Blue and Free, Aer [phonics reader txt] 📗

I just couldn’t. “Please listen to me.” I looked at him and waited. He took my face in his hands and gingerly kissed me.
My head was spinning when we were finally finished. He looked at me, waiting. I just looked back. What was I suppose to say?
“This would count as our first kiss.” “What do I say?” He looked at me and just smiled. “I love you.” “I love you, too. Please never ever say that to me again. I can’t live without you.” He wound his arms around me and kissed me again.

We were laying on some towels together just talking when he got a call on his cell phone. “Hello? Yes, this is his son. Yes. Uh huh. Okay. I’ll let him know. Good-bye.” He shut his phone and turned to me.
“Have you ever surfed?” I watched him. “No. Never. I have never had anyone to teach me.” I smiled and grabbed his hand. I took him to my house and we grabbed two surfboards. “What are we about to do?” “We are about to go surfing. I’m going to teach you how. It’s so simple.”
We were there when a really good wave came. “Stay here and I’ll let you watch me the first time.” I went out there and the wave was really alive. I ended up wiping out. I came up laughing. I went back over to where Josh was. “So what did you think?” “Do I have to go today?” I laughed. “No, of course, you don’t have to.” I got off my surfboard and got on his.
“This can’t hold us.” “Yes, it can. Relax. Surfing is in your blood. You were born in Florida where there is a ocean.” He didn’t relax so we went back.
When we got back there was a man on the beach. “Joshua? Joshua, my boy.” “Hello, Father.” Father? “Hello, I’m Alise Rodworth. I’m his girlfriend. You are his father I presume.” “Hello, darling. Nice to meet you.” “You work for BP.” “No, no. I am the president of BP.” “If you will excuse me. I have to go. It was nice to meet you.” I took off running.
Josh found me later sitting at the waters edge. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “I didn’t tell you because I knew you wouldn’t like my father. He doesn’t care that the oil is harming the wildlife. He is just doing this so that the public will get off his back.” I still sat not looking at him. How could the one person I love more than my mother have a father that I don’t like?
“I want to show you something. Do you have your Jeep with you?” “Yes.” May I drive?” “Of course.”
We were almost there. “I love you. No matter what your family is like. I love you.” We were there now and I got out of the Jeep. I got out first. “This is where my dad would bring me everyday when I was little. Before he died. This place has life everywhere. This is where the dolphins come to play. I used to come here everyday. This is a special place. And I want to share it with you.” I turned to see him staring at me. “I love you. I’m glad that you want to share this with me. This will always be our place. This will always show as the place where our life together first blossomed.”
I walked over to him and hugged him. I was so glad he understood.
We hung out at our special place for a long time. We swam with the dolphins that came up. We did everything. “I should have waited to kiss you here. Then our first kiss could have been here where it all started today with us forever.”
The rest of the weekend went the same. I didn’t see Josh’s dad after that. Thank goodness.

It was Monday morning. The last day of school. I was so excited! No more getting up early. No more homework.
Josh picked me up like usual. We didn’t have a full day just half. We stayed long enough to see if we passed. We did! We were juniors!
“Can you believe it? We passed!” I hugged him. “I know! I’m so glad!” We got in his Jeep and went to the beach.

“Do you wanna surf?” I looked at him hopeful. “Sure. And this time I’ll try.” I smiled.

We were waiting for a wave when the wind started to pick up. “We need to go back to shore.” “Yeah, I agree.” It was starting to look bad once we reached shore. We went back to my house and sat outside on the hammock. At least if it got bad we could just walk into the house.
“I love you.” I smiled and softly kissed him. “I love you, too.” He said when we were done. We sat together the whole time.
When my mother got home, I helped her with supper and Josh watched TV.
At dinner my mom asked how our day went.
“Like usual. We went to the beach and we were going to go surfing but it started to get rough. Then, we came here and hung out for the remainder of our afternoon.” “Yes, it is looking bad. I hope we don’t get a hurricane.” I nodded.

“Be careful driving home please.” I looked at him. He smiled and kissed me. “Don’t worry I’ll be okay. I love you. Have a good night.” I hugged him and said good-bye. I watched him drive away.

I went to bed late that night.

