The Boyfriend

It was a good night’s sleep she needed. Her sweet smile was back on her face the next morning. Her mood was lighter, and she couldn’t wait to spend the day with Preston. He wanted to explore the island with her and end the day at The Rockabillies. She took him to her favorite beach, favorite hangouts, a cool vintage clothing shop that Preston would love. Nathan Sommers was not in her mind that day.

He didn’t want to ruin her mood, so he held it for a while longer. The thing he was going to tell her will be hard to hear, as much as it was going to be hard for him to say. She was laughing at his jokes, mocked him as he was trying on funky clothes. Preston loved to shop. He had a wide collection of strange outfits that he can pull off easily. Julie was probably the only girl he knew who had the patience to wait on him while he shopped.

She always chose the items for him, he always listened to her. She’s the one he goes to for any advice, school, music, family, relationships. For the past three years they’ve been close, he had let her rule his life because he trusted her instincts. When she decided to leave after graduation, it was a wake up call for him. It made him realize how much he needed her, how much he loved her.

She teased him for being such a player with the girls, yet he was adorable as a puppy with her. She often complimented him on his good looks, not in a flirty way, more like a genuine admiration of how blessed he was in that department, and it made him blushed more than any pick-up line he had ever heard.

She had a habit of smearing ice cream on the tip of his ‘big nose’ and kissed it off afterwards. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and take her away that day. Far away from Bhorma, away from Nathan Sommers.

They end the day at The Rockabillies. Kelsey joined them with Nathan. They were holding hands, and Kelsey’s arm was around his waist. The thought of them having sex the night before crossed her mind. Another reason why they could never be together.

When Preston and Kelsey went to the bar to get some drinks, they were left in awkward silence.

“I didn’t sleep with her last night, if that’s what you were thinking,” he broke the silence.

She flinched, “I wasn’t thinking about that, it’s none of my business.”

“Well I just want you to know that … I can’t stop thinking about you, Julie, please come home tonight,” he took her hand.

She jerked her hand back and looked at her surroundings. He didn’t seem to care if anyone had seen what he did. Before she could say anything, Preston and Kelsey were back with their drinks.

“This place is awesome, I wish I’d known about it before, I would’ve come here a long time ago.” Preston was enthralled by the place. It was an easy subject to jump on and focused their attention to.

Julie drank more than she usually does, the game of pretending was taking its toll on her. She didn’t know how long she could do that to Kelsey. She was dying inside, hoping the drinks could mute her conscience.

Preston was on his feet as soon as the drinks kicked in, the whole setting was too stimulating for him. So he went to the stage, spoke to the manager and asked if he could go up and sing one song with the home band. They agreed. He went on the stage with a wide grin, greeted the audience as if he had done it a million times. Whenever he had a mic on his hand, up on a platform, he always got the audience’s attention as he turned into a whole different person. The person she had a crush on when she first saw him.

“Alright … I just want to address this to a special girl here tonight … she’s out in the back somewhere …” he shields his eyes from the bright lights to search for Julie.

Kelsey waved at him, “Right here!” she shouted, and the light pointed to their table.

“There she is … my special girl, she loves this song so much, and I want to present this song for her. I hope you guys don’t mind … she’s not my girlfriend,” there were murmurs of laughter from the audience.

Preston chuckled, “Yeah … no … she’s not my girlfriend, she’s more than that, she’s the one I go back to time and time again … if you ever find someone like that in your life, I suggest you let them know how much they mean to you, and never ever let them go.”

“Awww,” Kelsey clasped her hands together and pressed them on her chest. She leaned over to Julie and they embraced each other.

“Okay … so here goes … this one’s for you, Julie.” He was sitting with an acoustic guitar and started singing.

“Half of what I say is meaningless

But I say this just to reach you, Julia

Julia, Julia, ocean child, calls me

So I sing the song of love, Julia

Julia, seashell eyes, windy smile, calls me© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

So I sing the song of love, Julia

Her hair of floating sky is shimmering, glimmering,

In the sun

Julia, Julia, morning moon, touch me

So I sing the song of love, Julia

When I cannot sing my heart

I can only speak my mind, Julia

Julia, sleeping sand, silent cloud, touch me

So I sing the song of love, Julia”

She was his biggest fan, she will always be. His voice mesmerized her, words went straight to her heart. She loved it when he sang to her, and when he sang to her in front of an audience, the moment was a different kind of experience for her. The audience enjoyed him so much that they asked him to sing some more. The night quickly turned into a mini concert of Preston Hicks.

Looking at Julie’s beaming face, and the sparkle in her eyes, Nathan turned around and left the room. He said he needed to get some fresh air, even though the venue was an open space. His head cramped, his chest pressured. He hated Preston and what he had with Julie.

After the performance, they went their separate ways. Preston took Julie on a walk by the beach going back to his hotel. They were both tipsy but already planning on a nightcap at the hotel while enjoying weird movies they failed to watch the previous night.

“You were great … you’re getting better and better,” she said.

He held her hand. “Thank you … that means a lot coming from you, I know how much you despise my singing.” They laughed.

“How’s your song writing going? I’m sorry I haven’t been keeping up with that lately.”

Preston’s expression turned dark, “Actually … I’ve been meaning to tell you … I got signed by a record company in Goldstone,” he said.

Her eyes widened, “Really? That’s great, Preston, why didn’t you tell me earlier? We should be celebrating!” she gasped in pure joy and hugged him. “Congratulations! When did this happen?” she looked at him puzzled because he didn’t seem to be overjoyed by it.

He looked down and stopped walking, “I’m flying to Goldstone tomorrow … I won’t’ be going back to Gastonburry.” His voice was low, his usual playful charm was gone.

She swung their hands, “What’s the matter? Aren’t you supposed to be ecstatic over this?”

“Yeah,” he paused. “I’m quitting school, Jules, they’re signing me up for the whole year, recording for three months and then promoting it, if it gains any recognition they might extend the contract, and then I have to make more music for them … I had a huge fight with my parents … I was supposed to be in Goldstone yesterday but I had to come here and see you first,” he continued.

Julie covered her mouth with one hand, “Oh my God … don’t you realize this is the moment you’ve been waiting for? You’re finally getting that break you’ve been working on! You’re one step away from making your dreams come true … I’m so happy for you!”

A smile finally broke on his face, “I suppose … if you see it that way,” he looked at her in adoration. She always made him feel better about himself.

“Does that mean you’re never coming back to Gastonburry?”

He lifted his shoulders, “Not at least for a year … and see how it goes from there.”

She curved a smile, looped her arm around his. “So I won’t be able to see you again for a year?”

He didn’t have the answer to that. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked slowly towards The Hard Rock Hotel. The walk was quiet.

He felt warm drops on his arm and realized it came from Julie. He stopped. “Hey … don’t cry,” he touched her face.

She tried to hold them back, but it was too hard. “You’re leaving me … I’m sad,” her lips were trembling.

“No … don’t say it like that, I’ll come back to you … I always do.”

Someone was going to leave, it’s only a matter of when. What happens after that never really crossed their minds until the time finally came. She forced a smile, “You’re gonna be a big star, I’m sure of that, I might have to get a VIP pass before I can see you again,” it sounded silly but she firmly believed it.

He blushed, she always gave the best compliment. “I don’t know about that … but it would be nice to know that I’ll always have you, no matter where we are in the world, we can still have this,” he took both her hands.

She wrapped her arms around him, pressed herself against his chest. For a while, they stood there feeling each other’s heartbeat with the sound of the waves in the background. They have taken for granted some of the times they’ve been given for the past three years, they wanted to make up for that in one last night.