrugged the bag we'd packed onto his shoulder. “Like you said last night, we're people, too. And we're going to make a stand by not hiding from them and what they've become.” I squinted at the dark expanse of beach. There were more than just teen parties here. Even from far away, I could spot the sorority party down by the pier. And for once, there were actually some adults nearby. Nothing horrible would happen here tonight. At least, I didn't think it would. “Besides, it's so dark out here, I doubt anyone will even recognize.”

  “If you say so,” Casper said, following me down the path and into the sand. We moved in the direction opposite the main crowd. I was looking for somewhere close (but not too close) to the water, an area where we could put our backs to the Mohawk cliffs and have a clear view of everyone else. “Do you guys have any idea how lucky you are to live by the beach like this?” he asked, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

  I turned around and started walking backwards, so I could see him bobbing through the darkness, pale face and hands disjointed from the rest of his body. His dark clothes kept him camouflaged under the night sky.

  “Best part about living here,” I said as sand crept into my shoes and kissed my feet. I'd gone home and switched into some beachwear, making sure to grab my coat, too. Living near the ocean will teach you that no matter how hot the day is, the night can be wicked cold. “Only good part about living here, really,” I added with a shrug, pausing just a few feet from the rocks. I stood there for a moment and watched the play of activity taking place along the shore. Lots of drinking, smoking, laughing, screaming. Is Cage here? Is Shayla? How about Justin? I had no way of knowing the answer to any of those questions.

  “You mean you don't like being Crush?” he asked me as I spread the blue blanket out on the sand. “I sure am enjoying all the kissing that comes along with it.” I laughed as I knelt down and straightened out the corners.

  “It is kind of nice,” I said, leaning back on my heels and watching as Casper knelt down and set the bag between us. I'd stuffed it with materials essential to a happy evening: matches, some driftwood Heidi and I had collected to use in a future bonfire, marshmallows, and a bottle of my mother's champagne that I'd been hiding under my bed for a special occasion. “You're a much better kisser than my ex-boyfriend.” Casper made a face and sat down quickly, watching as I unloaded our supplies.

  “How long ago was that?” he asked, feigning nonchalance. I scooted to the edge of the blanket and started gathering rocks in my arms. They were easy to find, making this spot the most popular place for bonfires. Even if there wasn't a pit available, you could easily make your own.

  “Mmm,” I thought aloud. “Maybe ten months? We started dating just after school started last year and ended it pretty quick.” I crawled back across the blanket on my knees and set the rocks down while Casper watched. “Here,” I told him, pointing at the sand. “Help me dig out a little circle. It doesn't have to be very big.” He complied without question, digging his hands into the wet earth and scraping back piles of sand with his black fingernails.

  “Why'd you break up?” Casper asked me, keeping his gaze focused on the task in front of him. I reached down and got dirty with him, pressing my fingers into the packed wetness and startling just a bit when our hands brushed against one another. The sand did
n't seem so cold in that instant.

  “He kissed like a walrus,” I said and Casper paused, looking up at me. I didn't return his gaze, just kept digging. “His face was scratchy because he didn't shave enough and his mouth was always lukewarm.”

  “Ugh,” Casper moaned. “That's gross. Seriously. Who the hell was this guy?” My turn to wrinkle up my face. I hated to admit it, even to myself. I poked at the ground and decided our hole was deep enough.

  “That's perfect,” I said, grabbing the rocks and laying them out in a circle. I paused midway through to grab the champagne and pop the top. The cork went flying off into the rocky cliffs, disappearing into the darkness like one of the floating bonfire embers. I winced, but there was no way I could climb up there to find it. That was like asking for trouble. The cliffs and the sea caves were big no-no's at night. Just like Sea Ridge Point, the place where Tatiana fell. Or was pushed. I held the bottle out to Casper.

  “Look at you and your bad self. Go screw yourself, CC … ” Casper paused, thinking. “Whatever her name is.” He took a massive swig.

  “Marion,” I said, glancing over my shoulder at the rest of the beach. Wherever CC was, I'm sure she was drinking something a lot stronger than champagne. I finished setting out the rocks and then layered the sticks in, just so. Heidi and I came out here a lot last summer, whenever she wasn't sneaking around with Justin. I missed her so bad, it hurt. And not just from the day she'd spent in the hospital. It was like she'd been gone for months. I hoped this incident with the car would change things. I hated that she had to get hurt, but if it helped get her out of Justin's grip, then I was all for it. I couldn't wait to talk to her in the morning and see what else she knew.