Hell to the No

Blossoming

My favorite time of year has always been late spring and early summer. When the days start getting longer and warmer, the trees flourish to cover the Appalachians in beautiful shades of green, and when the nights are no longer brisk, nor chilly. And God, don't get me started on the flowers. I absolutely love the way flowers perfume the breeze this time of year. It makes me want to be outside all the time, even just to soak it all up with every one of my senses.

And this is exactly what I decide to do after dinner, since the heat of the day has receded some, but the breeze is still warm. As I head out the door, I decide to walk on the street barefoot, my flip-flops swinging in my hand. The heat from the sun-baked asphalt blossoms under the bottoms of my bare feet with ever-careful step I take. Smiling into the evening light, I grip my shoes in one hand and the fabric of the floral skirt I changed into in the other as tiny bits of gravel bite at the bottoms of my feet. The warm wind on my legs feels like heaven.

I head for the big hill a few blocks over, the one that looks out over my small valley town. I often hike up that street to get a good view of the sunset and the dreamy twilight that falls over the rows and rows of streets and houses. I stroll up the sloped street, and after a few blocks of climbing, I finally make it to the top. The hill continues up to my right, but the valley opens up on my left, wide and gorgeous in the fading light. I take a few moments just to stare at the town from my vantage point, almost level with the tops of the hills that enclose the other side of the valley, far off. I pad off the road to sit in the grass. The hill slopes steeply down a few feet in front of me, and I overlook the roofs of houses that are farther down on the hill. I twiddle with blades of grass absently as I gaze out at the valley below.

"Who knew our shitty little town could look so gorgeous?"

I give a start at the sudden voice, and twist around to look up at its owner.

"Do you always approach people so damn quietly? I about jumped right down the cliff." Roman laughs warmly as he moves an old skateboard from under one arm to the other.

"I was wondering what would happen if I spooked you. Didn't think of that... Glad you're still here," he says with a devilish grin as he sits down beside me, setting his skateboard down across his lap as he leans back onto his elbows. He wears one of those infamously snug-fitting shirts, a Parkway Drive one with their Deep Blue album cover art on the front. Smooth black athletic shorts with white sidings cover his legs, and a pair of black and red skater shoes of the Etnie persuasion are worn on his feet. His dark hair is tousled from skateboarding, I imagine, and the ends cling together and stick to his forehead and neck with perspiration. A light sunburn kisses his high cheekbones and the straight bridge of his nose. I can feel the heat from his arm next to mine, and smell his strong and pleasant deodorant on the breeze.

"Come here often?" he murmurs with a flirtatious grin as he tilts his chin up at me. God, that jaw line. My fingers tingle with thoughts of trailing them across it.

What the hell is wrong with me?

"Yes, actually," I reply with a smile, "Come on, just look at this view." Roman's smoky gaze travels calmly out across the valley, and the corner of his mouth tugs up in that familiar way.

"Me too, I wonder why we've never met up here before." I raise my eyebrows bemusedly as I lie on my back to gaze at the gold and pink streaked clouds.

"We've never paid any mind to each other until this project, I wouldn't be surprised if we were sometimes physically and magically invisible to one another until now," I say in a soft voice, turning my head to smile playfully up at Roman as I tug the ends of my skirt down over my curled up knees. He pointedly turns his gaze back to me, and a curious look crosses his face. I hold it for a moment, waiting for a reply. It disappears on the breeze and is replaced by a casual smile.

"Then we must have been here at the same time, and never known at some point," He matches my softly incredulous tone. I chuckle as I shift onto my side and prop my head up with my hand. He lays back in the grass, sighing deeply and closing his eyes. I regard him silently for a moment, watching his chest rise and fall under the dark Parkway Drive shirt. The smell of his familiar cologne mingles faintly with the strong scent of his Axe deodorant.

"This is my spot, though, but if you're nice I'm willing to share," I tell him with a shrug, while I hide the slightest of smirks. He cracks one eye open at me.

"Your spot, huh?"

I nod very matter-of-factly.

"How 'bout we play King of the Hill, and I throw you clear into the valley?"

"Oh please, angelface. You can't handle this," I chime with a smirk, rolling onto my belly and giving my bare arm a manly flex. Roman guffaws before poking my slender bicep muscle with a large hand.

"You're soooo hilarious," he says sarcastically, "Look at your tiny muscles, babe! I'd kill you!" I latch his hand with a laugh, and he pulls it away, dragging my arm over him in the process. Off balance, I land practically on top of him, my weight falling onto my hand on the other side of Roman.

"Is it a wrestling match you want?" he breathes with a grin as he looks up at me through his hair. His breath is warm on my face, and butterflies erupt in my mutinous stomach at the proximity between us. Quick as a snake, he wraps one arm tightly around my waist and cups the back of my head with the other at the same time that he flips me all the way over to pin my on my back. With my head protected from the impact, he slides his hand out from under it to sit up tall and casual on my abdomen with his arms crossed over his chest, and his legs propped straight out to my right.. And holy GOD is he heavy. I wheeze and claw at his back as my lungs refuse to intake oxygen with the pressure of Roman. I manage a few cuss words, but that's it.

"Huh..." he says, curious, as he leisurely taps his chin and squints toward the sky, "It looks like I win..."

"GAACK," I sputter, bringing my knees up to try and roll Roman off of my air supply. He relents with peals of satisfied laughter, and falls backward onto his back, his legs draped over me. I writhe beneath them as I suck in gallons of air, immediately twisting to land punches against Roman's stomach. He chuckles as he flexes, and my fist falls land on hard muscle.

"Don't break your hand, darling," he grins. I laugh, switching my tactic to tickling. Which turns out to be highly effective. He gives a yelping laugh as he grabs at my hands. Deft with the power of spite, I evade him and continue to attack relentlessly with quick fingers around his sides and stomach. He starts to thrash involuntarily, his laughter getting desperate as it mingles with curses.

JE-SIS, his being-tickled laugh is freakin' adorable.

With the adrenaline from my torturous affair, he finally grabs both of my arms at the elbow, and pulls me down against him. He holds my arms stretched out away from his torso on either side, causing me to be pressed flush against his chest. I give a squeal as I struggle feebly, my laughter making my strength fizzle. Roman's chest resonates with his chuckling as he holds my arms at a safe distance with iron strength.

"Ya little vixen," his voice murmurs, amused, in my ear. I lift my head up off his shoulder as much as he will allow, and I grin down at his face, extremely close to my own.

"You're not ticklish at all," I giggle.

"Not one bit." He scrunches his nose up as he flashes me a sarcastic smile. Tilting my head back, my chin lightly touching his, I aim to blow a sharp gust of air up his face. He gives a jolt as his bangs flop back with the gust, and he releases my arms to rub furiously at his nose as he curses with a startled laugh.

"God damnit, Allie!" his body shakes in laughter underneath me as he rolls to one side, taking me with him. I flop onto the ground beside him, laughing devilishly with him at his agony. Shaking his hair out with his hand, he blinks rapidly, that golden smile never leaving his lips.

"You're killing me," he sighs, warily watching my hands as I move one of them to lay my head on. I flash him the slyest of smiles as I teasingly send a light gust of breath on his face. His spooked nerves cause him to flinch unnecessarily. "I'm gonna kill you," he breathes with a grin, rubbing his arm across his face for good measure.

I flash him a wicked smile.