New Old Friends

When she was a little girl, she had nothing to worry about. When she became a teenager, it was all about the boys. When she turned 15, she was kicked out and forced to live in different places. Tessa was about to move all her items out of her mom’s house when she got a call. Asher Bell had been trying to call her all day, and every time she would decline, he would call again. She picked it up and he said something about the park at her college then hung up. Tessa had been in her bunny pajamas all day and decided that she couldn’t leave like that. She pulled her barely long enough hair into her neon-blue hair tie. After looking at shirt after shirt, Tessa settled on her depressing blue V-neck t. she’d also found an old pair of black leggings so she could wear her black sandals. A few pieces had already fallen out of the loose ponytail. They curved around her pale lightly freckled face and almost made it into her light grey-blue eyes. She was on her way to the college when she heard a noise. It was loud and ear-splitting, but she kept going. Tessa walked over to the door of Asher’s dorm and knocked quietly. 

“Hello?” She said. 

“Who is it?” A voice yelled back, but it wasn’t Asher’s. 

“Um... never mind. Wrong room.” Tessa walked away in confusion. 

She called Asher to see where he was, but he didn’t pick up. She texted him asking what was going on. He still didn’t answer.  

“HEY,” a voice yelled from behind her. “Why did you call me? I’ve been at your dorm for like an hour.” Tessa whipped around in fear.  

“Asher!” She jumped, “You could’ve answered my text dude. I was scared.” 

She walked up to him to playfully hit his arm. He gave a fake whine and winked at her to let her know that she did absolutely nothing to him. Asher almost always wore a t-shirt and jeans. That night, he wore a light grey shirt with his distressed jeans that he’d been sitting in for three years. Tessa could tell he had just woken up a little before his calls. Mostly because of his disarranged hair that slightly covered his face. Under the light, she could’ve sworn that his hair was a dark brown, with some faded streaks of black from middle school. Asher’s Levi’s had been worn to pieces but were still in operation. In the dim moonlight, his skin was a dark olive tone, and his strong hazel eyes sparkled as he gazed upon Tessa's soft figure in front of him. Tessa and Asher weren’t mean to each other, but they did have some heated arguments. Asher always picked on Tessa, saying that she liked him and that she was too scared to say it. She would always tell him that she didn’t and that if she ever dated him then god would’ve taken all the good ones. She did like him though, and secretly, she was telling him. Asher had a best friend that we can call Sam. She did everything with Asher and was the only person who knew about his little crush on Tessa and her crush on him. She didn’t let either know, namely because she didn’t want their friendship to change. 

Sam and Tessa hated each other the year before, but now they had become good friends. Tessa trusted her with everything and had even told her about something that only she knew. That’s what really made the deal between them. Not even Asher could change that. Asher looked at Tessa for a solid two minutes before he asked, 

“Whatcha thinking about?” 

“Nothing.” Tessa replied, “Just thinking about Sam.” 

“Yea, I miss her too.” He looked down gliding his foot on the ground. 

“I wonder how she’s doing down there,” Tessa’s face had gone from almost no emotion to wonder, fear, and sadness all in one movement to make a slight frown. 

“I can promise you that she misses you just as much as you to her.” Asher half smiled at her as to apply sympathy. 

He put his arm around her shoulders, and she put hers around him as they walked to the bench in front of the school. They sat in silence for what seemed like forever. Tessa glanced at Asher to see if he was looking at her, unsurprisingly, he was. He was looking, smiling, just being his goofy self. She loved him as a brother, and even though he thought he shouldn’t, he loved her in a different way. Tessa didn’t know it and he didn’t want her to. Everything was finally going right in his world. He had planned on telling her tonight, but he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t tell her that he had a crush on her, that he was the guy she needed, and that she was perfect in his eyes.  

It was almost three in the morning when they started home, and Asher insisted on walking Tessa to her door. Tessa was about to tell Asher good night when he kissed her out of nowhere. Tessa just stood there in shock as Asher told her goodnight all awkwardly and walked back down the few steps to leave. 

It had been almost a week since the kiss and neither Tessa nor Asher had said anything about it. They were on their way home from school when Asher finally broke the silence. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay.” Tessa just looked down at the floor. 

“Should we tell Sam?” 

“That’s not really my concern right now,” she said. 

