1
Cheyenne
I’ve always had a crush on the one person you should never, and I mean never have a crush on. Yet here I am, sitting in the corner of my parent’s pool deck watching him. He’s seventeen years older than me and he’s known my father for the past six years. When Jase was introduced to me at a family dinner my fifteen-year-old self was instantly infatuated with him. He’s tall, so much taller than my short and petite frame. I’m barely five-foot three on a good day. He has tattoos that sneak out from the short sleeve shirt he’s wearing. His complexion is olive and nicely tan from working outside all his life.
My eyes gaze at him with longing. I don’t care that he’s the forbidden. Jase Dixon has been on my mind for what seems like forever. Even when I left three years ago to pursue my degree in web design. I only came home for the rare breaks, and to see Jase any time I could. But for the most part I stayed and worked as hard as I could. It’s the reason for this party. I graduated a full year early. I worked as hard as I could during the summer. When most college students were out partying, I decided to study and take extra classes. My parents didn’t think it was wise at the time, they wanted me to have the full college experience. The last time I came home though, they were finally at peace with my decision and how I was able to accomplish so much in my short three years.
They wanted a big over the top party right when I got home from college, but I found a job right away and asked if we could just wait until the summer and have it as one big backyard bar-b-que.
Now, I’m here. Hiding in a corner. As if I’m still a teenager. I should have more confidence. After the years away, I’m still the shy person I was in high school with little to no friends and my nose is either stuck in my laptop working or in a book. I’ve come to realize that’s just who I am and will probably always be.
“Cheyenne, why aren’t you out mingling with the guests?” my mother admonishes me. Why couldn’t I be more like her? She’s refined in her clothing, her mannerisms, and always so put together.
“I will in a minute. I’m just taking in the scenery,” I tell her. I’m standing here in a pair of distressed cut off shorts, bathing suit, and a crop top. When she saw what I was wearing when I came downstairs from my room, she let out an exaggerated breath and said, “Is that what you’re actually considering wearing, Cheyenne?”
That’s one of the next things on my list, to find an apartment of my own within the next couple of weeks. I love my parents, but they put helicopter parents to shame with how much they hover and watch my every move. It’s not something I’m used to. They barely noticed me while growing up, but now that I’m back home from college and staying at their place. It’s been an absolute nightmare.
“Please make sure you say hello to everyone. This party is for you, you know,” she says as she turns to walk away. I’m not sure what she was thinking wearing a conservative dress. It’s hot as hell outside. It’s July in the Florida heat and humidity. Yet, not one single hair is out of place and her Stepford wife style dress has not one wrinkle on it.
“I will,” I tell her as she walks away to go mingle with her fundraising friends. That’s what she does best, she lunches. Dad wanted her to be a stay at home mom while he was busy chasing his career. It hurt me a lot while growing up. He would choose the car dealership over being at home most nights or at the occasional dance recitals I would have.
Now that I’m older, our relationship is even more strained. I busted my ass to get a scholarship and pay for everything I could in college. The only thing they ended up having to pay for was dorm fees. I was even a student aid to help pay for my meal plan. I wanted to be independent from my parents as much as I could. Don’t get me wrong, I love them. Always will no matter their downfalls, but my independence runs deep through my veins.
I make my way around the room saying hello to my parents’ friends and being the respectful daughter, they expect me to be. Even if the only thing I want to do is take my shorts and shirt off and dive into the pool and lounge on a pool float for the remainder of the day.