I woke up in the morning. No school! I was eating some cereal when there was a knock on the door. “Come in!” I had no reason to go answer the door because Josh was the only person I was expecting today.
A tall, dark haired man walked in. I jumped up and grabbed a steak knife. “Who are you? Get out of my house!” The man came closer to me. “Get back. I’ll stab you.” He just kept coming. He tried to grab me. I stabbed him in the forearm. The man yelled and grabbed the knife sticking out of his arm. I ran outside. Josh had just pulled up. Josh jumped out of his Jeep and grabbed me.
“Alise, what’s wrong? Why are you shaking?” Just then the man walked outside and went running. I turned into Josh’s shoulder and started crying. “It’s okay. I’m here. It’s okay, honey.”
Josh called the police and my mom. I was still in my silk pajamas when the police and my mother got there.
My mom ran over to me and hugged me and never let go. “Oh my poor baby! I hope they hurt that man.” I held on to my mom and buried my face in her hair.
“Excuse me, miss. But, can you describe for us what the man looked like.” I nodded. Josh put his arm around me. I needed the support.
“He was about 5’8 and was very scruffy looking. He had dark hair and eyes. He will have a stab wound on him because he tried to grab me so I stabbed him.” Josh’s arm tightened around my waist. I continued. “He was wearing a holey white crew neck t-shirt and khaki shorts.” “Thank you, miss.” I nodded.

The police left shortly after. I grabbed a change of clothes and took a shower.

“How are you?” I was drying my hair when Josh came in. I looked at my reflection then at him. “Okay. Still a little shaky but, fine other than that.” I smiled at him. He walked over and hugged me. “I’m so sorry, honey. I wish I would have been here sooner.” I laid my head on his chest and sighed. “It’s not your fault. It could have happened to anyone.”

We took a walk on the beach.
We were walking hand in hand enjoying the afternoon sun. “So what do you wanna do this summer?” I looked at him and smiled. “Whatever. I don’t care what we do as long as we are together.” He smiled, picked me up and spun us around. I laughed and kissed his cheek. He set me down and took my hand.
We walked at the waters edge. Letting the water run over feet.

We were sitting on the sand, no space between us. I was playing with his hand when he pulled it away. I looked up at him. He was smiling. Did he not know that he hurt me? I just looked at him. He smiled and leaned into me. He barely touched my lips at first. He brought his hand up and held my cheek while he kissed me. I was in heaven.
He stopped and I didn’t want him to stop. He smiled at me. I smiled back. He straightened up and lay back on the sand. I leaned over him and ever so softly kissed him. Then I got up and ran.
He stared for a minute before running after me. He caught me shortly after. I was laughing so hard when he caught me. He grabbed me around the waist and spun us around. He fell backwards taking both of us down in the water. I got up and held my hand out. He took it. But, pulled me back in the water. I landed on top of him. He kissed me as soon as I looked up. When we were done. I laughed and sat up straight. He laughed and sat up too.

We were walking back to the house now. We were both soaked. We got in the house I went to my room and got dry clothes. I went into the bathroom and changed. I came out and Josh was standing there waiting. “Oh, here let me go get you some clothes. I walked into my mom’s room and went to the dresser. My mom still had some of my dad and brother’s clothes. I went through my brother’s clothes and found him something to wear.
I went back into the living room. “Here you go. These were my brother’s. He moved to Arkansas last summer. If these don’t fit there are others in there.” He took the clothes, touched my cheek and went to the bathroom.
He came back out. I took his wet clothes and through them in the wash with mine. I started it. I took his hand and pulled him to the couch. I flipped the TV on. The news was on. It was about the BP oilrig. I turned the volume up.
BP oilrig causing wildlife to die. What does BP plan to do? Will it be too late when they come up with a solution?
I looked at Josh. He shook his head. “I haven’t heard any of my father’s plans. I’m sorry, sweetheart.” I nodded and laid my head on his chest.

When my mom got home I told her about the news. She was sad to hear it. “I certainly hope your father hurries with the solution.” Josh nodded in agreement.
“Can you stay for supper?” “I’m sorry I can’t tonight. My parents insisted on me going to their party. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I walked him to the door. “I love you. Have a nice time tonight. Be careful driving home.” I hugged him. I looked him in the eyes then kissed him. “I love you. Be safe.” Were his last words before leaving.

I went to the table to eat supper. We ate in silence.
I was outside sitting on the hammock when we got a