What they didn’t know was, Sam was back, and she wanted to surprise them. Sam waited near the stop that Asher and Tessa said that they usually got dropped off and waited until she saw the white public bus. She stood behind a tree giggling to herself. Asher got off the bus after Tessa and as they started down the street, Sam lightly followed behind. They were talking about going down to Florida to see Sam on spring break. She was about to jump into the conversation when she heard Tessa ask Asher who he liked. Asher had never told Sam, so she stayed back to know his answer. Not surprisingly, he said no one. She put an arm around Asher’s shoulder along with Tessa’s and spoke loud and clear just to shock them. 

“I like someone.” 

“Sam! We’ve missed you some much!” Asher hugged her with a huge smile on his face. 

“I need to talk to you about so much that’s happened. I’ve missed my best friend.” Tessa hugged Sam as hard as she could to make up for all the lost ones.  

“I’ve missed you guys too,” She said with her strawberry blonde hair swaying in the breeze. Her loose, red, summer dress hung off her hips with the seam ending just at her mid-knee. The light cherry blossoms looked as though they really swayed with the bright fabric. Sam’s red toenails peeked out from under her strapped sandals. Her light peach skin was darkened from the tan she’d developed, and her freckles had gotten more noticeable. The fact that her blue braces had disappeared in the past while had made it harder to ignore her beauty in the sunlight. Sam’s light rose lips stretched when she smiled at her friends. Just walking near them had made her ocean eyes bluer and more carefree. Her cheeks had been blushed lightly from the sun and the dimples that were only the slightest seeable formed in the first conversations of the year with her chosen family. 

Sam walked with them to Asher’s house where they used to hang out after school. Sam told them all about Florida and how amazing her school was. Asher and Tessa kept looking at each other wondering if they should tell her about the kiss. After Sam stopped talking, Tessa put her hand on Sam’s and looked at her as she was about to cry.  

“What? Tessa, what’s wrong?” Sam asked. 

“Um. Asher and I kind of kiss.” Tessa looked at her feet and then back at Sam. “I’m sorry.” 

“Why are you saying sorry? It’s your choice to do what you want.” Sam smiled. 

“We don’t know. We just weren't sure how’d you react.” Asher said. 

Sam was about to tell them that she was coming out of the closet and that she liked a girl when Tessa pulled everyone in for a group hug. Tessa let go and asked Sam who she liked, Sam was about to say Jag, a girl she met in Florida, but was scared. Instead, she told them that she hadn’t found anyone cool yet. They looked at her suspiciously, but let it go. Sam kept saying in the back of her mind, ‘I need to tell them about her, I just have to.’ Asher was about to go tell Sam bye when suddenly, he felt a tug at his shirt sleeve. 

“Are you gonna tell me bye or not?” Tessa softly said with a wink. 

“I didn’t know that leaving yet,” He said back. 

“Okay lovebirds, knock it off until I’m at least a mile away,” Sam jumped in. 

“We’re not lovebirds. We kissed a small little kiss.” Tessa rolled her eyes at Sam. 

“Whatever,” Sam said back. 

Asher looked a little disappointed, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to be rejected or made fun of, so he just smiled and pretended to listen.  

It had been a few days since Sam came back, and it was almost time for Sam’s plane to leave. Tessa asked if she could pull Sam to the side. They walked off a little way away, and Tessa looked Sam in the eyes. 

“I have nowhere to live. Do you know any places that are cheap in Florida?” She asked as she pulled out a plane ticket. 

“Oh my gosh! Tessa are you coming to Florida with me!?” Sam said with extreme happiness.  

“Not just me.” She pointed to Asher who was holding his ticket up for Sam. 

“You guys!” Sam looked back and forth as Asher walked over to join them. 

“We want to make sure that you’re okay with it,” Asher said. 

“I’ve got a place, but Tessa can’t find a cheap one.” Asher elbowed Tessa jokingly. 

“Come stay with me. I’m lonely in my apartment.” Sam held Tessa’s hands hoping she’d say yes. 

“Yes. I would love to stay with my best girl.” Tessa hugged Sam. 

“Plane 142, plane 142 is leaving in ten minutes.” A voice came over the loudspeaker, 

Asher, Sam, and Tessa all held hands till the last second upon getting off the plane. Asher and Tessa looked around in amazement.  

“It’s beautiful here.” Tessa looked at Sam. 

“It’s nice, but we all have stuff to do so I say that we all go to our living spaces and unpack.” Asher Said. 

“Meet at the beach in let's say two hours?” Sam shrugged. 

“Deal” Asher replied. 

