california world - dreamnotfound

red

the chipped, marine blue door swings shut as i step out onto the balcony, a wave of humid air crashing into me. menacing thunder is rumbling in the distance, streaks of light waltz between the clouds. i only came out here for a cigarette, but it looks like i might be staying a little longer to witness mother nature's show.

i walk down the roof covered stairs, leading straight out onto the sidewalk. the lighting from inside the reception shines dimly beside me as i lean my back against the building's brick wall. i fumble around searching for my pack, feeling the craving manifest itself as an itching sensation in my fingers.

my lighter doesn't wanna cooperate in the unstable weather. i have to flick it multiple times while trying to hide away from the wind. the reward finally comes when i get to take my first drag.

traffic is scarce, presumably cause people are staying inside avoiding the nearing storm. apart from the occasional thunder and the two women arguing on the other side of the street, the night is pretty much silent. i shut my eyes, letting the nicotine carry me away.

suddenly a pair of hands grab my shoulders, shaking them without warning. i get so scared i almost drop my cigarette. i'm almost about to spin around and start throwing hands when clay jumps into sight, beaming with joy.

"dude, you scared the shit out of me!" i scold.
"sorry boo," he teases, "just wanted to spend some time with you."
"in that case, it's fine."

he frowns when i take a drag, brushing some invisible dirt off my cheek.

"this isn't good for you."
"you're acting like you don't smoke yourself," i point out.
"well not as much as you."

rain begins to trickle down from the sky, dotting the sidewalk and making tapping noises against the metal roofing above us. i huddle closer to the wall to not get any drops splashed on me, and clay follows.

a radio or some other kind of music player is switched on inside of the reception, the sound leaking out well enough for us to clearly hear it because of the window's poor isolation. the intro is played by a soothing piano before strings start to fade in. a woman's soft voice echoes from the speakers in what i think is french.

clay glances at me with a spark in his eye, humming along to the melody before taking my hand.

"my mother used to love this song."

he looks lost in old memories, both good and bad ones. his feet seem to start moving on their own with the slow rhythm. he takes a steadier grip on my hand, lightly tugging on it like he wants me to follow him.

"come dance with me," he proposes, backing away from the guarding roof and out into the wild, where the falling raindrops are rapidly multiplying.

i hesitate for a second before stepping away from my safe zone. he stops me under the large motel sign, glowing in a dark hue, most likely red. my heart is as confused and infatuated as my mind when he gently snakes his arms around my waist, pulling me in so that our torsos are almost touching.

"i-i can't really dance," i stutter, gaze flickering between him and the outside world.
"just follow my lead and it'll be okay."

to show me where to put my arms he grips them, draping them around his shoulders and neck before resuming his previous position. we're already way too wet for my liking, but drying clothes will have to be a later problem i guess.

he looks me deep in the eyes as his legs begin moving. i do my best to follow along and match his pacing, but it feels awkward and unbalanced. i keep having to break our eye contact to look down at his feet, as if that would help correct it.

"hey, relax," he whispers, bringing a hand to my face and carefully pressing my head down against his chest.

my body is pushed closer to his too, so that i can feel every single part of it. the loving gestures help me fully ease into his touch. i close my eyes, savoring the unreal moment. as he notices my relaxation he nuzzles my hair and starts swaying again, very slowly at first to let me get used to the tempo. when i become more and more confident he eventually picks up the pace a little, without any problems from my side.

i feel disconnected from the world in clay's arms, like i'm floating on affection somewhere far far away, where only me and him exist. my rapid heartbeat matches his, conjoining us as one. the sound of the falling rain is drowned out by the singer's marvelous voice, the warm harmonies of the orchestra and by clay's shallow, hitched breathing. mine is unsteady too, almost like i've forgotten how to breathe at all.

we stay there for what feels like hours, hours of pure ecstasy. my mind has wandered off to someplace distant. enchanted by clay's leading touch i remove my head from his chest to meet his beautiful eyes. they're smiling back at me, just as joyous as i feel inside.

the curls of his usually dirty blonde hair has turned a wet brown and stuck to his forehead. i reach up to brush a few away, earning me a little peck on the nose. my cheeks take on a deep pink color from the sweet action.

clay's face is illuminated by the neon sign, accentuating his incredible features. i want to describe to him just how breathtakingly gorgeous i think he is, but when i open my mouth words refuse to come out. he's got me speechless.

the moment the song ends he connects our lips in a long, affectionate kiss. his fingers delicately run through my hair and down the sides of my face and neck. i let my tongue swirl around his, making him noticeably more flustered, limbs trembling.

we pull away after an amazing ten seconds, both lightly panting. clay rests his forehead against mine, still holding me tight.

"what are we?" i wonder, voice shaky.
"i want you to be mine."

a bolt of lightning strikes down a couple of blocks away, but i don't flinch.

"then i'll be yours."