For as long as she could remember, Scarlet knew Levi.
When their parents met in college, everyone was surprised that they had become friends so quickly. Scarlet’s parents were Veterinarians and Levi’s were in the military.
Despite their extreme differences though, the families grew up together, and every year, the Johnson’s came to visit Scarlet’s home.
Scarlet was a short, lean, brown eyed girl with curly auburn hair that she had nicknamed: The Beast.
She had two sisters and one brother who were all older then her and far more intellectual. Scarlet had become the odd ball of the bunch, focusing mainly on her writing, instead of her academics. She would pour all her thoughts and dreams into a small journal she carried around often. Pencils usually stuck out of her hair, and she often had lead or ink on her fingers. People often described her as a quirky, sarcastic person who seemed to enjoy solitude and quiet more than good company.
But that was the way Scarlet wanted them to see her, and she never had any trouble keeping up that image.
But it only took one day to change everything.


9:00 AM

“Scarlet dear! The Johnson’s are here! Come up and say hello!” Her mother called from upstairs. Scarlet groaned and slid her pencil into her hair, closing her journal and squeezing it into her secret hiding place. She always kept it in a small crack in the wall, down in the basement. Her parents never liked to throw stuff out, so there was around five mattresses stacked in a row on their sides down there. Scarlet loved to squeeze in between two and put her back against one, placing her feet on the other. Then she would walk up the mattresses until she was sitting high up on top. There, no one could find her, and it left her some peace and quiet, to just sit and write.

Leaping down from the mattresses, Scarlet sprinted up the old wooden stairs, hearing the familiar squeaks as she stepped on certain ones. Bursting out into the kitchen, she ran around into the living room, just in time to see Mr. and Mrs. Johnson walk in the front door, caring heavy baggage.
“James, Denise. It’s so good to see you!” Mrs. Johnson said, enveloping Scarlet’s mom in a hug. Scarlet’s siblings hurried into the living room as well, Mary and Sasha squealing with delight, while Daniel, her brother, decided to remain cool and calm.
He winked at Scarlet, who smirked back at him.

“Scarlet!” Mr. Johnson grabbed her before she could protest, practically squeezing every ounce of air out of her.
“Hi.” Scarlet breathlessly said.
“Mary! Sasha!”
Everyone turned as Janice, the only daughter of the Johnson’s, bounded into the room. She ran over to Scarlet’s sister, hugging the two of them.
William, the oldest son, followed close behind. Scarlet stared in shock, as he seemed to grow taller the closer he got. His head nearly reached the doorframe.
“Hi Will!” She said, walking over and giving him a large hug.
“Wow! Scarlet you’ve grown!” He joked, looking down at her. Emphasizing down.
“Yeah,” Scarlet snorted, “Right.”
“No joke.” Will said, getting serious. “I think you have grown a little.”
“Maybe a quarter of an inch.” Scarlet said sarcastically.
“Hey,” Will smiled, “It’s a start.”

Scarlet smiled back and moved over to hug Janice, right as she heard heavy stomping by the front door.
“Yeah, leave me with everyth–”
She had braced herself for Levi, but still, it came as quite a shock to see him again. Not only was he taller then her now, but his hair had grown out of that ugly buzz cut and come down over his eyes slightly. His build was harder and tighter, which made her think he had begun taking hockey a little more seriously.
He looked up, underneath his dark brown locks, and gave her a lopsided grin.
“Hey Scar.”
She shuddered hearing that horrible nickname, that only he dared call her. Unlike everyone else, Levi seemed completely unfazed by her haughty dismissive attitude.
Even now, he stood up straight after putting down some bags, and winked at her.

“Miss me?”
The entire room was silent.
“Who me?” She asked. “Never.”
Then she pivoted on her heels and stormed out of the room, hurrying as quickly as she could, towards the back door. If only she could make it to the apple orchards before–
“Scar!”
She was already half way down the lawn when she turned around, seeing Levi standing on the porch, hand shielding his eyes against the sun.
“What?” She yelled, annoyed.
“I missed you too!” He broke up laughing before he’d finished, leaving Scarlet not only indignant, but thoroughly outraged.

Good grief, She thought. Two weeks of him?


11:00 AM

Oh crap.
Scarlet couldn’t believe he’d found her hiding spot, high up on the tops of the mattresses, but there he was staring up at her.
“Go away!”
“Are you kidding? This looks like fun.” He said.
Scarlet groaned as soon as she saw him put his back against a mattress and his feet against another. Of course he’d know how to get up immediately.
When he was sitting beside her, straddling one mattress, she asked, “What do you want Levi?”
“To talk.”
“I don’t like talking.”
“I know, but I do. And you seem like the most interesting person to talk to.” He smiled, then added, “At the moment.”
She couldn’t help smiling at this ridiculous comment.
“I am not interesting.”
Levi grinned, “Sure you are. If you never talk to people, then you’re bound to have a lot of untold stories.”
“And you actually think I’d tell them to you?” She couldn’t believe his logic.
“Well, I am your best friend.”
Now she laughed outright, almost tumbling sideways off the mattress. Levi was smiling, a self satisfied look on his face.
“Yeah. Right.” Scarlet snorted, going back to her writing.

