Watermelon kisses...

She hated these interviews. Usually the reporter came in expecting a half hour filled with witty comebacks and wry observations about life. And she couldn't help but feel that she had disappointed them by the time they left. She wasn't nearly as clever or confident as Alyssa, the character she played on Jackson High. She wasn't really good at the promotions part at all but it was still a part of her job. She knew it. She knew when she took the part that there would be publicity that needed to be done. And the more successful the show, the better for everyone. And the way to make the show successful was to get people to talk about it, and its unlikely star. That would be her. Almost always described as unlikely.

"Ms. Lewiston, nice to meet you. I'm Kendra Collinsworth from Up Notes. Nice to meet you. Oh shoot, I said that twice. I'm sorry. I'm really nervous. This is my first interview with a major star, they normally only let me handle the extras. And I'm a huge fan of yours and of the show. And... So...and I'm talking too much. Let me start again. Ms. Lewiston, I'm Kendra Collinsworth from Up Notes, nice to meet you."

Abby laughed. Kendra was not what she expected. Unlikely star meet unlikely reporter. This might work out just fine after all. "Please call me Abby. And relax. Nothing to be nervous about here." Abby liked her. Liked the fast talking. No matter what when she met someone who talked fast and without a filter her first thought was that she would like them.

Kendra took a deep breath and composed herself. "Up Notes is doing a whole series on Jackson High and the cultural phenomenon it's become. I was hoping to get not only your take on the character you play, but on the show in general. When we spoke with Allan Peterson, writer and director of Jackson High, Sorry, I have to do that to make sure I remember to put it in my story notes when I transcribe later, sorry, again." Another nervous smile, "When we spoke with Allan Peterson he said that your audition made him realize he was writing the wrong show. Did you plan that going in?"

Abby laughed, "Did I plan on Allan Peterson completely blowing up his television show and rewriting it because of my audition? No. I'm flattered that he gives me so much credit, but I think he was already realizing that the show he really wanted to write was not what he had started with. Look at his past body of work. The man is really a genius."

Kendra slid a photo out from between the pages of her notebook, "Your mother gave Allan this picture, were you aware?"

Abby took the photo. It was the Fourth of July. The sweet spot of summer. Far enough away from school on either end that you could pretend life would always be lazy hot days spent doing what ever sounded like fun when you woke up. Swimming in the pool or down at the lake. Riding your bike as far as you could as fast as you could. Maybe just grabbing a book and a coke and then sitting under the big elm tree and reading away the afternoon.

Looking at the picture she had to pause and think how old she would have been. Thirteen right? It had to have been thirteen. About to start high school. She looked again. There was the familiar pose. Always the right side turned to the camera. The shy smile. The uncertainty in her eyes. This was before the next four years broke her down and the four after that built her back up.

Before college where her first roommate (and soon to be best friend) told her that she needed to stop trying so hard to fit in. Everyone wanted to be different, unique, why was she fighting so hard to be wallpaper? Before the boyfriend (and the ones that followed) who taught her that she was more than she gave herself credit for. Before she discovered the stage. Acting, makeup, transformation. Before the starring role on a popular television show that found girls pretending to be her with their own makeup kits.

This was before that. When life was simple. But not easy. People always make the mistake of thinking simple is the same as easy. And was he there? In the shot? Maybe. That might be his arm. This would have been right before. The moment life changed. How many people have a picture of a moment before a moment? So dramatic. But at 13 everything was dramatic wasn't it?

"I wasn't aware that he had this shot, no. But it doesn't surprise me that my mother gave it to him. She always thought it was a beautiful picture."

"He said this was just before you entered high school yourself. Do you feel as though your experience was similar to Alyssa's?"

And this is the point in the interview where she could lie or tell the truth. She took another look at the photo.

...

"Smile! Come one, give me a real smile!" She could hear her mother's voice in her memory...

"Mom...this is my real smile!"

Her mother took the picture and then she was free to go. Grabbing a slice of ice cold watermelon she turned and saw him for the first time. The new boy. The family that had just moved in to Natalie's neighborhood. Nat had spent hours telling her all about him on the phone. He was gorgeous. He had the bluest eyes. His hair was perfect. He was tall without being gangling. Nat had gone on and and on and Abby had listened patiently. Nat had a tendency toward boy crazy. But this time she had been right. He was gorgeous. Nat was going to be sick that she had missed the picnic. Abby automatically turned so he could only see her in profile. She didn't even consciously do it anymore. Just years of habit.

He was walking toward her. Oh my gosh, was he going to talk to her? Was he smiling at her? Oh wait, no, it wasn't her, it was the watermelon. "I love watermelon! It's my favorite. Is it cold? I only like it cold. Okay, no that's not true. I will eat it warm as well. But it's best when it's cold. Like almost frozen. That's the best. So cold your teeth hurt and it's hard to swallow. That shouldn't be good right? That should make it bad, but that's the best." The wall of words rushed at her. She had never met anyone who talked so fast before.

