Talking In The Moonlight

The couples started moving out of the restaurant for alone time. Or more like a bunch of couples, one threesome and two others. Melissa was technically dating someone but he wasn't here. Jason was single. He looked around and noticed people saying goodbye and leaving.

Jason glanced at Melissa, "Do you want to go sit on the deck?"

Melissa seemed to think about her response for a long time or maybe that was just his perception. Finally, she spoke up. "Yeah, sure."

He helped her out the door to the deck, which was right off the room they had been at, at the restaurant. Once she was seated, Jason went back inside getting them two mocha latte. He put Melissa's on the table in front of her, then he sat down across the table from the blonde.

They didn't speak for a moment, there was something about Melissa, a kind of distance, maybe a wall that Jason could feel. He was hoping he wasn't making the girl uncomfortable.

Then Melissa spoke up, "It's really nice here."

The moonlight played on her face softened her features, the sound and smell of the ocean adding to the atmosphere.

"It is," Jason agreed. "I've never been here before."

"I don't think back home we have any place like this." Melissa seemed to be giving him a slight opening; Jason would take it.

"Where are you from?" The boy asked.

"Seattle," and so it began.

They talked for a time about very general things, nothing too deep. Just where they were from. She talked a little about Seattle. Jason talked about New Orleans. He told her about his family. The fact that his Dad was a recording artist. Mel told him about her family, basic info, 2 siblings, what her parents did for a living.

They discussed music, movies, and pastimes. Light things but enough that they suddenly realized they had spent hours doing that. He offered to drive her back to the dorms.

Jason didn't understand what happened; it was as if the girl was suddenly frightened but he could swear, it wasn't him she was scared of. Right then Matt and Courtney came back from their walk on the beach.

Courtney and Mel went off to talk.

Matt took a seat across the table from an obviously confused Jason and asked, "What happened?"

"Everything was going fine. Then I offered to drive her back to the dorms." Jason looked at him. "I didn't mean to scare her."

Matt responded, "I get that. Look, I can't tell you much without breaking a confidence but there are just things going on with her."

"Why do I think this has something to do with Doug?" Jason didn't really expect an answer to that and didn't get one. He then added, "She's too good for him."

Matt raised a brow, then nodded, "I agree."

Courtney and Mel came back. Mel looked at Jason, "Sorry, I shouldn't have …"

Jason cut her off, "No need to apologize. It is fine." He meant it. There was nothing to be upset about.

Matt said, "We should all get going before we miss curfew."

The four of them walked to the parking lot. Melissa rode with Courtney and Matt. Jason drove himself back to the dorms. He got back to his room and went to sleep with the thought of Mel on his mind.