He leaned forward on his palms, glancing down at her journal.
“Seems to me, that if you have so much to write down, you should have something to talk about.”
Scarlet was surprised, and had to hide her smile before he caught on. For a second, they just stared at each other, then she shrugged.
“No one ever really wants to hear what I have to say.”
Her hand was moving quickly over the page again, making words and sentences that flowed naturally from her head. Levi grabbed the pen from her and tucked it behind him.

“I do.”


It was strange to talk to Levi the way she was now. Pouring out her thoughts in front of him, and for once, he sat quiet listening. She told him about her struggles with school, and how all her friends secretly disliked her. About her dreams of becoming an author, and how her parents wanted her to go to law school like her brother.
She even found herself rambling about Ted Campbell, the boy she’s had a crush on for two years.
That was when she stopped herself.
“Oh my God, did I just say Ted has a hot a**?” Scarlet was horrified that those secret words had escaped her guarded mouth. Levi looked a little like he wanted to laugh, but nodded and said, “Yes you did, as a matter of fact.”
“Oh, God.” She groaned under her breath, then looked up at Levi, who was still trying not to laugh. Without second thought she shoved him backwards, making him roll off the side of the mattress and onto the floor, where he burst out laughing.
Then Scarlet was down and out of that basement in seconds, sprinting as if a mad man with a hatchet was after her.
But there was no mad man, just one solitary boy, who couldn’t stop his hysterical fit.


4:00 PM

“Knock knock.”
Scarlet looked up to see Janice at the door, wearing a green bathing suit.
“We’re all heading down to the river to go swimming. You want to come?”
Scarlet instantly felt the answer spring to her lips, but stopped herself, as she saw Janice’s pleading eyes. Guilt crept slowly into her mind, as she watched Janice’s face go from upbeat to down in seconds.
Sighing, she answered, “Alright.”
“Yay!” Janice said, jumping with excitement and running to tell the others Scarlet was actually coming!
Scarlet went to her dresser and pulled out her blue two piecer. Though the idea of wearing a swim suit in front of Levi, was not appealing.

Fidgeting the entire walk down, Scarlet could merely feel the mocking gaze of Levi on her, even though every time she turned around he wasn’t looking. She was smashed in between Mary and Janice, who felt it their duty to hook their elbows through Scarlet’s, as if to dissuade any thoughts of escape.
Not that she wanted too.

The river was crisp and clear, flowing smoothly past their rope swing tree and property. The large cypress hanging over the river, provided enough shade to chill the air around the water, making it a little less inviting.

“Who wants to go in first?” Daniel asked, clapping his hands together expectingly.
It was clear from the silence.
Scarlet turned away and laid her towel on the ground, preparing to stretch out on it,
when suddenly two tan musclier arms wrapped around her waist, hoisting her in the air as if she weighed nothing.
She didn’t even have to turn around to know who it was.

“Levi!” She beat him with her fists, as he laughed, carrying her towards the water. She wiggled to get free, but only managed to twist herself so that she faced him. He bent down and scooped her over his shoulder, now beginning to tread into the water.
“Whoa! It’s cold!” He cried, to Scarlet’s despair.
“Levi let me go!” Her open palms slapped his back. Which is as hard as a rock by God!

Then she felt it, his arms give way and swing her towards the open space in front of him. Wanting anything but to go in, Scarlet desperately looped her arms around his neck, which only resulted in her pulling him in as well.
They both splashed into the cold water, gasping and nearly screaming.
“Levi!”
He just laughed.


8:00PM

“Hey darling, would you grab the marsh mellows?” Scarlet’s dad asked, while she handed them over.
“Thanks.”
They were all gathering for their annual bonfire out back. It was a tradition they had been doing since Scarlet was a little girl. They all gathered around and told stories about what they had been doing the past year, eating sticky sweet S’mores.
It was already dark out, and Daniel, Will, Levi, and Mr. Johnson had a roaring fire outside. Inside now, it was only Scarlet and her dad.
“Got the graham crackers sweetie?” He asked, and Scarlet nodded, showing him the plate already full.
“Good.”
Her dad was the ultimate S’mores eater.
“I’ll see you out there.”
“Okay Dad.”
Then he was gone, leaving Scarlet hungry for company. Which was strange for her.
Tracing the lines on the counters, she circled the kitchen, humming softly to herself.
“Scarlet!” They called from outside, and the mystical humming spell was broken. She picked up the plate of crackers and hurried to join the family.
Outside, everyone had already found their seats, mostly grouped by age it seemed.
Scarlet found a lone chair on the far edge, not to close to everyone else, but still a part of the circle.
“Story time!” Mrs. Johnson called out, passing a plate of already cooked marsh mellows.
“Who wants to go first?” Scarlet’s mom asked.

