𝙷𝚒𝚖

1. The night of his absence. The absence of his eyes.

He grabbed the black skateboard as I scanned through the Braille skating park. It was so empty and quiet — weird but familiar. And he was so quiet. I just followed him through the beige skating ramps, his path, his own pace. Him.

I used to be into skating a few grades down; before freshman year. I wanted to learn back then but just never got the chance. Beginning of freshman year, half the group stopped skating all together, and the other half would just go to sit and smoke or at least skate a little — but definitely still smoke. I used to just always sit, smoke and watch my brother David skate with his other friends. Him. My girl Alice always sat with me as we shared a blunt and watch. Jackie and Emily joined most time too, they just knew their way around the skateboard so they skated with the others half the times.

~

It feels bittersweet, useless because he leaves Thursday and it's Monday, and he thinks he can at least teach me the basics of skateboarding by sunset, and it's 2pm... — what the fuck am I going to learn in this short amount of time? I mean what's the point in skating even now when I'm almost 16 and barely have time for shit — not considering the fact that no one skates anymore?

By sunset my ass.

And it doesn't help that he's so damn quiet. Too quiet.
But I don't know what to say even if we were talking. I don't know if there is something we can talk about anymore.. as if we ever fucking did?

We stepped over a big ramp and I paused dead in my track, the big, beautiful spread of orange red peaked over the Oak trees a mile out. It was a September afternoon and golden hour spread over AstraWood Village like it was gold. I could see MoonVale all the way from up the hill — Mr and Mrs Kooks local store I help out at a few times a week — bakery, cafe, and whatever else you need in the food category. It's squeezed in with the other little local village stores. AstraWood is full of trees and gardens, and the entire village decorates for every holiday, but now it just looks full small trees and a shit tone busy stores. Busy afternoon but it was still quiet up here..

I immediately looked down at the feel of his fingers curling through mine, pulling me towards him slightly before his hands go to my waist and he pulled me up a ramp twice my 5'4 and half ass. He jumped down and walked away to the sidewalk and dropped off his gym bag.

It wasn't no secret that I was terrified of heights, so I slowly creep over to the edge until I could find the will to gather enough courage and convince myself that I wasn't so high and jumping down wasn't going be that bad.
It was embarrassing.
I suddenly see him walking back towards me. "Alright!" He mumbled casually, wrapping his hands around my waist again, alerting every cell in my body to be aware of his touch. He had to reach up to grab me and last time I checked? He was over 6'1 feet so I was definitely high off the ground. He licked his bottom lip as he focused behind him and I was up in the air. He guard me off guard but I still gripped his built shoulders for the dear life of me.

~

He smelled like expensive cologne with hidden irresistible notes. The golden hour spread gorgeously across his tan skin. Flawless God.
His dark lashes and the clearest blue in his eyes. Ocean.
His smooth sharp jawline. Soft neck. His soft curls free over his forehead and side curls were brushing against his ears.
The slight wind sent my long wavy curls onto him before my feet touched the sweet, safe ground again.

~
I can't tell if he's mad, disappointed or just too tired to talk to me. Really talk to me.
~

"Ok." He dropped the skateboard in front of me. I slowly pull away from my blue raspberry slushy, confused. What?
"Wave, get on the damn skateboard!" He head-hints to the skateboard. Oh, he was mad — the tired of kind mad.