Taylor’s POV
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Skate parks I’ve decided are full of cool guys, who mostly seem more attractive than they are because of their skills. The way they can flip bikes around in mid air, or swing decks around with their feet. It’s impressive. Matty, however is an exception to this rule. With his ashy hair and olive complexion, it’s easy to see why the girls flock to him.
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Malachi pulls Rhea into a hug. She laps up his attention standing on her tip toes, as I stand back and await to be accepted into the group. It’s crystal clear that she has feelings for him, and I don't want her hoping for something if it's not there. So I stand back and watch his body language; his eyes closed as he embraces her, muscular arms going around her lower back.
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"Tay glad you could make it" Malachi says with an easy smile playing on his lips. Malachi adorned in typical skate clothes pulls off his jeans and vans well. It makes him look alternative and edgy. His tall frame and attractive features are startling.
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I smile at him, Rhea is still holding onto his arm. Surely he can sense her affection? I know everybody else can, she's earning a scowl from a girl behind him. Rhea turns to face him and they look great together, their heights are well matched with her looking up into his eyes.
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Tom and I had the prefer height ratios, it’s one of the first things I noticed about him. How I would have to look up to him in order to stare into his eyes. The sting I feel just thinking about him surprises me and I glance away from Rhea and back out at the half pipe. I should be happy for my friend and mostly I am, but my perspective on love is pretty damn pessimistic at the moment anyway.
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"I'm Rachel" a shrill voice utters behind me. She stumbles into my eye-line with peroxide blonde hair and even though she seems quirky I immediately feel better that somebody is talking to me. All be it she is quite close and the smell of cider is rife.
Upon a second glance, I notice that her hair is wavy and not styled in any particular way, it's a dirty blonde colour with dyed pink tips which make her appear less of a plain Jane and more edgy and cool. She fits it here, I doubt whether I do as I glance down at my jeans and small frame.
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"Taylor, or Tay for short" I inform her with a warm smile. She smiled at me, sizing me up I guess. Glancing at my outfit and approving.
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“Nice top, and I love your jeans. I never wear high waisted I always get worried you know" she makes a face whilst smiling. My new friend Rachel is wearing a corset, leggings and trainers. Three clothing items that strike me as clothes you cannot put together and make them work.
What is up with this girl? I wonder briefly before glancing at Rhea as if to say help.
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A girl that is her opposite appears behind Rachel as if she was standing in her shadow the whole time. With dark ebony hair pulled into a limp ponytail and dark rimmed glasses that make her eyes look bigger than they are. She eyes me with an uninterested expression.
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"Rach what are you going on about?" She smiles at me just briefly.
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"Pippa, you know what mean. Camel toe" Rachel laughs. I yank my jeans down self consciously and Rachel protests saying I pull them off well with my slender legs
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“Not a camel toe in sight” she says and I smile at her.
Rachel follows my eye-line to Matty and noticeably sighs. Her bright pink lips catch my eyes as she turn to me.
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“Want a drink?” She laughs and I find myself pulled in by her sunny personality.
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"I’ve never really drunk before" I admit knowing that there’s a whole load of alcohol here. I can see it in a cool bag, unopened bottles strewn all over the lawn.
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“Not even a shandy at Christmas” Pippa laughs and I smile at her.
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"Cider. Here we go" Rachel laughs at my naivety and hands me a can, she has rings on nearly all of her fingers and chipped purple nails.
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After we sit down on the edge of a ramp Rachel reaches into her bag and pulls out a packet of what I assume is tobacco, a weird string of white things and a packet named rizla.
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"Want a rolie?" Rach asks using her fingers to roll up the tobacco into a cigarette.
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"I'm good" I fluster feeling out of place.
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"Not a smoker." she justifies, without any inflection to her tone.
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Instantly I feel young, even Pippa is rolling up a cigarette for herself. I feel very out of place siting there with my so far untouched can of cider. I long for Tom, I'm feeling out of my comfort zone and I want something that I know and understand.
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Just as they light up their perfectly rolled cigarettes I feel someone sit next to me. Looking up I see Ross smiling.
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"Hey stranger" he laughs. Damn that laugh, it adds to his carefree, playfulness.
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Pippa rolls her eyes and takes a long drag on her cigarette. Clearly put out by Ross joining us.
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"Hey again" I retort and I can't help the smile that spreads across my face reaching my eyes. He makes me feel at ease, in this foreign environment. Instantly I look down embarrassed that he might catch how happy he is making me feel just by his mere presence.
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“Leave this one alone” Rachel says, taking a drag.
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“She’s innocent” she adds and I want the ground to open up and take me away. She means well but it’s the most embarrassing thing she could have said in front of him. He puts his hands up in a mock gesture and then grabs his own tobacco.
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Rhea catches my eye, smiling and looking over at myself and Ross. She clearly approves of him. She too is holding a can and I'm taken aback seeing her holding her own cigarette in her other hand. She takes a pull then she passes it to Malachi. He drags on it whilst she holds the cigarette to his mouth. He blows it out forming rings of smoke.
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"You don't smoke, Tay?" Ross asks me.
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"Never tried." He makes me feel so comfortable he could be asking me anything and I wouldn't feel stressed or cornered.
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He leans forward, resting his skateboard down in front of him. Slapping his papers on the deck he begins rolling and I watch him. He explains he has menthol filters which make them taste minty giving me a little cheeky grin at the same time.
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"That was quick" I say shocked as he rolls it between his two finger and licks it closed.
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"That's what she said !" Rachel laughs butting into our conversation whilst chugging her can. Pippa snorts, clearly enjoying having a laugh at someone else.
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"Practice" Ross says ignoring her looking at me. He watches me, lighting up and taking a drag. Then he leans back resting his free arm around me closer to my waist. He’s eyes really are very blue aren’t they, there’s nothing hidden in them. They’re open and clear like a sky on a cloudless day.
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With my phone in front of me, just in case I get a notification, I sip my cider and lean back onto his muscular chest.
