Leather and Strawberries

13

Charlie

My phone bleeped.

I flinched and picked it up with ice cold fingers.
i'm outside. It was from Taylor, that simple factor sent my heart rate skyrocketing and broke sweat out on my palms.
I'm coming. I wrote, chewing on my thumbnail and trying to come up with an outfit that would be appropriate for whatever we were doing. It was dark outside and if my parents found me sneaking out they'd have my guts for garters.

Hastily i dragged a brush through my hair and threw on a pair of pastel blue jeans, a cute grey sweater, and slipped my feet into my battered black converse. I crept outside, every sense heightened, and every muscle tense — I wasn't used to being out at night.

"BOO!"

I yelped, jumping a foot in the air and instantly lashing out. My hand slammed into the brick of my house and I groaned at the pain. Taylor doubled over laughing, her face red and her mouth stretched into a grin wider than one I'd ever seen coming from her. When she smiled, it completely transformed her face; it turned her from someone you sincerely hope doesn't have a knife in their bag, to someone you wish you knew.

"TAYLOR!" I hissed, chest heaving, "not funny!" she cackled, "so funny."
"If my stepmum catches me out here she'll kill me."
"What's with her anyway?" Taylor questioned, crossing the street. I followed, trying to think of a good answer that wouldn't make me seem like I was completely insane.

Swallowing, i hesitated a few heartbeats before replying, "she's a little uptight, that's all."
"A little," the Spanish girl muttered under her breath.

Anxious to change the subject, I asked her where we were going but all i got in return was a mysterious shrug and a shark-like smile. After a few long minutes of shadows and stars, we reached a field with a sign saying "do not enter private property".

And so we did the natural thing. We entered.

Nerves twisted through me, my palms broke out in sweat and I had the fleeting impression that Taylor was leading me to my demise. Before I could escape I caught sight of where the raven haired girl was taking me.

Graffiti decorated the precarious slopes, the concrete slick with water, abandoned skateboards tossed into dark corners. My hands slipped out of my jacket pockets numbly, my lips forming an "o" shape. My friend grinned, practically skipping over to the skate park, nimbly running up a slope and perching at the top. "Come on, slowpoke!" She laughed.

This girl is going to be the death of me, I decided. Though there were far worse ways to go. Gazing up at Taylor's beaming face, I moistened my lips thinking that she was more than worth a measly skate ramp. I made a run for it, just catching the lip and pulling myself up, I flopped, chest heaving, facing the stars.

My friend settled next to me, stretching her hands out, as though attempting to catch the tiny specks of silver. "Beautiful," she whispered. I turned so i was facing her, "yeah," i agreed, "beautiful." And she was. She really, really was. Taylor met my eyes, her green orbs softening, she reached out her thumb, gently catching my lip, dragging it downwards slightly. My breath faltered, then stopped entirely.

She kissed me, and it felt like my brain was melting.

The wind blew my hair about my face.

She tasted like cinnamon.

The tree branches creaked overhead.

Water from the evening rain soaked through my jeans.

There's going to be a stain there, I thought giddily, my hands cupping Taylor's face, every nerve in my body tingling. She pulled away with a sigh, her thumb trailing my jawline, "I have to go," she breathed.
"Okay."
"I'll see you at school."
"Okay."

And she left, her leather jacket melting into the darkness, I stared at the place she'd sat, my mind a whirl.

Okay.

i'm so bad at updating im sorry.