Jaimie
We didn't help her. We didn't help her when she slid her tray of food beside ours and gave
us lonely glances. We didn't help her when she waited patiently to be picked for kickball, her chest pressed to the back of the crowd. We didn't help her when she stumbled on her lines in the California Mission Play; her lips had pulled into a quivering O as she tried to grasp the date her mission was founded. We didn't help her when she slipped on the rare rain puddle, spilling her books across the damp cement. We didn't help her when she puked into the dying grass after run day. We didn't help her when she tucked her head in shame as a girl pointed out her unshaven legs, fuzzy from the lack of women knowledge. We didn't, we didn’t. I didn't.
It was the second of August when a heat wave rolled across the small beach city. Everyone who was anyone came to the beach, their arms strapped with towels and coolers. I squeezed myself into a spot between a family of eight, who piled greased chicken legs that moistened sunscreen slick lips, and an older couple whose brimmed hats shaded their liver spotted faces. I took my towel and whipped it out in front of me. I knelt beside my green towel and started brushing off the sand and straightening out the wrinkles of fabric.
We didn't help her. We didn't help her when she slid her tray of food beside ours and gave
us lonely glances. We didn't help her when she waited patiently to be picked for kickball, her chest pressed to the back of the crowd. We didn't help her when she stumbled on her lines in the California Mission Play; her lips had pulled into a quivering O as she tried to grasp the date her mission was founded. We didn't help her when she slipped on the rare rain puddle, spilling her books across the damp cement. We didn't help her when she puked into the dying grass after run day. We didn't help her when she tucked her head in shame as a girl pointed out her unshaven legs, fuzzy from the lack of women knowledge. We didn't, we didn’t. I didn't.
It was the second of August when a heat wave rolled across the small beach city. Everyone who was anyone came to the beach, their arms strapped with towels and coolers. I squeezed myself into a spot between a family of eight, who piled greased chicken legs that moistened sunscreen slick lips, and an older couple whose brimmed hats shaded their liver spotted faces. I took my towel and whipped it out in front of me. I knelt beside my green towel and started brushing off the sand and straightening out the wrinkles of fabric.
The ocean was wild today. The waves crashed against one another, smashing the shore
with a groan and then bubbling up. Little holes popped against the sand as sand crabs tunneled
their way to safety. A young girl cried in frustration as a wave engulfed her sand castle and
melted it into a lump of mud. My eyes scanned the beach until they landed on her. Jaimie. Her
curves were soft and full. Her arms were fleshy and splattered in freckles that spiraled down her
back and to her ankles. She was standing at the shore, the water lapping at her toes. Her arms
were spread out wide as if she was going to kick off the ground and fly. She was an angel.
I remembered the time she showed up to the first day of fifth grade like it was yesterday. Her hair was ruggedly chopped to her ears, all of her curls gone. She tucked the frayed pieces behind her floppy ears, the hair framed her face tightly. It was the first time I truly noticed the scar that traced her face from the top of her right temple, down her jaw. I heard that it was from a car accident that reduced her family of four to three.
I remember when Jaimie and I first really talked. We were seated in the back of the sixth grade class room. We were the only ones at our table when the alarm system went off and we were told to duck and cover. There was a suspicious figure roaming the middle school and we were all told to hide until the school was in the clear.
Jaimie and I slid under our desk, legs tangled with one another. “I think I’m too tall for this,” I joked when my foot dug into her hip.
“Take as much space as you need.” She wedged herself between the chair and leg of the table.
I remembered the time she showed up to the first day of fifth grade like it was yesterday. Her hair was ruggedly chopped to her ears, all of her curls gone. She tucked the frayed pieces behind her floppy ears, the hair framed her face tightly. It was the first time I truly noticed the scar that traced her face from the top of her right temple, down her jaw. I heard that it was from a car accident that reduced her family of four to three.
I remember when Jaimie and I first really talked. We were seated in the back of the sixth grade class room. We were the only ones at our table when the alarm system went off and we were told to duck and cover. There was a suspicious figure roaming the middle school and we were all told to hide until the school was in the clear.
Jaimie and I slid under our desk, legs tangled with one another. “I think I’m too tall for this,” I joked when my foot dug into her hip.
“Take as much space as you need.” She wedged herself between the chair and leg of the table.
I remember her apologies about the death of my sister in the swimming accident last
summer. I sent similar regards about her father. We didn’t sugar coat the conversation, both of
our situations were awful and we felt at peace that we were both experiencing the same
unfathomable feeling of heart wrenching grief. Once the principal gave the classes the okay to
climb from underneath their shelters, we pulled away from each other.
