she’s prepared to go, but I can
tell she’s getting into it. Her chest is rising and falling as she breathes,
and my worries of getting caught are slipping away. At this point I think I’m
more worried that it might actually happen, right up until—
“Yo, Triple A!”
comes a distant call. Immediately, I break from my trance. Ritchie is trudging
up the hill toward us. “What you doin’, man?”
My erection
shrivels like a deflated balloon, and Kristie backs off, disappointment evident
in her eyes.
“Are you guys
dancing or somethin’?” Ritchie gasps as he makes the steep climb. “I been
looking all over for you.”
“I’ve been
hiding from you,” I say, my tone rigid.
Ritchie is
panting by the time he reaches my side. “Too much…” he tries and shakes his
head as he leans his hands on his knees. “That is one big ass hill.” Finally,
he straightens and slaps me sharply on the back. “What are you two doin’ way up
here?”
“I’m spending
time with my girlfriend ,” I say.
Ritchie looks at
Kristie then me before breaking into a grin. “Cool.”
I bite my
tongue, reminding myself to remain calm. “And?”
“And what?” he
pants.
“And why are you
here?”
“I gotta show
you somethin’.”
“It can wait.”
Ritchie eyes me
a moment and then Kristie before shaking his head. “Not really. You’ll wanna
see this.”
“It can wait.”
Ritchie narrows
his eyes at Kristie before turning on me. “Look, there’s something I gotta show you. It’s important .” He slaps me on the arm again. “Let’s go.”
“Jesus, Ritchie,
I’m kind of in the middle of something.”
He just stands
there, hands at his sides, sweat stains under his arms, his chest heaving. “I
swear I’m gonna knock you flat if you keep talkin’ blasphemy like that.”
“Then stop
pissing me off.”
He shakes his
head, exhales and lifts his yes. “Let’s go.”
“I’m not going
anywhere.”
“You gotta see
this. I’m tellin’ you.”
“I’m not—”
“Go ahead,”
Kristie interrupts. She looks me in the eye and offers a tiny nod. “Go with
your friend. I don’t want you two fighting.”
“We’re not
fighting.”
“Go. It’s okay.”
“See?” Ritchie
says, the light returning to his eyes. Apparently he’s caught his second wind,
and something has him unusually excited. “Even the old ball and chain wants to
get rid of you.”
“Give me a
minute,” I answer.
“We ain’t got a
minute, bro. This is a limited time offer. We gotta go. Now.”
“Then at least
give me a second,” I snap.
Ritchie frowns,
but nods. “Make it quick.” He turns his back and starts shuffling back down the
hill.
Kristie looks up
at me with those baby-blues. “I’m not mad,” she says. “I promise.”
“I’m sorry,” I
say. “Ritchie is Ritchie.”
“For better or
for worse.”
I smile.
“Right.”
“To be
continued?”
I kiss her,
savoring the leftover minty goodness of the Tic Tacs she’s been sneaking all
afternoon. “I’ll see you tonight,” I promise, kissing her forehead.
She shakes her
head. “My parents will be home. I’ll call you.” She smiles. “It’ll be late.
Probably after ten.”
“I’ll miss you.”
She giggles.
“You better.”
One more quick
kiss, and I scoop my books, shove them into my backpack, and trot down the hill
to catch up with my friend, spilling the ball cap he’s wearing as I pass by. He
swings carelessly. “Dumb ass,” he murmurs as he retrieves the hat. Together we
race toward the sunset, seemingly on a collision course with nothing.
Part II
Even though I graciously agreed
to give up what might have been the most important day of my young life,
Ritchie is pouting as we make our way out of the park, and to make sure I know
it, he’s wearing a scowl while refusing to look at me.
“Where are we
going?” I ask. “What’s so important?”
No answer.
“You just made
me walk away from my girlfriend, and I did it for you, so
tell she’s getting into it. Her chest is rising and falling as she breathes,
and my worries of getting caught are slipping away. At this point I think I’m
more worried that it might actually happen, right up until—
“Yo, Triple A!”
comes a distant call. Immediately, I break from my trance. Ritchie is trudging
up the hill toward us. “What you doin’, man?”
My erection
shrivels like a deflated balloon, and Kristie backs off, disappointment evident
in her eyes.
“Are you guys
dancing or somethin’?” Ritchie gasps as he makes the steep climb. “I been
looking all over for you.”
“I’ve been
hiding from you,” I say, my tone rigid.
Ritchie is
panting by the time he reaches my side. “Too much…” he tries and shakes his
head as he leans his hands on his knees. “That is one big ass hill.” Finally,
he straightens and slaps me sharply on the back. “What are you two doin’ way up
here?”
“I’m spending
time with my girlfriend ,” I say.
Ritchie looks at
Kristie then me before breaking into a grin. “Cool.”
I bite my
tongue, reminding myself to remain calm. “And?”
“And what?” he
pants.
“And why are you
here?”
“I gotta show
you somethin’.”
“It can wait.”
Ritchie eyes me
a moment and then Kristie before shaking his head. “Not really. You’ll wanna
see this.”
“It can wait.”
Ritchie narrows
his eyes at Kristie before turning on me. “Look, there’s something I gotta show you. It’s important .” He slaps me on the arm again. “Let’s go.”
“Jesus, Ritchie,
I’m kind of in the middle of something.”
He just stands
there, hands at his sides, sweat stains under his arms, his chest heaving. “I
swear I’m gonna knock you flat if you keep talkin’ blasphemy like that.”
“Then stop
pissing me off.”
He shakes his
head, exhales and lifts his yes. “Let’s go.”
“I’m not going
anywhere.”
“You gotta see
this. I’m tellin’ you.”
“I’m not—”
“Go ahead,”
Kristie interrupts. She looks me in the eye and offers a tiny nod. “Go with
your friend. I don’t want you two fighting.”
“We’re not
fighting.”
“Go. It’s okay.”
“See?” Ritchie
says, the light returning to his eyes. Apparently he’s caught his second wind,
and something has him unusually excited. “Even the old ball and chain wants to
get rid of you.”
“Give me a
minute,” I answer.
“We ain’t got a
minute, bro. This is a limited time offer. We gotta go. Now.”
“Then at least
give me a second,” I snap.
Ritchie frowns,
but nods. “Make it quick.” He turns his back and starts shuffling back down the
hill.
Kristie looks up
at me with those baby-blues. “I’m not mad,” she says. “I promise.”
“I’m sorry,” I
say. “Ritchie is Ritchie.”
“For better or
for worse.”
I smile.
“Right.”
“To be
continued?”
I kiss her,
savoring the leftover minty goodness of the Tic Tacs she’s been sneaking all
afternoon. “I’ll see you tonight,” I promise, kissing her forehead.
She shakes her
head. “My parents will be home. I’ll call you.” She smiles. “It’ll be late.
Probably after ten.”
“I’ll miss you.”
She giggles.
“You better.”
One more quick
kiss, and I scoop my books, shove them into my backpack, and trot down the hill
to catch up with my friend, spilling the ball cap he’s wearing as I pass by. He
swings carelessly. “Dumb ass,” he murmurs as he retrieves the hat. Together we
race toward the sunset, seemingly on a collision course with nothing.
Part II
Even though I graciously agreed
to give up what might have been the most important day of my young life,
Ritchie is pouting as we make our way out of the park, and to make sure I know
it, he’s wearing a scowl while refusing to look at me.
“Where are we
going?” I ask. “What’s so important?”
No answer.
“You just made
me walk away from my girlfriend, and I did it for you, so
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