"Oh hey, sorry, I'm Paul. I tend to talk a lot. My mom and dad are constantly telling me to be quiet but when they aren't around I sort of forget to slow down and let other people in to the conversation. It's a bad habit, and I'm doing it again. Anyway, Paul. Nice to meet you." And with that he held out a slightly sticky watermelon juice covered hand to Abby.

"Abby. Nice to meet you as well. And yes, it's cold. Yes, it's best that way. And yes, you talk a lot."

As she said it she thought it probably sounded rude. But he threw his head back and laughed so loudly and so genuinely that she knew it would be okay. And that was the start of the rest of the summer. That's how she thought of it for the next few years. The time before, the start, the rest of the summer and then the after. So dramatic.

As they shook hands he looked at her squarely for the first time. "Port wine?" He said pointing at her neck.

Her hand automatically shot up to try and cover the spot, "Yeah, how did you know? Most people don't know what they are called." She tried not to blush as he stared at her birthmark.

"I knew a kid in kindergarten who had one. But his was on his face. And it was kind of puffy. Not like yours, yours looks really smooth. How far does that go?" As soon as he asked he blushed a deep scarlet, realizing the question was a little more personal that he had intended.

Abby actually liked that he asked. Most people either pretended that they didn't see it at all or made fun of her behind her back. She lowered her hand from her neck and pointed to a spot on her waist almost to her hip. "To here. It's pretty big."

And it was. The mark started as a small curl right under her left ear and worked its way down her neck to her side and across her rib cage ending with a matching curl on her waist. Wider in the middle. She thought it looked like someone had thrown a bucket of paint her way. Most of it hitting her side with the splash carrying up and down her body.

Paul nodded, "I'm going to go down by the lake to eat this. I like the water. It's been my favorite part of moving here so far. We have a pool and then there is the lake and the river and it seems like there are streams every where too. Did you want to come with? You could tell me about the town. What school is like. I know, nobody wants to talk about school during the summer, but I don't really know anyone. I mean there's this one girl who lives down the street from me, but she never talks, just stares a lot. And I really am a little worried about how different it's going to be here. But don't tell anyone that because I am trying to act cool like it doesn't bother me."

Abby just nodded and walked along with Paul. Listening as he talked. Answering a question or two when he would remember to slow down enough to let her in. Abby told him about the kids he would be meeting. The school they would be going to. Paul played basketball and football. He said he was just okay at both but Abby could tell by watching him that he was probably better than okay. He was already past that awkward stage most of the boys had hit in 8th grade. All knees and elbows.

Later that evening they sat together and watched the fireworks. More watermelon in hand. He wasn't kidding when he said he loved it. Abby guessed that he had eaten an entire melon by himself that day. When the big finale came and the sky exploded into star-bursts of color he leaned over and kissed her. She was stunned. Nobody had ever kissed her before. She put her hand to her lips in surprise as he smiled. "See you soon, Abby. It was nice to meet you."

She could only nod. Sucking her bottom lip in to her mouth she could taste the sweetness of watermelon. She smiled. Happy from the top of her head to her toes. She was pretty sure this had been the best day of her life so far. The new boy that Nat had gone on an on about liked her. Her. Abby. She couldn't wait for Nat to get back from visiting her grandparents so she could tell her.

...

"Was I like Alyssa? No. I'm afraid not. I wish I had been. But I didn't have the talented writers that Alyssa has. And I didn't have the confidence. Here, look at this picture, see how I am standing? I always hid the left side from cameras. And from people. I wasn't even aware I was doing it. But years of having people stare had taught me to protect myself."

"Even in a small town? I had assumed it would be easier growing up in a small town?"

"I didn't have to keep explaining what a port wine birthmark was, that's about it. I don't want to give you the wrong impression either, not everyone stared or made mean remarks. There were great people, there are always great people. Which is what I think Allan focuses on in Jackson High."

...

The rest of the summer was spent with Paul. And Nat. But mostly Paul. When she found out he had never gone fishing she taught him how. She showed him where to get the best burger in town. Whose yards you could cut through when you were running late and which ones you couldn't. And she listened. He never slowed down. Always talking. She knew more about him than she did just about anyone else in her life. And she liked that. And every night he would kiss her goodbye. The sweet simple kisses that only happen with first kisses. No expectation of more. Or different. Just a kiss. And she loved them.

In late August Paul started football practice. The coach started open practice two weeks before school began and if he wanted to make the team he needed to be at those practice sessions. Abby had missed seeing him during the day but he would come to her house right after practice was over and tell her all about it. They would eat watermelon and spit the seeds in the yard. Seeing who could get the most distance. And he would talk. Telling her who was the fastest, who was the strongest, who he thought would make the team and who he was afraid would get cut. He was making friends and ready for the school year to start. And for the first time in a long time so was Abby. This year was all about new beginnings.

When she and Nat were out shopping for back to school supplies she saw a Lip Smackers lip balm that was watermelon flavored. She smiled and bought it thinking it would be a fun surprise for Paul. Watermelon flavored kisses.

And then...

Then there was the after.

...