We never talked again until Sophomore year of high school when we were paired up for a science project. She invited me to her house and led me up to her room, which was covered in vintage furniture that she found at estate sales. Her walls were covered in cork board and she had pinned scraps of art and quotes. It was organized chaos. We worked on our presentation about the planets in the middle of the floor, but conversation interrupted our work often. We got in a heated debates about canned nacho cheese versus shredded cheese and what it means to be basic. She would never raise her voice, she would just talk quietly at a rapid speed that would win every argument. Once the project was finished, we never hung out again.
I continued to watch her on the beach shore line until a hand clasped my shoulder. "Brian! My man! We were looking for you - the beach is fucking jammed today," Aaron said. He was surrounded by the familiar faces of my friends from school. Their names were Joe, Will, Frank, Kevin and Big Mike. They all unrolled their towels, cramming them next to a pile of chicken bones.
"I've been waiting way too long, I'm going to take a swim. You pussies can sun bath all you want," I said standing up and brushing the specks of sand off of me. Frank ran behind me, throwing his t-shirt over his head. His belly jiggled as his feet hit the ground. He whooped with joy and threw himself into the ocean. Laughing, I followed. I glanced to my left to look at Jaimie. She was on her back, pushing snow angels into the surface of the salty foam.
We never talked again until Sophomore year of high school when we were paired up for a science project. She invited me to her house and led me up to her room, which was covered in vintage furniture that she found at estate sales. Her walls were covered in cork board and she had pinned scraps of art and quotes. It was organized chaos. We worked on our presentation about the planets in the middle of the floor, but conversation interrupted our work often. We got in a heated debates about canned nacho cheese versus shredded cheese and what it means to be basic. She would never raise her voice, she would just talk quietly at a rapid speed that would win every argument. Once the project was finished, we never hung out again.
I continued to watch her on the beach shore line until a hand clasped my shoulder. "Brian! My man! We were looking for you - the beach is fucking jammed today," Aaron said. He was surrounded by the familiar faces of my friends from school. Their names were Joe, Will, Frank, Kevin and Big Mike. They all unrolled their towels, cramming them next to a pile of chicken bones.
"I've been waiting way too long, I'm going to take a swim. You pussies can sun bath all you want," I said standing up and brushing the specks of sand off of me. Frank ran behind me, throwing his t-shirt over his head. His belly jiggled as his feet hit the ground. He whooped with joy and threw himself into the ocean. Laughing, I followed. I glanced to my left to look at Jaimie. She was on her back, pushing snow angels into the surface of the salty foam.
My toes dipped into the sea, surprised by its warmth I walked to mid shin. Aaron came
over to me and punched my shoulder.
"Ew look who it is..." He pointed to Jaimie. I huffed and looked the other way.
"I think she looks pretty nice." Aaron stared at me and I pushed the wet strands from my face roughly.
"Nothing, forget it."
"Are you blind? What did you even just say?”
"I think you should just let up man. You've hated her since kindergarten." "You're an idiot."
I pulled away from Brian and deeper into the ocean. Frank waved to me from far away. He swam to end of the pier and was a small speck in the distance. Frank was on the water polo team, which meant he liked to show off his swimming skills. I doggy paddled my way across the surface. A wave pulled close and I dunked myself under it. The water smashed against my face and I pressed my palms against my eyes to dry them. I flinched as a bundle of sea weed hit my leg and I stumbled backwards. I untangled to the slimy mess from my ankle and threw it a few feet beside me.
"Ew look who it is..." He pointed to Jaimie. I huffed and looked the other way.
"I think she looks pretty nice." Aaron stared at me and I pushed the wet strands from my face roughly.
"Nothing, forget it."
"Are you blind? What did you even just say?”
"I think you should just let up man. You've hated her since kindergarten." "You're an idiot."
I pulled away from Brian and deeper into the ocean. Frank waved to me from far away. He swam to end of the pier and was a small speck in the distance. Frank was on the water polo team, which meant he liked to show off his swimming skills. I doggy paddled my way across the surface. A wave pulled close and I dunked myself under it. The water smashed against my face and I pressed my palms against my eyes to dry them. I flinched as a bundle of sea weed hit my leg and I stumbled backwards. I untangled to the slimy mess from my ankle and threw it a few feet beside me.
The other guys tumbled into the ocean, swimming in front of me towards Frank. I waded
slowly further, but stopped when I was chest deep. Kevin motioned me further and I reluctantly
took another step and stopped again.
"Come on Brian! I thought you wanted to go for a swim," Joe screamed out to me.