Scarlet drifted away from the conversation, her eyes hypnotically watching the fire. Inside, all her emotions were confused. On one hand, she hated Levi, with all his obnoxious questions and infuriating pranks.
Yet on the other, he was the first person she had told about her dream to become an author. He listened to what she had to say, even if it was as ridiculous as saying Ted Campbell had a hot a**.
She blushed just thinking about it and looked across the fire at Levi, who was laughing at some aspect of the story Sasha was telling.
Scarlet gripped her hands in her lap, twisting the cord of her jacket in her hands.

“That was great!” Mr. Johnson laughed, “Who’s next?”
“I have something to say, though it isn’t really a story.” Levi announced, breaking the silence.
“What do you got son?” His dad asked.
Scarlet watched Levi’s mischievous face and felt a sudden dread clutch her heart.

“I want to know, honestly, how many of you guys think Scar and I are going to end up together?”
There it was, and it was like a punch in the stomach, Scarlet suddenly couldn’t breath.
How could he embarrass her like this? Where had he gotten that silly idea anyway?

“You overheard Denise and I, didn’t you?” Mrs. Johnson surprised Scarlet.
Levi smiled, “Yup.”
“Well, no offense to you two, but it’s kind of inevitable.” Will earned a soft slap from his mother for that.
Scarlet just pursed her lips and listened, trying hard not to display any emotion. Levi just waited to hear more of what others had to say.
“It depends.” Sasha said, “Do you two like each other?”
Scarlet could not believe her sister knew so little about her. Like Levi? Was she kidding?
Levi straightened up and glanced at Scarlet, who was waiting for him to correct Sasha.
“We’re strictly friends.”
Scarlet breathed out a sigh of relief, and then to avoid further stares from the family, she got up and left the fire.
Everyone watched her go, as she walked across the dew covered grass, up to the porch.
Swinging one foot over the railing, she straddled it and looked out at the orchard, stretched before her. Because of the lighted window behind her, she was clearly silhouetted for the others, but she didn’t care.

How did she really feel about Levi?
Pushing herself against a pole, she propped one foot on the railing and leaned back.
Everything was so confusing now.
She used to know that she hated Levi, and somehow, that made her feel secure, like she knew where she stood. Now though, every thing was jumbled together, and she couldn’t pick out which feeling to follow.
How could everything become so confusing in one day?

“Hey.” Levi walked up onto the porch and joined her there, straddling the railing.
“Yeah?” Scarlet said in a monotone.
“Look,” Levi fidgeted a little and scratched the back of his head. Scarlet was a little amused to see him like this. He was usually so confident.
“I’m sorry about that stupid question back at the campfire.”

This was a momentous day! Levi Johnson was apologizing to her. The world truly must be more screwed up then she thought.
“It’s okay.”
“But it’s not though, I mean, I really like you and saying that–”
“Wait,” Scarlet stopped him. “What did you say?”
Now Levi was really fidgeting. “Nothing.”
“No, you didn’t say nothing. You said you really liked me.”
“I meant just as friends.” Levi said annoyed. Scarlet suddenly felt very sophomoric and stupid.
“Of course.” She stuttered, clamping her mouth shut. By the way, Levi blew air out through his nose, she knew he was frustrated.

“You know what? No.” Levi said, sitting up with a determined look on his face.
“No what?” She asked, really confused.
“I was lying. I don’t just like you as a friend.” Levi blurted out, unwaveringly.
Scarlet was shocked, too shocked to speak. Who would’ve know that Levi liked her? And what was she going to say to him?
Now she was panicking over what to say.
Shh, be quiet Scar, just listen! She told herself. Just be quiet Scar and–
Scar? Was she really calling herself Scar?
She looked up into the hopeful expression on Levi’s face, who for once had his sarcastic barrier down, and was opening up completely to her. You know, she hadn’t noticed before, but he was awfully cute.
And she had called herself Scar.
Then she knew.

“I just might like you too. Maybe.” She laughed at how corny it sounded to her.
Levi smiled so broad the sides of his eyes crinkled, making Scarlet’s heart almost melt.

“Hey you two! Come join us!” Everyone called from the campfire, watching them up on the porch. Levi looked down at them, then slowly slid his eyes to Scarlet. They both smiled.

“Shall we give them something to really talk about?” He asked, making her smile.
“Why not?”
Then Levi leaned forward and cupped his hand around Scarlet’s face, bringing her lips to his. The kiss was sweet and tangy at the same time, and it made Scarlet’s head spin.
Below them, they heard gasps and exclamations from both their families.
Pulling apart, Levi and Scarlet laughed, still holding one another.
“They’ll be talking about this forever.” Levi told her.
“I bet they’re already planning our wedding.” Scarlet added.
Levi’s hand smoothed over her hair.
“I love you, Scar.”

It only took one day.