Chapter 2: New Beginnings
We left before the moving truck, trusting that they would finish loading up and get on the road as soon as possible. My parents each drove their own car; they decided the best route would be through Maryland and across the Bay Bridge onto the Delmarva Peninsula and then all the way to almost the end of peninsula. After searching maps on the internet and seeing that without traffic it might be quicker to head south through Virginia, down to Norfolk, and across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Em and I hopped in my Jeep, we said bye to the 'rents and waved as we headed out, with just a quick stop by the gas station to fill-up and get the much needed Big Gulps for the journey.
After finally escaping the omnipresent DC traffic we headed south on 95 towards Richmond. It was a typical hot and muggy summer day in Virginia and the fact that the air conditioning in my older jeep didn't really work, just spat out luke-warm air wasn't helping. Em cursed her luck several times at not riding with one of the 'rents. I goaded her about just wanting to sings oldies songs with dad and that got a chuckle from her.
After a couple of hours we stopped at a rest area on 64 east to stretch our legs and answer natures call. It was almost noon and the heat was exhausting. After buying a couple bottles of water from the vending machine we continued on our way. It was smooth sailing, until it wasn't. Bumper to bumper stand still, curse our luck, no AC and stuck in traffic somewhere between Williamsburg and Norfolk. We chatted about what we expected the new school and town would be like to pass the time. After 30 minutes of creeping along we passed the wreck that had created this backup and traffic immediately started flowing at a reasonable clip. Traffic started picking up again around Norfolk, but we hopped of the interstate and took our exit and headed towards our new life.
"$12.00?" I repeated in disbelief. I knew there was a toll for the bridge-tunnel, but $12.00? I reluctantly handed the attendant the cash and received a receipt and what appeared to be an ad for a restaurant on the 23 mile long bridge-tunnel. Em snorted at my shock and patted me on the back.
Using the GPS on my phone we navigated to a town that could only be described as quaint. Pulling into the empty driveway and turning off the Jeep, we looked at each other and exhaled. It was a cute, old, two-story colonial. The door was locked so we put our cargo on the front porch and walked around the house. To our surprise there was a fairly wide creek in the back with a wooden dock. Giving the old wooden beams a quick kick to see if they could be trusted, we walked to the end and kicked our feet off of the dock. We could see a couple docks around us a little ways off, one with a man in a lawn chair fishing. We waved but he just turned back to his fishing rod.
"This is nice," Emily said disturbing the peaceful quiet. I nodded and reached my foot down to touch the cool water. There was a sandbar about 20 yards from the dock and I took of my shirt and removed my phone and keys from my pocket and motioned over there. Em shook her head, "No suit." I jumped off the dock it was about thigh deep and I guessed it was low tide, judging from the water marks on the docks. The bottom was sandy and felt good between my toes.
"I hope a crab bites you!" Emily shouted, I wasn't in the mood to correct her about claws not teeth, I'm sure it would be painful either way. I saw what looked like an oyster bed and made sure to stay away as I didn't want to cut my feet over there either. The sandbar was nice and I just plopped down on my back and gazed up at the sun while it warmed my body as my legs were cool halfway in the water. I had a decent tan but didn't want to get burned without sunscreen so I headed back just in time to hear our parents pull into the drive.
They brought lunch and we sat at a picnic table in the backyard in the shade and had a quick lunch. Emily laughed at the fact that our first meal in our new house was in the backyard. A couple hours later the moving truck had arrived and unloaded most of the furniture. I went to my room which was smaller than I was used to but it did have two windows that looked out onto the creek, which wasn't bad. I was starting to plug in my TV when I realized no cable, I did see an old satellite dish in the front yard, but I doubt that worked. No high speed internet. Dad answered my anguish and let me know that the satellite company was scheduled next week to install a dish for TV and internet as no cable companies ran lines to this neighborhood.
Tired of unpacking and bored I decided to venture around and see what this town had in store for me. I walked a couple blocks passing nothing but houses, getting a few odd glances, and a couple sincere smiles. Five minutes later I approached what I could only assume was downtown. There was a gas station, a bank, a tiny grocery store, an insurance/real estate office, a liquor store, an antique store, and a seafood market. I headed into the gas station as I was parched and in need of an ice cold drink. The station had a little gift shop that I glanced at while walking to the drink coolers. I grabbed a Dr. Pepper and noticed a guy a little taller than I was, but more substantial. He was solid, around 6' tall, with short cropped brown hair. He was standing at another fridge, grabbing what looked to be a box of Chinese takeout, which I silently hoped it wasn't, and glanced at the door he was holding to see 'bloodworms' written across it. I lost grip of the door I was holding and it slammed behind me causing me to jump and him to look at me. I froze. He smiled his straight white teeth gleaming, bright green eyes looking at me as he walked by. "All the doors slam here, don't worry about it." He said and patted my shoulder and walked to the register.
Did that hand just touch me? It was warm and reassuring. I shook my head to clear the clouds that had fogged my mind. I heard the bell ring on the door which signaled the strangers exit. I started to follow him out the door before I remembered the drink in my hand and headed to pay. As I walked out the door I saw him in an older Chevy pickup he had a friend in the passenger seat and there were some fishing rods in the bed of the truck. A small beagle stuck its' head out the drivers' side window as the truck pulled out of the parking lot.
I walked home and couldn't get those grass green eyes out of my head. I walked in the door and tried to suppress the thoughts of the mystery man and wipe the slight grin off of my face. I kept busy around the house helping everyone get settled in.
The next morning I went down to the ocean which was on the other side of downtown, and about a 15 minute walk from my house. The beach was empty when arrived, just an older lady walking a tiny dog. I swam near the shore and tried not to worry about sharks attacking. I was dreading starting school next week. I was a pretty good student; I wasn't worried about the classes. It was the not knowing a single soul in my grade that I was dreading. The only person I would know in the school was Emily, who would be a sophomore.
I swam a couple more laps around the imaginary boundaries I had created and trudged through the small break towards the shore. Facing the bay, I bent over to pick my phone up and see if I had any missed calls when I heard a wolf whistle. I quickly turned and saw a group of teenagers 20 yards away, there was a girl blushing and giggling with a couple of her friends. I stood stock-still, there was the guy from the gas station, sitting there shirtless his tan, sculpted, furry chest glistening with either sweat or suntan lotion, but looking delectable either way. I knew behind those black sunglasses those sea green eyes were looking at me. He nudged the giggling girl who turned to her friends and ran off with them into the waves.
I picked up my towel and feigned drying off, turning around trying to hide the tightness that was beginning to form in my trunks. I sat down on the sand and played with my phone pretending to text, but really just waiting for blood to return to my brain before I had to walk by the group on my way back home. I grabbed my t-shirt and slid it on, which I soon realized was inside out, but shrugged and left it that way. I put on my sunglasses and picked up my stuff and headed off the beach. I kept my gaze straight ahead until I heard the girls giggling again and I tried to fight the blush creeping up my neck as I made the short walk home.
