Temporary Love

Part 6: Saturday Surrender

Friday- I rushed through my studies and avoided Helen and everyone else. I cannot put myself in the position of getting another hard on- especially in class!

Waking up early this morning, I get ready to meet Helen at the park.

Lord help me if I get one when we're out.

I look over my plaid shirt and my black undershirt before I bend over to lace up my converse to go.

"You going now?"

"Yeah. What are you doing today?" I ask Iggy as he ties up his shoelaces.

"Martin and I are going to the theater down town to see Rocky Horror Picture Show." He says and looks up at me in bright blue button down shirt and blue jeans. "How do I look?"

"Good." Grabbing my notes from my book, I fold them in three sections and stick them in my back pocket.

"You're really taking your notes?"

"Well...yeah we're studying."

"Dude, she thinks it's a date. Just make it a date and relax."

"Well it's not a date, Ig." I state confidently and leave the dorm room. Walking down the hall to the elevator, I press the button to wait for it to arrive.

"Max!" Down the hall behind me comes Helen in a beautiful white sundress and her hair in long braids. Prior to this, it has just been her natural curls- but now...with these long braided extensions...Damn.

"H...hey...you l...you look amazing." I say and notice she doesn't have her notes with her- just a small clutch wristlet.

"Thank you- you look very nice yourself. So the park?" She asks and I nod before getting in the elevator.

We ride it down in silence and awkwardly exchange glances at each other. As we get outside, we hail a cab and I tell them Central Park.

"I haven't been to the park yet. I'm so excited." She happily says and touches my forearm. Her brown orbs shine in the afternoon sun and her hands are warm on my arm.

"It's very beautiful for sure." It takes us a few minutes to get to the south end and we get out- paying the cabbie- and head through the Southeast corner of the park. "Wow...it's so beautiful. Oh Max! Look!"

She tugs on my arm towards the Zoo.

"I didn't know it had a zoo! Oh Max- can we go- please?!" She's like a child- tugging on my arm excitedly and hardly able to contain her excitement.

We're supposed to be studying.

But...

But I've always wanted to go to this zoo, but I'm always too busy.

Besides, she didn't even bring her notes.

"Yeah...sure." Walking through to the ticket booth, it's hardly busy this afternoon- so it doesn't take long to get to the booth lady.

"Good afternoon. Welcome to the Central Park Zoo. How many?"

"Two adults please." I say and take out my wallet.

"$24.50." I hand her my debit card and she charges it, hands it back and gives us two tickets and stamps our hands with little blue elephants. "Enjoy."

"Thank you." I say. We go through the archways and it opens up to the massive Sea Lion tank.

"Wow! Look at them! Oh they're so cool! Look, look, look!" She clutches my arm as she leans on the railing over the water and points to the sea lions swimming around and jumping out of the water chasing each other.