HER – PROMISE BY THE PIER

A cold, misty morning had dawned upon a small harbor city of Reo. As the city woke, stone chimneys began spitting out smoke into the high, cloudy sky. In the distant horizon, spilling over onto the ocean’s surface, sun had slowly began rising from below. Waves gently rocked back and forth, clashing against the anchored ships at the port. On one of the piers sat two youths, their legs flung over the edge, rocking back and forth in waves’ rhythm. Tyson and Aya held their hands together as they watched the sun rise on the horizon, its rays gilding warmly over them.

“What’d I tell you?” Tyson said, smiling. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Aya said, her expression gentle and warm, as though mimicking the sun itself. “It really is. You’re lucky to have grown up to this, being able to see it every day.”

“Eh, it gets boring after a while.” Tyson said, chuckling. “But, I’m glad you like it.”

“Shouldn’t we go back to the party, though?” Aya asked; Tyson father’s party had begun last night at 8, and had been going on ever since. The two snuck out in the middle of it as Tyson wanted to show her the sunrise from the pier.

“It’s fine,” Tyson shook his head. “They’ll be collapsing soon. As could I. I’m so fucking tired.”

“… well, you did dance. And sing. And drink. A lot.” Aya said. “I’m surprised you’re not dead, actually.”

“I feel exactly the same each time I wake up.”

“Somehow I doubt that.” Aya said. “I saw you talking with your dad last night. How are the things?”

“… good,” Tyson said, his lips curling up in a smile. He’s so happy, but he’s working so hard not to show it… how adorable… Aya thought as she smiled as well, leaning in and kissing his cheek. “What’s that for?”

“For being a good boy.”

“You kiss your dogs with those lips?!”

“You’re my only dog.” Aya said.

“Oh. Why does that make me happy?” Tyson mumbled.

“This is scary.” Aya said, looking away from him and back onto the horizon.

“What is? You mean the ocean? Don’t worry, I can swim. And, if shark happens by, I’ll have you know I once read an internet article called ‘How To Kill a Shark With Your Own Bare Hands: Be a Nature’s Badass’.”

“I can’t believe article of that name even exists.” Aya said, shrugging. “No, not that. I mean, yeah, ocean is terrifying… but so is this.” she said, pointing at him first before pointing at herself.

“Oh.” Tyson exclaimed softly. “Yeah… you’re right.”

“Of course I am. I’m always right.”

“What did you do become so brilliant, then?”

“I’m simply a gift to this world.” Aya said, smiling.

“Then I must be a very, very bad man for keeping you all to myself.” Tyson said, smiling back.

“Oh, you are a bad man, but that’s not one of the reasons.”

“Then what are the reasons?” Tyson asked.

“You never asked me to dance last night.”

“…”

“…”

“Would ‘I didn’t know you wanted to’ suffice as an excuse?” Tyson mumbled, smiling nervously.

“You have to buy me a pony.”

“Ah, you women and your damn horses.”

“… when did we get associated with horses?” Aya asked, arching her brows.

“When? In virtually every movie, the girl’s like ‘get me a pony’. Like ponies grow on fucking trees.”

“So you won’t get me a pony?”

“I’ll get you a fucking pony.”

“I don’t want a fucking pony.” Aya said. “I just want a pony.”

“… why am I attracted to you?” Tyson mumbled, sighing.

“Does a day go by without asking yourself that question?”

“Hardly.”

“… I just had a crazy idea.” Aya said.

“Oh, this will be good.”

“Let’s do the Titanic moment.”

“… jump into the water where I put you on a plank so you can live while I die from freezing my balls off?” Tyson said.

“That sounds like fun, but no,” Aya said as she got up. “Can we use any of these ships here?”

“Oh. You mean ‘I’m the king of the world’ nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense! It’s extra cringe with the side-dish of adorkableness!”

“… oh my fuck, I can’t believe Aya just used those words.” Tyson said as he burst out into laughter. “The professors would probably shoot themselves if they heard you.”

“Probably.”

“But, we can’t use the ships.” Tyson said. “How about we just do it here?”

“Here?” Aya said as she glanced sideways, down the pier, where the ocean was. “But I could die.”

“And how’s the damn ship different?”

“… they have those… what… beams, I think, for protection? A fence?”

“Your ship terminology is total crap.” Tyson said.

“Yeah, I know. Sorry, it’s been a while since I read Moby Dick.”

“You at least read it.”

“You didn’t read Moby Dick?!” Aya exclaimed, shocked.

“… no?”

“Listen, it’s been fun dating you, but we’re breaking up.” Aya said.

“I’ve read Paradise Lost though.” Tyson said proudly.

“Everyone has!! It was literally in our curriculum!”

“Yeah, but did everyone actually read it?”

“… the more I learn about you, the more I’m starting to hate you.” Aya said, sighing.

“Hey, don’t you think that’s a bit unfair?”

“What is?”

“You don’t ever hear me whine about the things you didn’t read or watch.” Tyson said.

“Oh? And like what? Please enlighten me.”

“You didn’t read Wheels of Time.”

“… but that’s like fifty fucking thigh-thick books. Who has time for that?!” Aya said.

“And Moby Dick is about fucking whaling!”

“You… you didn’t read any Narnia books!”

“They’re just worse version of Lord of the Rings!” Tyson exclaimed.

“How can you even say that if you never read them?!” Aya shouted back.

