Anthony pov
I was messing around with my friends when I first saw her—standing there, occasionally looking my way. She was beautiful. She looked a little lost, her hair pulled into a messy curly bun, her uniform cute and neat. She looked out of place yet so well put together, like the kind of girl everyone wanted to talk to but was too afraid to approach.
I couldn't help staring—not in a weird way, but her unparalleled beauty caught my eye. She was about 5'6", with a cute round face and lips just right, coated in light pink lip gloss. I noticed how she fidgeted with her fingers and nervously glanced around—sometimes at me. I figured I might have been too loud. I was about to ask if she was okay when she suddenly walked away.
I didn't think I'd see her again. But there she was, days later, on the bank of the creek, looking down. I hadn't been there in a long time, but since I recently moved in with my dad, I started visiting again. When I was a kid, the river creek was my favorite place. And now, seeing her again, I was more than interested—I wanted to know her.
I watched her as she walked along the bank, hoping she wouldn't think I was some kind of creep. She stumbled slightly but made it to the rock, where she undressed down to a cute, long-sleeved black swimsuit. Then she let her hair loose—it fell into a bouncy, curly afro. I wasn't even sure if it was an afro; her curls fell to her shoulders, frizzy on top but still soft and defined.
She dove into the water. She was slender, with delicate curves that suited her perfectly. She seemed so happy in the water, and I just watched her from a distance as she swam for hours. When she finally got out, her curls were down to her shoulders and upper back—defined and beautiful. Then she noticed something: the apple tree on the edge of the creek.
She started climbing it. She was something else. I watched as she monkeyed her way up to the apples. I looked away for just a second, and that's when it happened—she fell. My heart dropped. I started to run to her, but by the time I got close, she was already on her feet, brushing herself off and heading up the trail to the opposite property.
As I turned to leave, I saw something on the ground: her hair tie. It was adorable—Lilo and Stitch. I picked it up and headed home.
When I got there, my dad was actually home, which was strange. He's hardly ever around. He asked where I'd been, and I told him I was at the river—but left out the part about her. Not that he'd care. I'm 19 and he barely knows anything about me. We're practically strangers. If my mom hadn't passed away last year, I wouldn't have come back to live with him.
I ignored his small talk, grabbed my football from the yard, and headed to my room. After a shower, I plopped down on my bed. That's when I saw it again—her hair tie. I smiled to myself.
If I see her again, I'll return it.