The Boy in the Gray Hoodie

23...

            God, some thoughts should never be allowed to develop.

            That one, especially.

            “Come on,” I laughed, stepping around him to continue walking up the road. “It’s too cold to stop walking.”

            As a matter of fact, I was getting warmer by the minute. But I wasn’t going to say that.

            Roy trailed along behind me for a while. Maybe he thought I was irritated and was trying to give me space. But when I tripped on a rut in the uneven ground, he was right there to take my arm and steady me.

            “Thanks,” I muttered, tiptoeing around a large rock.

            “You’re welcome,” he responded politely.

            We kept walking.

            After a while, he bumped into my arm.

            “Sorry,” he mumbled quickly.

            “It’s okay,” I said, laughing a little. I saw the briefest hint of a smile in his eyes before he turned his face away from me. A second later, he bumped into my arm again.

            “Sorry,” he whispered.

            “It’s okay.” I whispered back.

            Bump.

            I bumped him back.

            Bump.

            I snickered.

            He laughed.

            I gave him a playful shove. He stumbled back several steps and then hurried up to my side again. “What are we doing?” I asked, still chuckling.

            Instead of an answer, I felt Roy’s arms suddenly tighten around my waist. He was hugging me playfully with his head tucked under my arm.

            “Roy,” I poked him. “Roy, what are you doing?” We had stopped walking now, and stood on the side of the road.

“Lisa,” his voice was muffled against the fabric of the hoodie I wore. His hoodie.

“Yeah?” I responded, feeling oddly okay with his awkward embrace.

“It’s just…this.” He squeezed me tighter.

I teased the ends of my tangled hair and smiled, pausing momentarily to glance up at our surroundings before I put my arms around his neck. Had there been anyone around, they would have seen us standing there hugging awkwardly like a couple of weirdos.

            We were a couple of weirdos. But I didn’t care. And I loved that I didn’t care.

_______________________________________________________

Lisa still smelled like shampoo.

            We had been walking outside all day, and I smelled like sweat and mud. But Lisa smelled sweet, and the scent made me feel warm in spite of the cold air.

            When I hugged her, the subtle scent grew stronger. I took a long breath of air, enjoying the fact that she was letting me get so close. Like she had last night.