WE #5 CK

“We really shouldn’t be up here, you know. People might start to wonder after awhile.” I playfully swat my best friend’s arm. He, in return, flashes an amused look as we continue farther up the path. 

“Oh, who will know?” he states confidently. “Besides, it’s not like Mrs. Swanson could catch up to us anyway.” I laugh, realizing the truth value of his words.
    Our science teacher is an obese woman in her early forties, a few gray strands beginning to emerge from her chestnut-colored hair. Dark, impatient eyes peer over her spectacles, and her angry glare seems to pierce into the very souls of her helpless victims. Of course, Blake and I were quite familiar with her “Death Stare”, as we liked to call it. A troublemaker from day one, Blake Parker seemed to cause the hair on the back of Mrs. Swanson’s neck to stand on end. Getting into predicaments was first nature to him, and as a mischievous female, I was frequently dragged into these situations as well. But scheming along with this boy I had grown very close to and recounting the stories that resulted from our mishaps always seemed worth it to me.
    Today just so happens to be the day of our science class’s annual field trip to a National Park, and after about twenty minutes of listening to Mrs. Swanson’s lecture on the asexual reproduction on plants, we decided to slip away, leaving behind a group of nerds to analyze her thoughts. We headed off towards the woods and now were hiking up a stony-covered incline as a cool autumn breeze passed us by.
    It was beautiful. The colors of the leaves were just beginning to emerge, fiery tones of red, orange, and yellow flickering in the wind. Occasionally, we would pass by an azure colored stream or a silvery lake, glistening in the sun. In the distance, snow-capped mountains ascended to towering heights above. Fluffy white puffballs floated in the atmosphere above. The loveliness of it all stole my breath away.
    Beside me, Blake strides the incline we are now ascending. His tall frame easily surpasses my mere 5’4” and above me, a pair of bright green eyes gleam in the sunlight. Dark chocolate waves of hair mount his head contrasted to my own curly auburn locks. My eyes wander towards him and he delivers a warm smile in return.
    “So what happened with you and Eric, Liza?” he quips. I sigh, “it just…never worked out I guess.” I scour my brain for words, but nothing appropriate seems to come. “We were too different. And he wanted me to be something I wasn’t, so I ended it.” He searches my face seriously for a moment, then shifts his eyes forward again. “Yeah. You can do better than that guy anyways. He didn’t deserve someone like you.” The last word of his sentence assumes a soft tone, and a mysterious silence thickens over the two of us as we continue to travel on.
     A few minutes later, his deep voice presides over the stillness, and he speaks.
    “Liza,” he glances at me hesitantly.
    “Yes?” I wonder at his sudden nervousness because never, in all my years of friendship with Blake, have I ever heard anything short of confidence exuding from him.     “We’ve been close for a long time now, and…” he stops.
    “Go on,” I gently urge. What’s this about? I think.
    “I’d kinda like to be more than friends. Liza, I love you.”
    Time ticks on, but no words come. Blake has feelings for me? How long has this been going on?  I’ve never thought of my best friend this way, but that doesn’t mean I had ruled out a relationship. I just didn’t know how to respond.
    Suddenly, we approach something resembling a ravine ravaging below, but crossing over it is no big feat. Blake places one foot on the other side, his right foot remaining next to my own. 

“Do you trust me?” he asks. 

“Of course,” I say without question. 

With a swooping motion, he lifts my body from its hold on the earth and draws me closer to his chest. Suspended in the air, I gaze at him, searching his face for some sort of answer to my questions. My chocolate eyes sink into his emerald ones, and it’s then that I realize that perhaps this boy is the one I have been seeking out my whole life. His quiet strength reels me in and I am held captive in his presence. Then, before I have time to react, he leans towards me, planting a kiss on my lips.  It’s soft and the warmth seeps into me from his skin. Then he withdraws to catch my reaction. I smile, then, rising up on my tip toes, kiss him back. I never thought Blake Parker would be the boy I’d share my first kiss with, but now I don’t question it. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Maybe it was meant to be this way all along.