Wild Nights, Hot And Crazy Days

Part 3.5: The Love Shack

"Oh, stop", David said. "What are you really thinking about?"

"I was serious. I really do like you. You're cute, you're funny, you're silly, you just seem to always be so happy. I like being with you."

I was looking at him now. He blushed and looked away. I had embarrassed him, which somehow made him even cuter!

"How about you?"

"Huh?"

"What are you thinking about?", I asked.

He thought for a moment. "I was thinking how much I like you, too. You're big and strong, but gentle. You're a gentle giant. You're serious but thoughtful. You seem like somebody I could depend on for anything."

"Like a golden retriever" I joked.

"No! I don't know what it is about you, but I feel like you could take on the world. You're strong in the mind, too. You do a lot of thinking, and you seem to always be in control. I feel safe when I'm with you, like nothing could hurt me."

Now it was my turn to blush.

"I was also thinking we've got to find a better place to do this. I have a snow wedgie."

I laughed. "Yeah, me too. I think my crack is going to crack."

We were both laughing now, so we stood up and brushed the snow out of each other's crevasses. After we had brushed each other off I wrapped my arms and held him in a hug. I didn't reach or grope for anything, just a good, long hug. I felt content.

He looked up at me, his green eyes sparkling in the sun. "Where do you think this is going to go?" He asked.

"Where what is going to go?"

"This. Us. What we have here. Because I think we have something special here. I can feel it."

I gazed into his eyes. As far as I was concerned it had already gotten there. I didn't say that, though.

"I dunno. We'll just have to take it as it comes. I like where it's at now, though, and hope it goes further."

"Mmmmm", he said, and buried his face into my chest. I started stroking his short, curly hair with my hand. I was in heaven. I wanted to hold him there forever. Unfortunately, it was still January in Nova Scotia, and I started getting cold. "David?" I said.

"Yeah?"

"I'm freezing. Let's go inside."

"Yeah", he said. We broke our hug apart and made our way back into the mall. We sat on a bench directly under the furnace output and enjoyed another cigarette while we soaked up the heat. I looked outside and realized it was starting to get dark.

"I've gotta get going", I said. "I told Dad I'd be home for supper."

"Yeah, I should go too", he said. He started walking away. Then he turned around and ran back. "Wait!" he said. "You don't have my number!"

He grabbed my hand, pulled that same purple marker out of his pocket, and wrote a number on it.

"Call me", he said, and ran away. I watched him go.

"I will", I said softly. I went to the other entrance where my bicycle was chained up. I rode home, feeling like nothing bad could ever happen again. I felt that I really liked David, but more importantly, I felt like it was mutual. He cared back. I could tell.

The next day at school went pretty much as I thought it would. Everyone was talking about Colin. He was a celebrity, everyone seeming to think that what he did was the coolest thing ever. Every time I heard somebody tell the story it got more sensational. He stabbed cops, punched cops, stole a car, stole a cop car, and I thought I even heard something about a gun. I just chuckled to myself. I knew the real story.