HORIZON
nine | let's dance
FINGERTIPS TOUCHED THE SKY WITH grace as soft lips sang along to the music of pride. Kisses from the sun grazed on every pair of cheeks, expressing acceptance. Strong waves of wind blew by, letting hair run free into the air filled with happiness and a little bit of glitter. Any care sat in the backseats of cars, soaking in heat.
Being so lost in the moment of pure bliss, Savannah didn't feel the light tap on her arm as she danced in the crowd. A sudden pull brought her attention to someone she hadn't really spoken to; Wes. "I know Bianca told you about me being trans. I kind of want to keep it a secret so if you don't mind, please don't tell anyone you know."
Grabbing the boy by the shoulder, she pulled Wes into a tight side hug. Her head rested on top of his since she was slightly taller than him. Swaying their bodies side to side, she quickly kissed the top of his head before saying, "the only people I know besides you guys are my parents, West Side. Don't worry."
Savannah was too distracted by the multiple things happening around her that she didn't hear Wes' snarky remark about the nickname she had given him. A few days after they first met, she was told not to call him anything but 'Wes' because it annoyed him to his very core. Naturally being the stubborn girl she is, she called the boy any name besides 'Wes'. She knew that he secretly liked it by his lack of correction.
For most of the parade, the kids stayed close to Fanny. At one point, Bianca did wander off to buy rainbow merchandise and didn't tell anyone. Without Fanny noticing, she threw out the neon flag she was given when no one was looking. Out of all of the bright clothes in the crowds, her dark outfit stood out.
"Hey," Carson shouted over the loud music, "Fanny needs to sit down for a bit so she's letting us dance over there. Wanna come?"
Agreeing, she let the ginger girl lead the way into a large crowd of dancing people. Anxiety began to bubble at the bottom of her stomach like a fizzy drink. Just because she was having the time of her life didn't mean her worst enemy wouldn't show up. The thought of being so close to people as if they were in the middle of a sandwich made her fingers shake.
'You're going to get trampled on and no one will notice. Someone is going to steal something from your backpack while you're not looking and you'll ruin everyone's day by needing to go home to cancel cards and phone plans. You're going to get stolen and no one will care.'
Doubts circled in her brain. Should she sit with Fanny until she's ready to start walking around again? Or should she fight the negative thoughts anxiety is throwing at her and do something she would normally never do? As she stared at Carson, though, glancing back at her to see if she was following, a decision was made. There was no way she was missing an opportunity to dance with a beautiful girl.
"Are you feeling anxious?" Carson asked once they found a spot with a reasonable amount of space around them.
Shocked by the question, she nodded hesitantly. Butterflies flew in her stomach at the thought of the girl she had feelings for would care about her mental state. This couldn't have been real. What did she do to deserve to have such a kind and caring person in her life?
"Do you want to sit down? I'll sit with you and we can talk about it if you want."
"No. I need to do this. Let's dance."
With a wide smile, Carson gently locked their finger's together and began dancing to the beat of the music. The second the tips of their finger's touched, Savannah felt as if she was sitting safely in her bedroom.
For a while, her eyes were closed, feeling the song and the supportive touch. When opening them, the first thing she saw was Bianca making out with a random girl a few feet away from the two. A ping of jealousy struck but it wasn't because of Bianca. What she was doing made Savannah desirous; kissing. At the age of sixteen, she was embarrassed by the fact she had never been kissed. Watching how careless Bianca seemed made her want to have her first kiss even more than before.
Glancing back to Carson, their eyes locked. Usually, this would be awkward for both parties but both of the girls had the same craving desire dripping from their fingertips. Carson gently pulled Savannah closer and closer until the top of their toes were pressed against each other. Everything around faded into whispers as eyes glimpsed at lips then back at the desperation glowing on faces. Carson leaned in, wrapping one hand around the back of Savannah's neck. Their lips were brushing together until--
"Carson! Savannah! We're going to get food, come on!" Jackie shouted into the sky loud enough for almost everyone to hear.
Immediately, the girls released their grips and rushed over to the group. Wes was dragging Fanny towards the van, Bianca was reapplying blood red lipstick while Jackie waited up for them. It seemed like they were at the parade for only a few minutes but it was already four in the afternoon. No wonder Fanny was exhausted.
The moment they almost shared sparked something that brought them even closer than before. Knowing that the other wanted the same thing they did let the weight of waiting fall from their shoulders. With every glance, blood rushed to cheeks along with smiles of satisfaction. Unspoken words read them their desires to each other.
After eating dinner, the group decided to get a hotel room for the night. Everyone was tired, not feeling like driving back home. Wes passed out on the couch the second his body laid on it as did Jackie on one of the beds. In the middle of taking off her shoes, Fanny fell asleep next to her daughter.
"Are you guys tired? I'm not," Carson questioned Savannah and Bianca in a low whisper, "I kind of want to swim. Wanna come?"
"I'd rather swim with a piranha," Bianca stated, her eyes glued to the screen of the television. When realizing what she said, she explained, "sorry Car, I get cranky when I'm tired. Leave a note if you do, though."
"I'll go," Savannah offered although she was also tired, "but I didn't bring a swimsuit."
"Are you wearing a bra and underwear?"
"Yeah..."
"Then you don't need a suit. Let's go."
Undressing in front of someone else, a girl she had feelings for, was not what Savannah expected at the beginning of the year. Her resolution was to make a friend, not be practically naked in front of one. Out of a nervous habit, she fiddled with the hem of her shirt as she watched Carson grab towels.
The lights in the pool made the blue water shine like a glow stick in the darkness. Silence filled the air, giving any small breath a chance to scream. Savannah's reflection appeared in the water, showing her nervous state then she immediately looked away.
Carson canon-balled into the pool with a shriek of excitement. Her ginger head arose from underneath the surface, drips of water sliding down her face. "Come in! Please? Here, I'll turn around until you're in."
Savannah appreciated that. Not wanting the girl to grow impatient, she quickly undressed and quietly stepped into the water. She dipped her head in to get used to the cold water, removing her glasses and setting them to the side. "Okay, I'm in."
"Can I be honest?" Carson asked, swimming closer to Savannah, "I got really pissed when we didn't kiss back at the parade."
"Me too."
"Really? You wanted to kiss me too?"
"Of course I did. I've liked you since the day we met; I wanted to kiss you the second I saw you."
"Me too," Carson smiled as she tucked a strand of hair behind Savannah's ear, "can I kiss you?"
"We've said the word 'kiss' a shit ton so if we don't now then I'll go insane," Savannah chuckled while leaning in. A hand cupped her cheek lightly as their lips finally touched. It was happening: her first kiss. Everything she imagined it to came to life. The love, the desire to be closer, and the need for each other. Not just romantically, but also as friends.
Unsure what to do with her hands, she awkwardly let them hang by her sides. Carson noticed and wrapped them around her neck while they continued to kiss passionately. They both giggled at that. While pulling away for a breath, Carson kissed the tip of Savannah's nose, "can I take you out on a date when we get back home?"
Savannah smiled widely before leaning in for another kiss.