Careless in our summer clothes,
Splashing around in the muck and the mire.
Hang me up to dry - Cold War Kids.
. . .
Thursday afternoon, late August
Riding to Noah's had taken all of ten minutes but by the time I reached the Allen's pretty white panelled house on the corner of 5th street I was well and truly a sweaty mess.
I'd tried to navigate my way through the shadiest sidewalks, keeping my back to the sun but it had made no difference. The heat was fierce and I could just about muster the effort to lift my legs off the pedals and slide myself off the saddle even though every inch of my strength felt like it had evaporated.
Common sense had prevailed though as I thanked myself for packing a spare set of clothes in my backpack, and for remembering to put on sun screen. My cheeks really couldn't take much more sunlight without blistering.
As I parked my bicycle up against the fence and flipped aside the latch on their back gate I heard Lily's screams and a loud hissing sound. Letting my shades steam up with the intense warmth my face was emitting I made my way down the small stone path as the screams getting louder with each step.
Lily was in her swimsuit, a bright pink rubber ring wrapped around her waist and she was running laps around the one thing I never thought I'd thank God for seeing:
A sprinkler.
Even though I'd been round before when Mrs Allen had quietly connected it to the hosepipe for the kids and Noah, I could never have appreciated it as much as I did in that moment, watching Lily, Jacob and Max the dog dart in and out of it's blissfully, erratic spray.
When she had jumped over the hissing spout a couple more times, Lily waved and with a shriek called out my name.
"Hey guys."
"Scarlett come play!" Lily beamed, wiping water away from her goggles and running over to grab my hand. "Get in!"
I didn't hesitate and so I ran to meet her, throwing down my backpack beside the sun loungers, ready to wash away the sweat and dirt I'd collected on my way over.
As I danced and skipped through the cooling shower, catching droplets in my mouth, I thanked God again for bringing me sweet relief from the horribly sticky and fatigued feeling that had clung to me all day.
Jump. Skip. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
With Max weaving his way through our dancing feet and with the sun finally setting beneath the yards fence, I felt a tug on my arm.
Shielding his eyes from Jacob who had a small water gun cradled in his hands, Noah playfully nudged his shoulders into mine. His usually messy hair was slicked back and he was shirtless. Khaki shorts stuck to his thighs and water poured down his forehead.
If there was any upside to the pounding heat wave it was that I got to marvel once more at just how wonderfully handsome he was, even with glowing rosy cheeks and grass stains all over his knees.
"Why are you still in that?" Noah asked me with a bewildered expression, poking at my t-shirt.
I frowned and whispered. "Because I'm not getting naked, that's why."
"It's hotter than the pits of hell right now, and you're wearing more clothes than I own!" he laughed, flicking water at me.
"I hadn't anticipated this." I replied, spreading out my palms to catch the sprinklers fresh outburst. "If I'd have known I would have brought my costume."
With a shrug of his shoulders, Noah playfully attempted to pick me up, his strong arms wrapped around my hips as he tried to lift me off the soaking grass.
"Wait, stop!"
"Never!"
"We're going to fall!" I screamed, my hands slipping off his stomach as I struggled to wriggle free, my whole body feeling like it was on fire. Not from the rays of burning sunlight this time but from the desire of having him against me, his lips close to my neck and my chest beating between his.
"I think we are already falling Scarlett."
The muddy pool beneath us did nothing to soften the blow as we both slipped and fell fast. Tangled up in arms I had longed to twist around my own, and with our thighs firmly pressed together, I felt the pain sear up my back.
"Sorry!" Noah laughed, turning his face towards me as I winced in sharp, agony.
"Not sure I can move." I whispered. "Anything."
As I shakily pulled my arm away from his, to steady myself against the wet grass I heard Lily bounding over, giggling.
Noah rolled over, and tried to help me up but the weight of us both was enough to send him slip sliding back down. He was stuck, with me.
"You almost broke my back!"
"Didn't mean too." he said softly, smile wide and genuine. "You might need to roll yourself onto your front and get up on your knees."
"Yeah, I'll try that." I replied, sarcastically even though I had already started to test his advice. Slowly rising back on my feet, I saw Lily gently hit Noah and tell him off for hurting me.
"I'm okay, honestly. Just winded a little. Might have broken a few bones but all good." I joked.
"You want to play tag?" Lily asked wide-eyed and expectant.
Rubbing my back and politely declining, I told Noah I was going inside to get changed and inspect the damage to my aching body.
"Will you sit with me at dinner time Scarlett?"
Giving her a gentle hug, I nodded and promised I would braid her hair after a quick freshen up. With a smile that was almost brighter than the sun, Lily happily squeezed me back before springing to life, to run off and enjoy the forbidden sprinkler some more.
I passed Grace on the landing, after I'd hauled myself up the rickety stairs and she told me I had grass blades on my face, sneering loudly as I shut the bathroom door.
Cleaning myself up to remove the dark make up that had smudge beneath my eyes and the soil and dirt from the yard on my face, I watched through the small porthole window Noah chase Lily around the yard.
It was a joy to see him smile and laugh and even though I didn't like the pain that came from it, toppling over with Noah had bought us closer together than ever before. Literally.
Back bruised or not, it had left me feeling brave and bold, enough so that tonight would spell the end of my internal struggle to skip over the friendship line and tell him how I didn't want to languish behind it anymore. I wanted to be on the other side and I hoped he'd feel the same.
Because friends didn't hold each other close and act the way we did. No friend had ever looked at me the way Noah had, his eyes always locked to mine and his lips always fixed in a smile.
Taking the stairs quietly, I heard Jacob and Lily race around the kitchen, their playful steps hard against the wooden flooring. Then I heard Mrs Allen, tell Noah it was so nice to see him happy. As I approached the door Lily asked him if I was now his girlfriend, her tiny voice so hopeful it made my heart want to burst.
"No Lily, we're just friends." he answered, all too confident for my beating chest to bear. "Why do I have to keep telling everyone that, huh?"
"But whyyyy." Lily moaned, feet stomping up and down.
"Because we just are." his voice was low, shattering any previous declarations of mine to be bold and brave, strong willed and tough.
The words sunk deep, like someone had pulled the blinds down.
The line repeated over in my head.
"Just friends."
. . .