They walked in different directions when all this sudden, Asher turned around and hugged them both. 

“I’m sorry.” He stepped away to give them space. 

“What are you sorry about?” Tessa looked in his eyes.  

“Asher don’t,” Sam wouldn’t look at Tessa. 

“What.” she said, “What is she talking about Asher?”  

“I have to tell her.” He said almost in tears. 

“Tessa,” he grabbed her hand. “I’m so sorry that I lied to you.” 

“Lied about what? When?” She was starting to get angry. 

“I told you that you liked me and that you were just too scared to say it.” he had a few small tears running down his face. “I like you. I was the one who was scared and I’m so sorry that I didn’t tell you and that I kept it for so long.” 

“Asher. It’s okay.” Tessa put her bag down and gently put her now free hand on his cheek to wipe away the tears. She then whipped around to Sam. “Sam. You knew?” she spoke in a hurt way.   

“No. That’s not what I thought he was going to say.” She was just as confused as Tessa. 

“What were you telling him not to do?” Tessa questioned. 

“I’ll tell her,” Asher said. 

“No, it’s okay. I'll tell her.” Sam turned full forward to Tessa. “I need to tell you something and you can’t freak out,” she said. Tessa nodded. “I don’t actually live here. I live in a little place with a crappy roof and a freaking straw door.” She said ashamed, “I didn’t want you to think that I was a loser for not living with my parents.”  

“Why would I ever think that?” Tessa hugged Sam and held her hands on her shoulders. “I think that living on a beach would be fun.” She said with a wink. 

Asher just kinda watched for a minute but decided that he had to join them. After their hug had departed, Sam put an arm around Tessa and Tessa did the same. They’d agreed to meet at the West end of the beach near Sam’s hut. Asher was the first to turn around, but before he started walking, Tessa gave him one more brief hug and walked away. 

Sam and Tessa were on their way to the beach when they heard an earsplitting scream. A girl was being beaten by a man in all dark clothes. Sam had recognized that scream. She heard it in while walking by a drama class almost a week earlier. Jag, Sam’s secret crush was in the corner of an ally, trying to shield herself from the abuse. Before thinking, Sam dropped her bag and pushed the man out of the way. She knelt in front of Jag and embraced her. Tessa, being the supporting friend she is, followed Sam into the ally of pain. A split second before she reached the two women, the man busted her arm with the small bat in his hand, forcing her to the ground. She was so close to them but couldn’t keep them from the strikes that were thrown at them.  

Sirens! Sirens screamed as blue and red lights flashed down the street. The man stopped abruptly and ran down the ally. It was too little too late for him though. The cop commanded the man to put his hands up. Blinded by the lights, all three girls couldn’t see who was put into the backseat, but to honest, I don’t think they cared at that point. 

“Are you okay?” Tessa asked with her hand on her hurting side.  

“I’m okay, Are you?” Sam responded looking at Jag. 

“I guess I’m alright,” she weakly said. 

The officers then questioned them and asked if they were going to need medical assistance. They all answered with no and started walking down the street. Tessa stared talking with Jag, asking her what all happened, and who she was. Sam was on the outside of the conversation, but she still listened to make sure nothing to open was said. It was about midnight when Tessa and Sam made it to where they were meeting Asher. He was still waiting at the boardwalk just looking down at the swaying waters.  

“Hey.” Tessa yelled, “pretty boy.” 

Asher turned around in surprise to see another girl with them. He was starting to think he was delusional.  

“Hey.” He waved at the girls. “Who is this?” He asked. 

“I’m Jag,” she slightly moved her hand.  

“Nice to meet you Jag,” Asher put out a hand for her to high five but dropped it back down.  

“So, sorry we're late. We had a little bit of a setback.” Sam said. 

“Yea. A three-hour setback.” Asher crossed his arms. 

“We had to change and get to know Jag a little.” Tessa protested. 

“Sorry that I made you late. You shouldn’t have helped me.” Jag cut in. 

“What do you mean helped?” Asher asked. 

“Tessa and Sam helped me in an alleyway some ways back,” Jag explained the whole situation. Asher swept all three girls into a hug and held them there a minute. 

“Okay. You can leg go now; you’re sort of hurting our bruises.” Sam warned him.  

