Cal

May 2002

"Wow, it's really over," said my friend Alicia passing me her red lipstick. It was graduation weekend and we were getting ready for a party at another senior's, well former senior's house.

"I know they tell you high school is the time of your life when you're a freshman and then when you're a senior they're all, 'now it's time to start your life!'"  I was currently trying on my fifth outfit, this one was a form fitting tank top and my favorite Abercrombie & Fitch Jean mini skirt. Ugh nothing was right but I'll settle on this.

Alicia turned to me, held out her arms and in the most dramatic fashion she says,

"Kara said that Alex told her that Cal is definitely going to be there!"  Cal was the guy I was stressing about my clothes over. Cal was the guy most girls from Franklin High were stressing about their wardrobe over.

"Well considering he's taken, that news doesn't make me as excited as you are." I said rolling my eyes.

"Well, Sam told Tina who told Alex who told Kara that they broke up last night!"

"Shut up!" Now she had me listening.

"It's true, I guess she was mad that he was running off to California and leaving her."

"Leaving her? Running off? He's going to college which is normally what people do after high school, on that note I better wear this instead." Going through my closet I pulled out the one dress I knew showed off my curves. It was a little black dress with spaghetti straps that hugged tight. It was a purchase I made 4 months ago and have yet to wear, I had tried it on 6 months ago and after going back and trying it on 4 times I finally bought it. $90 bucks on an 18 year olds budget was a big deal. I was waiting for the perfect moment and this was it.

Walking into kevin's house and seeing half of the student body there made my heart start to race. I had a good high school experience not to many embarrassing moments, and I had a good amount of friends but I was shy and being shy in high school doesn't help you.  Tonight though I told myself I was going to be bold.  After hugging a handful of friends I accepted a drink from Alex. Alex was Kara's boyfriend. He was average height and had an athletic build with a very pretty boy face. His parents were from Boston and even though I've never been I always pictured him attending Harvard and joining the rowing team. Rumor has it he got into Brown.

"Juliette, I hear you're heading to California? " Alex asked me.

"Yep! Headed to San Diego next month."   You're probably wondering what school I got into, well I didn't. I honestly never thought I'd be able to afford it. My parents couldn't and I didn't like the idea of a bunch of loans. Now I'm sure there's some grants or scholarships I could apply for but I always thought you had to be really struggling for them to give you money and my parents weren't that bad off they just couldn't afford to pay my way. Really I just didn't look into my options very well, but tell that to the freshman who's given a piece of paper listing what classes she has to take for university and how many if you don't choose the university route. Well I saw the short list and took it so I would have to start at community college anyways, which is what I'm going to do. Alicia got into UCSD and her mom was going to pay for her half the rent on a little 2 bedroom we found. She asked me to move with her and of course I had to, I was definitely over Colorado and our crazy weather. The thought of 60 degree weather everyday and the beach just made it all the more reason to go.

I had already secured a job at a small insurance office. My first job in high school was admin help at a local insurance office, when I turned 18 in September I took some classes and a nice long test and got my license to sell insurance products.  Boring I know but it will help pay the bills. Back in April Alicia and I took a road trip to San Diego and I interviewed with a couple agents. One was this 70 year old guy who kept complimenting me throughout the interview and giving me the creepies. Another was a younger guy maybe early 30's who had just started his agency and was eager to build his book. Also he liked the idea that I had experience and he was going to pay for me to get licensed in CA. So good news I start with him the end of June!

"Well I'm sure you'll look good laying out on the beach, wish I was moving there instead of Rhode Island," with that statement Alex tried grabbing my waist and dancing with me. I pushed him away and headed into another room. Alex has always been a huge flirt and he also sounded like he'd had a few too many drinks, it wasn't even worth it to respond.

I searched through the crowd of kids and that's when I spotted him. Cal was busy talking to one of the other baseball players from school.  He looked amazing in jeans and a t-shirt with top gun picture on it. He ran his fingers through his wavy black hair and laughed at something he heard. Man that smile, he had perfect white teeth and two big dimples you could get lost in. His friend got distracted and I knew this was my chance, I had to talk to him.

"Hey Cal, can you believe it's over?" I put on my best flirt smile (you know the one you practice in front of the mirror over and over til your cheeks hurt.)

"Juliette hey, you look great! Yeah  I think I'm ready to move on but will definitely miss playing ball here." Cal was on the baseball team and he was amazing. OK maybe I'm bragging but he really was a great player. He got a scholarship and chose SDSU, yes I just said it, he was going to San Diego! It was like we were meant to be. Of course we really only talked a handful of times and he had a girlfriend all year but hey a girl can dream.

"So I heard you're heading to San Diego this summer, guess who's going to be there too!?"

"No way you're going to SDSU too!"

Ugh that's like the 50th time someone has asked me that, I get it were supposed to be going to university but still I felt bad having to say no.

"Nah I got a job over there and plan on taking classes at the community college. Listen I know we haven't talked much this year but I really think we should do something when we're both out there." This was my chance tell him how I feel. I put my hand on his arm and tried my best to sound calm even though my stomach was anything but.

"For sure, you know I probably shouldn't say this but I've kinda always wanted to get to know you better, but with Sam and all..."  Sam was his ex girlfriend. She also was head cheerleader and a blond bombshell, hard to compete. But she's out of the picture, I hope. 

 I downed my beer and prayed for courage to make my move. He was smiling at me and I could see in his eyes he was feeling something too. I put my cup on the fireplace mantel. Wrapping my arms around his neck I got my nerves together and said, "well why wait til San Diego. " and that's when I did it I leaned in and he met me half way. Our lips touched briefly and we backed away for a second as if our touch shocked us and then our lips, like magnets found their way back. The kiss was good, our lips were cold and when he opened his mouth and the kiss deepened. He tasted of beer and what was that, mango? He moaned and wrapped his arms around my lower back and pulled me closer.  God I have wanted this for so long.

 We finally broke apart and his friend Derrick interrupted us with a devils smile and offered us some mango jello shots. Ah so that's where the mango taste came from. We declined and instead Cal grabbed my hand and lead me to the backyard. On the way I spotted Alicia, her eyes were wide with her mouth open in shock.  I mouthed "oh my God!" To her and she gave me two thumbs up,  I laughed then quickly checked that he didn't see that, but his face was forward.  Opening the screen door I was surprised there was only a handful of kids out here. He lead me to the empty trampoline at the end of the yard and helped me up.

"Wouldn't mind being somewhere a little more private." Cal said and with that he grabbed the back of my head and started kissing me again. We moved to the middle of the trampoline and began heavily making out. His kisses felt so good and this was always what I wanted but all of a sudden it felt off. I mean we barely talked and all of a sudden he can't keep his hands off me. I broke away for a second and tried to catch my breath.

"So when do you move," I know it's small talk but I actually didn't know, other then where he's going, much about his situation.

He gave a small chuckle and started nuzzling my neck, "August."

"Are you going to live on campus?"

"Yeah." He started playing with my spaghetti strap. OK apparently he's a one word man, was I going to get anywhere?

"Listen I think we should slow down." I sat up and looked at him, gosh he was adorable. He made a face that almost resembled annoyed but as fast as he made it, it was gone.

"Of course Juliette, I was just carried away, you are so beautiful tonight."  Ugh stay still my beating heart. If I was anything like this trampoline I would have just jumped him right then and there but good ol' conscience won out. I asked him a couple more questions and he started opening up. Just when I thought the night couldn't get any better I looked over his shoulder and couldn't believe who I saw approaching us.