“Because everybody I know says so!!”

“So if everybody says Manson was god-given gift, you’d just accept it?!”

“Which Manson?!” Tyson exclaimed. “Marilyn – the one that looks like a mass murderer but isn’t – or Charles, the one that doesn’t look like a mass murderer but is?”

“Either!”

“Whoa!”

“Don’t be shocked about that!” Aya said.

“You… you didn’t watch Mentalist even though I told you ten thousand times it was great!” Tyson said.

“You never watched Vampire Diaries!”

“Neither have you!”

“I know!” Aya exclaimed. “I’m just pointing out stuff you haven’t watched!”

“Oh? That’s the game? Well, let’s do this bitch: you haven’t watched Downtown Abbey, In our Lives, Twin Peaks, Highschool Musical—“

“Can you stop mixing stuff that’s actually good with shit?!”

“How would you know if it’s good when you’ve never seen it?” Tyson exclaimed as the two began panting, short of breath.

“… truce?” Aya mumbled through panting.

“Truce. Aah,” Tyson sighed as the two sat back down. “Maybe we should just move in together and watch all this shit until there’s nothing else to fight about.”

“…”

“What?” Tyson said as Aya didn’t reply; he glanced sideways and noticed her odd expression, tracking back through what he said. “Oh.” he exclaimed as his cheeks reddened. “It’s too early, though, right?”

“Right.” Aya said. “Of course. It’s way too early.”

“… although…” Tyson said.

“Yeah, although…” Aya followed up. No, no. Change the topic Aya. Change it. No… maybe not? Do I actually want to live with this guy? I… do?

“… I mean, you’re practically at place all the time already.” Tyson said. “But, it’s too soon, right? I mean, we’ve been together just over a month!”

“I know! It’s just a tiny month! I’ve yet to even put my finger in your ass!”

“Oi!” Tyson exclaimed as he felt his crack close up. “Don’t go suggesting we put stuff into places stuff should come out of !”

“… and somehow my ass is an exception to that?”

“I asked only once! And as a joke!”

“Yeah, everything’s a joke to you.” Aya said, rolling her eyes.

“… fine. I was serious. I want to fuck your ass. There. Happy?”

“Why the hell should I be happy about that?!”

“… see? We’d probably rip each other’s heads out if we lived together.” Tyson said.

“Definitely. I mean, we can’t even go an hour together without fighting.”

“We once fought during the sex!” Tyson said.

“And we didn’t even stop screwing!” Aya said.

“… that was actually kind of awesome.”

“Yeah. One of the best orgasms I had.” Aya said as the two smiled lightly.

“Yeah, your face was all kinds of fucked up at the end. I was actually kind of terrified.”

“What did we say?!”

“… don’t make fun of each other’s orgasming faces. Sorry. My bad. Forgot.” Tyson said. “Should we do it, though?”

“I don’t know. Should we?” Aya asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Neither do I.”

“But we’re both pretty smart,” Tyson said. “We should know stuff.”

“We definitely should.” Aya said.

“But we don’t.”

“No, no we do not.”

“Let’s do it!” Tyson exclaimed as he took a deep breath.

“Should we? You know what? Let’s do it! Who cares if it’s only been a month? It’s not like there’s any rule to it!” Aya exclaimed.

“Right? And, and even if there was a rule, who cares? We’re the fucking rebels and we’ll rise against the machines!” Tyson said.

“… don’t ever say that.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I forgive you. You know why?” Aya said. “Because when you live with someone, you forgive them.” I can’t believe this… no way… it’s way too soon! Way, way, way too soon! … why am I excited then? Fuck.

“A lot.”

“Sometimes.”

“What’s in-between the ‘a lot’ and ‘sometimes’?” Tyson mumbled.

“Are you really bargaining over how many times I should ‘forgive’ you?” Aya asked, rolling her eyes.

“Of course! Aya, I have come to bargain!”

“… oh, for the love of…”

“Is that becoming your catch-phrase? You’ve been using it a lot recently.” Tyson said, smirking.

“I have a feeling I should probably just tattoo it on my forehead so I can easily just point at it every time you say something dumb.” Aya said.

“That’s a terrible idea. Let’s do it!” Tyson said.

“Yeah, I mean, us moving in together is a terrible idea, but we’re still doing it! Why not tattoo shit on my face while I’m at it?” Aya exclaimed.

“It is a terrible idea, isn’t it?” Tyson said.

“Yeah. Should we just pretend we never said anything?”

“… no. You know what? Screw it! I’m a total screw-up anyway, what’s more screw-ups for me?!” Tyson said.

“… I mean, we’ve already seen each other shit, so we’re past the worst point, right?!” Aya said.

“What did we say about that?!!”

“… never mention the time we saw each other shit. Sorry. My bad. I forgot.” Aya said.

“I forgive you. You know why? Because—“

“Yeah, yeah, we’ve been over that.” Aya interrupted him as Tyson smiled, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Because I love you.” he whispered softly.

“… fuck. That was good.” Aya said, chuckling lightly as their eyes locked. “Love you too.”

As the sun slowly rose up the horizon, the two kissed while sitting on a pier near the wavy ocean. Stone and rock withstood the purging waves, as gold of the sun spilled over the crystalline clear water of the spring’s ocean. Besides the waves and distant ships beginning to depart the harbor, only the sounds of two loud heartbeats echoed into the day.