Asher let loose and Tessa sighed a breath of relief. They all walked down the beach with each other and were on their way to get some ice cream for the wounded ladies. The ice cream shop was closed due to how late it was. Asher and Sam went to look for a place for everyone to get food while Tessa and Jag waited at the storefront. Sam was worried some about Jag accidentally saying something, but she chose to ignore it. It had been a few minutes of Tessa and Jag talking when Jag said something about Sam not liking anyone, and made Tessa think about how she said that there was a guy at her school.  

“Sam said that she liked a guy in her school,” Tessa said confused. 

“She’s not into guys,” Jag said even more confused. “She’s on the other side of the water.” 

“She never said anything,” Tessa said. 

“Oh. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.” Jag apologized and tried to grin a little. 

“No. You’re fine, don’t be sorry,” Tessa said with a faint smile. 

As Tessa finished her sentence, Asher and Sam came back with a plastic bag with “Ben’s Burger’s” written on it in big letters.  

“Hey,” Sam waved. 

“Yea. Hey.” Tessa stood from the ground and crossed her arms at Sam. 

“What?” She said. “What did I do?” 

“Well. I thought you liked “guys”.” She smirked. 

“Oh.” 

“Yea, care to explain?” 

“Tess,” 

“No.” 

“Tess, please let me explain.” 

“You could’ve explained if you would’ve told us. I gotta go.” 

“Where are you going?” 

“I don’t know yet. I have to find a place to live.” 

“Tess please.” 

Tessa didn’t let Sam finish her sentence before turning to the beach and walking away. She didn’t look back and she didn’t want to. She walked and walked, thinking about what Sam thought would happen if she had told her. 

Tessa had been walking for miles, and all she found was more beach. It seemed to go on forever in her mind, but she knew it would end and she’d have to stop walking. The sun was starting to rise and gave what felt like a golden streak of warmth over her body. Tessa’s clothes were dirty, and her sneakers had filled with sand. She knew that at some point she’d have to go back and get her stuff. Her hair was oily, her eyes were tired, and she felt like her brain cells were dying slowly by the minute. Tessa was hungry, tired, aching, and she missed her best friend. It was about noon when she decided to tell Sam that she was sorry and try to repair some of the friendship that she’d built up little by little. 

“Ring,” Tessa picked up on the first ring, hoping it was Sam. It wasn’t.  

“Have you seen Sam?” Asher’s voice was panicked like he’d just run a marathon. 

“No. Why?”  

“She’s missing.” He spoke hard and flustered at the same time. 

“What do you mean she’s missing? It’s been a while since I saw her, but she couldn’t have gone far.” 

“I’ve been looking ever since she ran off crying.” 

“She was crying? I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry. This is all my fault.” 

“No, it’s not.” 

“Yes, it is, I was the last person to talk to her.” 

“It’s okay, but if we're going to find her, we have to do it now before she does something.” 

“Okay. Where are you?” 

“I’m a little past the pier on the left side looking near her place. Where are you?” 

“I’m around the end of the beach on the right. I’ll look around the town a little and you look around stores, dark hid outs, anything you can find.” 

“Okay. I gotta go. Bye” 

“B-” The line ended. Asher didn’t even let her finish, she wondered what was going on but didn’t worry about that too much. She had to find Sam. 

It had been a few hours since Asher’s call and still no luck. Jag hadn’t been heard from since the blowout, but Tessa had the slightest feeling that she might have some information.  

“Hello?” A muffled voice answered. 

“Jag? Is that you?” 

“No. It’s Sam. Tessa?” 

“Oh my god, Sam. Asher and I Have been looking for you for hours. Where are you?” 

“I’m with Jag and Asher near the place where we had our moment.” Sam’s voice still sounded confused and covered. “Why are you talking about looking for me?” 

“Asher called and told me that no one had seen you since last night.” 

“Oh. I guess he was playing a trick or something but we're all at Jag’s mom’s restaurant.” 

“Ugh. Okay.” 

“If you’re not still mad, I'd like to apologize.” 

“I wasn’t mad. I just was really hurt that you couldn’t tell your friends.” Tessa sniffed at the thought of almost losing her best friend. “You shouldn’t be sorry. I was the one out of line and I'm sorry.” 

“It’s not your fault that you reacted like every other human being.” 

“Can we just go back to no secrets?” 

“As long as I can pick on you for liking Asher.” Sam laughed. 

“Deal.” Tessa joined in. “Where did you say you were?” 

“Well I was just at the restaurant, but were leaving to go to the rocks on the south side of the beach if you want to meet us there.” 

“Sounds good.” 

“Alright. Bye.” 

“Bye.” 

