Chapter 7 Past
It felt as if time had stopped. The music, her scream—and then, a single shot from a gun rang out.
I hadn’t even seen him running toward us or heard him yell, “Don’t move!” But there he was — Paul Newsome. Just feet away, holding a small pistol. A cottonmouth lay coiled on the shoreline, not far from where we’d been lying — its head blown clean off.
Molly almost fainted, but caught herself. She threw her arms around Paul’s neck, thanking him over and over. Paul looked a little awkward, but waited till she let go. He slid the gun into his waistband. “Are you okay?” he asked. “Yeah,” Molly breathed. “Thanks, Paul. I—”
He cut her off. “It’s all good.” Then she turned to me. “This is Bristol Anne. She goes by Bri.”
“Hey,” he said, reaching out his hand. We managed a shaky handshake—I wasn’t sure if it was the adrenaline, the gun, or that he was even more beautiful in person.
I barely squeaked out a “Hi.” Still holding my hand, Paul grinned.
“You’re the quiet type, huh?” Before I could answer, Molly cut in.
“Paul, wanna hang out with us today? We’re taking the boat out. See who’s around.”
Paul hesitated, then glanced back at me and gave that crooked little grin—just like his brother Nick had. “Sure.” He let go of my hand. “Be right back.” He jogged up the path toward his house.
When he came back down, he’d changed into red swim trunks and a sleeveless white shirt. He had a cooler full of pop. He teased me for calling it that—old habits from Maryland.
We made the short walk to the dock and climbed aboard. Molly’s family had money, no doubt about it. The boat was beautiful—white with red seats and fast. The engine roared to life.
Paul took us out onto the lake. Even with the wind and spray of lake water splashing us, the Alabama heat was brutal.
After a while, he pulled off his shirt—and with every move he made, muscles rippled across his back and arms.
It was almost too much to watch, but I couldn’t look away.
I caught myself staring. Again. My thoughts running wild.
Molly’s squeal pulled me back. “Hey! There’s Chad’s boathouse—I think that’s him on the dock!”
The boat slowed as we eased into the wake zone.
“Hey, Chad!” Molly called. Chad, appearing to be in deep thought, looked up, surprised for a second, but his expression quickly changed from serious to elated—especially when he saw it was Molly.
“Hey, y’all!” he called, flashing a big, toothy grin. As Paul maneuvered the boat closer to the dock, Molly tossed out a line. He hurried to tie us off. Molly climbed out first, then Paul. I was about to pull myself up when Paul reached out his hand.
When I grabbed it, he gave a quick tug and in one swift motion pulled me up and grabbed my waist to steady me. I nearly swooned right then and there.
We spent the afternoon on the dock—listening to music, drinking pop, swimming, laughing. Paul had a great laugh.
I didn’t want the day to end. But the sun was starting to go down.
“Molly, I need to get home—my mom’s gonna freak.”
“Just call her from the pool house,” Chad said quickly.
He sounded kind of eager himself, like he wasn’t ready for the day to be over either.
I figured it was worth a shot, so I did.
Mom answered in her usual slur. “Sure, honey. Have fun. Your father’s working late again. I’m going to bed.”
Click. I stood there with the phone in my hand.
That big white house of ours might’ve looked perfect on the outside, but inside… well… my thoughts trailed off.
I hurried back. I was about to let Molly know that it was fine, but as I looked around, I noticed that Paul was gone.
Molly could tell what was on my mind. “He took the boat back,” Molly said.
“He didn’t wanna be out after dark.” I looked out just in time to see the red-and-white boat disappear around the bend, the hum of the engine fading in the distance.
Chad offered to drive us home. Molly was thrilled.
I tried to be. But if I’m honest—I just wished I’d gotten to say goodbye.
The rest of the days went by quickly, as they normally do in the summer; unlike school days that seem to drag on for years, summer days seem to disappear just like that red and white boat did the other night.
I haven’t seen Paul since then, though I find myself looking for him every time I ride to Molly’s house.
I barely knew the guy, yet my thoughts are tormented by his laugh; he haunts my dreams in the most beautiful way.