I swallowed thickly, feeling overwhelmed by their beckoning calls. I pulled my arms against the water, pulling myself out further. Another wave broke and I was unable to duck under it in time. It crashed against my face making me gasp for air. My open lips filled my mouth with salt water and I coughed. I took another step further until I sunk suddenly. The ground dipped low and water flushed above my head. I frantically pushed water around me to break the surface.
I could see my sisters arms reaching out to me. I reached for them frantically and swished through more heavy water. Her lips bubbled as she screamed for me. I yelled back, my mouth spewing more liquid. The water hit the back of my thought and burned in my nose. I watched as she sunk to the bottom and I slowly sunk with her. I looked down at my hands surprised to see how big they were, how strong they looked. I looked back over to my sister and she was gone.
I kicked wildly and got caught up in more seaweed. The more frantic I got, the less air I had in my chest. I opened my eyes and watched the surface of the water. Light reflected against it, dancing on the surface. I could make out the blue of the sky, but couldn't make out its clouds. Air was just an arm away, but slowly the sky dissolved into darkness. Clouds came into view thundering the surface into black ink smears. Just as the darkness absorbed the dancing light, I felt something grab my hand.
"Come on Brian! I thought you wanted to go for a swim," Joe screamed out to me.
I swallowed thickly, feeling overwhelmed by their beckoning calls. I pulled my arms against the water, pulling myself out further. Another wave broke and I was unable to duck under it in time. It crashed against my face making me gasp for air. My open lips filled my mouth with salt water and I coughed. I took another step further until I sunk suddenly. The ground dipped low and water flushed above my head. I frantically pushed water around me to break the surface.
I could see my sisters arms reaching out to me. I reached for them frantically and swished through more heavy water. Her lips bubbled as she screamed for me. I yelled back, my mouth spewing more liquid. The water hit the back of my thought and burned in my nose. I watched as she sunk to the bottom and I slowly sunk with her. I looked down at my hands surprised to see how big they were, how strong they looked. I looked back over to my sister and she was gone.
I kicked wildly and got caught up in more seaweed. The more frantic I got, the less air I had in my chest. I opened my eyes and watched the surface of the water. Light reflected against it, dancing on the surface. I could make out the blue of the sky, but couldn't make out its clouds. Air was just an arm away, but slowly the sky dissolved into darkness. Clouds came into view thundering the surface into black ink smears. Just as the darkness absorbed the dancing light, I felt something grab my hand.
I came to on the hot sand. A female voice called out to me like an angel. "Brian! Brian!
Come on, open your eyes." My eyes felt heavy, their lashes clumped together by salt and sand.
They fluttered open and an figure emerged above me, highlighted by brightness.
"Emily?" I murmured and squinted at her. "I'm sorry.” I blubbered hysterically, “I’m so sorry I didn’t save you.”
“Brain! It’s okay! It’s Jaimie.”
“Jaimie?” Jaimie pulled me up so that I was sitting, looking out at the water. Some of the guys ran out of the water and came to me.
"Are you okay?" Will and Frank kneeled next to, handing me a jug of water.
"Yea. I'm fine." I brushed the tears from my face, smudging sand across my cheeks.
"Good thing Jaimie was watching you," Will said smiling at her. She blushed and stood up, brushing the specks of sand from her knees.
“I was swimming pretty close to him. Once I lost sight of him, I just had to start looking.”
“Good thing you did. Come on dude, let’s get you dried off.” Frank pulled me up and my face felt hot with embarrassment.
“I should actually get going." Jaimie said. She tucked her curly short hair behind her ears like she always used to.
“Thank- thank you.” I’m so sorry I didn’t. Then the strangest thing happened, she smiled at me like all was forgiven.
"Emily?" I murmured and squinted at her. "I'm sorry.” I blubbered hysterically, “I’m so sorry I didn’t save you.”
“Brain! It’s okay! It’s Jaimie.”
“Jaimie?” Jaimie pulled me up so that I was sitting, looking out at the water. Some of the guys ran out of the water and came to me.
"Are you okay?" Will and Frank kneeled next to, handing me a jug of water.
"Yea. I'm fine." I brushed the tears from my face, smudging sand across my cheeks.
"Good thing Jaimie was watching you," Will said smiling at her. She blushed and stood up, brushing the specks of sand from her knees.
“I was swimming pretty close to him. Once I lost sight of him, I just had to start looking.”
“Good thing you did. Come on dude, let’s get you dried off.” Frank pulled me up and my face felt hot with embarrassment.
“I should actually get going." Jaimie said. She tucked her curly short hair behind her ears like she always used to.
“Thank- thank you.” I’m so sorry I didn’t. Then the strangest thing happened, she smiled at me like all was forgiven.
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