Sam grinned at the thought of getting her best friend back. She knew that it wasn’t going to be the same, but that after gaining trust back, they’d get close. She gathered her things and headed towards the beach with Jag and Asher. On their way, Jag saw Tessa and they joined each other. The sun was just about to set as they sat at the rocks, talking, laughing, and listening to the crashing waves. Tessa and Sam sat together in between Jag and Asher. They all had their arms around each other and heads on shoulders as everyone fell asleep. The next day, Tessa woke up Asher so that they could walk down the beach some before Jag and Sam noticed. They had the two girls leaned in one another. Asher had pulled a small heart-shaped locket out of his left back pocket with a picture of her and him together.  

“I got one for Jag and Sam as well.” He winked while pushing his free hand through his tangled hair. 

“Oh yes, they’d be so jealous if only I had one.” Tessa smiled. 

“A lots happened in the past week, you never know.” 

“That is very true. I don’t think they even have a picture together do they?” 

“I got one of them last night in front of the sunset.”  

“You really planned everything didn’t you,” Tessa stopped walking for a moment. “Do you think that they’ll end up together?” 

“They might.” Asher wrapped his fingers in hers. “Does it matter?” 

“I guess not. I’m just used to it being the three of us.” 

“It’ll be weird anyway. Might as well add something else to the pile.” 

“I guess that’s true. Do you think that it’ll be weird between you and me?” 

“No doubt about it.” Asher looked playfully at Tessa, “Want to see who’s faster?” 

“It’s obviously me.” Tessa let go of his grip and sped off. 

“That’s not fair, you got a head start!” Asher yelled as he ran after her. 

“You think you’re faster, so prove it.” Just after they stopped in the sand, out of breath, Tessa’s phone went off. 

“Sam.” The pair said followed by a chuckle from the synced words. 

“Hey. Where are you guys?” Sam sounded tired and still half asleep. 

“Asher and I went for a walk while you guys slept.” Tessa’s voice was scattered by her lack of air. 

“Oh. Well, Jag and I are going to get breakfast. Why are you out of breath?” 

“If you wait a minute we can join. We had a race.” 

“Nah, that’s okay. We can get you something if you want though.” She sounded excited but too lazy to fully express it. “Did you win?” 

“You know I did.” Tessa dramatized her voice as to tease. “Were good, thanks.” 

“Okay. You’re on speaker phone if you want to say anything to Jag.”  

“So are you.” Tessa, still exasperated, commented. “Hi, Jag. Don’t let Sam get coffee or else she’s all yours.”  

“Alright.” Jag giggled. “I won’t.” 

“Hey, Asher. Get your arm off Tessa’s shoulder.” Sam joked. 

“How did you know that?” He moved his arm immediately. 

“I was guessing.” Sam laughed. 

“Alright. You and Jag go get breakfast, and Asher and I will meet you back at the rock in a few.” Tessa ended the joke. 

“Okay. Have fun, and if I have any extra pancakes, I’ll give them to you.” Sam replied. 

“Got it.” Tessa grinned. “See you guys later, bye.”  

“See you later, bye” Sam hung up almost as she said the words.  

“We’ve got time if you want to get breakfast too.” Asher intertwined his fingers in hers. 

“Sure. We can only get it if I can pick the place though.” Tessa smiled up at him. 

“I’ll take that deal.” Asher and Tessa started walking back down the beach towards the sidewalk. They got breakfast and texted Sam and to let them know that they were going back to the rocks. Sam and Jag had finished a few minutes before and were on their way near they’re two friends. When the friends met back at the rocks, Jag fully introduced herself as Jaylynn Amber Grey. Jag for short. She had been friends with Sam since the beginning of her year at the school. She also explained that she and Sam started dating about a week ago when she told Sam that she didn’t like guys. That was why Sam was so cheerful on the way to the airport. Everyone got her phone number so they could all keep in touch after Asher and Tessa went back to West Virginia.  

Asher called the school that he and Tessa went to say that they wouldn’t be there for a few days. The trio had become a quartet in a matter of a few days. It could be for the better, or for the worse. They didn’t care about what might happen later in the future. All they wanted was to spend the last warm days they had with Sam and Jag in the sun.  

Sam and Jag are still together to this day and Tessa Is still in love with Asher. Forever is a long time, but when you have someone to spend it with, forever is just another word for time. Asher, Tessa, Sam, and Jag are still good friends, but I have a feeling that something might change in the next while.