They circled through the smoldering afternoon. Her cheeks were flushed, but not from the sun.
“Keifer! When you gonna kiss her already?”
They looked, again, at his friends in the car behind.
“Idiots,” he mumbled, turning back around.
She answered the apology in his voice with a forgiving glance. But neither could hold the heat from the other’s eyes. Her stomach dropped as they crested the orbit’s peak.
She looked away.
“You want some?” he asked, offering her the cotton candy.
Her tongue had somehow jammed. She nodded and ripped off a pink handful. The spun sugar tasted like one of those clouds, sweetened by summer's gold.
Dissolving, dissolving . . .
She liked the large, capable hand resting on his thigh. She wondered how it might sit upon her shoulder. Tucking her chin aside, she licked her sticky fingers.
The wheel slowed, and stopped. Ready to unload.
She covered her mouth, swallowing a small cry. All that distance covered, and they hadn’t really gotten anywhere. Their bodies still belonged to separate planets. Down there, in the harsh glare of his friends' spotlight, contact would be impossible. And yet the hands of this ferris clock spun faster than time.
Their car eased into the top spot, and rocked them like two babes in the night. She caught her breath. The horizon opened up a safe harbor to anchor their gazes.
His knee slid over to find hers.
The long line beneath her eyes swam. She leaned into him.
Hoping, hoping, hoping to never again touch ground.
“Keifer! When you gonna kiss her already?”
They looked, again, at his friends in the car behind.
“Idiots,” he mumbled, turning back around.
She answered the apology in his voice with a forgiving glance. But neither could hold the heat from the other’s eyes. Her stomach dropped as they crested the orbit’s peak.
She looked away.
“You want some?” he asked, offering her the cotton candy.
Her tongue had somehow jammed. She nodded and ripped off a pink handful. The spun sugar tasted like one of those clouds, sweetened by summer's gold.
Dissolving, dissolving . . .
She liked the large, capable hand resting on his thigh. She wondered how it might sit upon her shoulder. Tucking her chin aside, she licked her sticky fingers.
The wheel slowed, and stopped. Ready to unload.
She covered her mouth, swallowing a small cry. All that distance covered, and they hadn’t really gotten anywhere. Their bodies still belonged to separate planets. Down there, in the harsh glare of his friends' spotlight, contact would be impossible. And yet the hands of this ferris clock spun faster than time.
Their car eased into the top spot, and rocked them like two babes in the night. She caught her breath. The horizon opened up a safe harbor to anchor their gazes.
His knee slid over to find hers.
The long line beneath her eyes swam. She leaned into him.
Hoping, hoping, hoping to never again touch ground.
14 comments:
Very nice. Captured the breathless anticipation of young love very beautifully.
What a beautifully passionate piece!Tool my breath away.
Happy Friendship Day dear :)
You are a hopeless romantic! I'm noticing a trend in your pieces lately...
:-)
I love that you chose the Ferris wheel as the setting. It was always that one place where you hoped physical contact would be forced by the elements of physics....nobody would have to be the awkward first one.
Nice one!!
Sarah, you're prolific these days!! Hope you're channeling your creative energy into your WIPs as well!!
Thank you, Charles. Young love is beautiful...and awkward.
I'm glad it swept you up, Sameera! That's always nice to hear. :)
Hopeless romantic, Chris? Nah... ;)
And yes, sometimes new couples need a little bit of outside help. Friendly physics can come in handy at a fair, and especially on the ferris wheel. It just seems designed for lovers: small room...with a view. :)
Um, WIP's? Not so much...but I'm having so much fun with these. :)
So sweetly done, with sharp pacing to boot.
(Those dang cackling friends behind them. Losers. ;) )
Thanks for the brush across the treetops.
:D
Sigh... thanks for the return to innocence and young love. You captured it really well!
Thank you, Jason.
I don't think those kids can really help themselves. But yes...losers, indeed. ;)
I'm glad you liked this setting, Aine. ;)
Young love can be confusing and difficult, but oh so sweet when you catch the right breeze, and time seems to freeze.
You certainly caught that uncomfortable moment before the first touch. All that fear and insecurity.
I'm slow in making my rounds these days. Am trying to balance writing, family, blogging, work, etc. in a good way. But am glad I had several posts to read in a row from you. So very lovely as always!
And all of that can just melt away at the first shiver of contact, Scott. That's a power more expressive than words.
Thanks, Ello! I understand about trying to work that balance. I feel like I've been a little lax about visiting blogs myself. So no worries! :)
Thanks for commenting on my piece! I hope you enter the contest. I learned about it from Danette, and there's always an agent on board to do the judging. Plus the prizes are very nice!
It's my second one---lots of fun!
:-)
I hate to sound like a broken record, but I just loved that! The anticipation of love's first kiss... my heart was actually skipping beats. You captured all those innocent feelings and longings beautifully.
Oh and the cotton candy - perfect.
My husband was like this and so I finally leaned in and kissed him! I couldn't take it any longer.
Excellent job, Sarah, once again, excellent job.
I may look into the contest, Chris. It sounds like fun!
And I did really enjoy your piece. Powerfully written.
Sheri, I'm glad you were the aggressor! Sometimes you just have to take fate into your own hands. ;)
This one was fun to write. I hoped to capture how sweet, and excruciating, those breathless moments can be. Thanks for letting me know that it succeeded for you!
I never tire of compliments, by the way. ;)
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