"Do you remember the audition? I know it was originally for a small part so I wonder if you were aware that something special had happened?"

"I had gone on exactly five auditions for TV roles. I had a few commercials. I had done one off off Broadway play and now I was reading for Allan Peterson's new project. Yes, I remember."

...

She had gone in to read for a small part, she was supposed to play the outcast. The girl that was teased just because she looked different. It was going to be a "very special episode" of some new high school drama. Yes, she was 24 at the time and would be playing a teenager but the rumored male lead was in his thirties so she thought she could pull it off. She had made the choice to do the audition without covering her birthmark. You used what you had to get the edge right?

Her agent had called her the next day. "They couldn't believe how real you were. How raw. They are rewriting the entire show, they want you as a lead. And they want your character to have your birthmark." She had been stunned. Instead of  a "very special episode" about how you should treat people who look differently than you do, she was one of the leads. And it wasn't about her birthmark, not really, they just let her play a teenager. Who had a birthmark. Who didn't let it define her. When it was addressed in the show, and it was, it was all real. Sometimes her character liked that she looked different. Sometimes she wished it would just go away. The episode where she went to the dermatologist to see about having it lightened generated so much fan mail against it that the network suggested they give her another one!

...

"What do you think defines the show more than anything else?"

"I think it's that Allan hasn't forgotten what it was really like to be a teenager. Yes, he writes snappy dialog, and yes, we are all very well adjusted. But there is that thread of real he weaves through. I think that defines the show as much as anything else. He shares stories that we can all relate to. And he lets us, the actors, play them in a, I'm searching for the right words here, see? I need him to write my dialog all the time! He lets us play them in a very real way. It started with that first audition and has carried through the whole show for me.

And he does it with all the characters. There are no strict stereo-types in Allan's shows. He lets us remember that the popular jock might be hiding who he really is just to seem cool. Or the brainy girl is really worried that she won't be good enough once she gets to college and is a small fish in a big pond. We all have insecurities, in a way Alyssa is lucky because hers is out in the open. When you see her, or me, you know what we have been self conscious about. It's right there."
...

When she did the audition and the director told her to not hold back, to dig deep she did. Back to the after. Where she could still find the tender part of her that never completely healed.

It had started with over hearing a few of the more popular girls in the bathroom on that first day back after summer vacation, "Why is he hanging around with her? Have you seen the shirt she is wearing today? I would wear nothing but turtlenecks if I had that thing on me."

"Oh my God...I wouldn't even leave the house! He can do so much better. He will figure it out."

Then meeting Paul at her locker later. He looked at her, then at her neck. Had he ever done that before? Since the first day? Had he really just stared at her neck? She could see the guys from the team standing down the hallway. Poking at each other. Laughing while they looked their way. "Umm, hey, I'm going to be late at practice so I can't walk you home." Then looking back down, a faint blush on his cheeks.

"Oh that's fine. You can come by after you're done. I bet you have a ton to tell me. I think Mom even has a watermelon in the fridge."

Paul had looked up at her then. His impossibly blue eyes staring at her. "Yeah, I don't think so. I don't really have anything to say."

And that was that.

...

"When the show became such a big hit did you hear from anyone you used to go to school with? Did they see themselves in the show?"

"Funny enough, I did hear from a couple of girls who were in my class. I wouldn't say we had been friends but they were sure we had been when they asked me to introduce them to Ric."

"Ric would be Ricardo Altaveres, who plays your love interest on the show?"

"Yes, that Ric. But no, other than my friend Nat I didn't really have a lot of people I was close to in high school. Unlike Alyssa I really didn't come in to my own until college. I was pretty shy and reserved until then."
...

She thought about telling Kendra she had almost written a letter to a certain boy thanking him. After all it was because of him that she got the part. That she was able to impress the director during her audition enough to have him reconsider the entire show he was working on.

When the audition started and he told her to dig deep she had closed her eyes for a moment. Then reopened them seeing not the brown eyes of her audition partner but the deep blue of Paul's. And then the tears started to flow. There is no pain like the first heart break.

....


When the article came out Kendra hadn't described her as the "unlikely star" of the new teen drama she had called her the "very together" star of Jackson High. The woman you imagine Alyssa will grow up to be. Abby had smiled at that. Knowing it wasn't quite true. Alyssa wouldn't have hidden in the bathroom until those girls left, she would have marched right up to them and had something clever to say. Though Abby had had the pleasure of channeling Alyssa and telling those girls that she was really sorry but she didn't really remember them and wouldn't feel comfortable introducing strangers to Ric. And Alyssa would have walked right past Paul to the starting quarterback on the varsity team. But that just wasn't Abby, not then. Not now.

She smiled and put her fingers to her lips. Remembering again the taste of sweet watermelon kisses given by a boy with impossibly blue eyes. Everything was so dramatic at thirteen.




You probably noticed nothing was in italics or in bold for this story. It wasn't a line prompt this time but an emotive prompt. That was my take on "the color of pain and the taste of happiness."

Want to see what Dana came up with? Read Bitterness, on the Rocks.