took off in flight, rustling the canopy, disrupting the peacefulness of the woods.
Scott and Briana hiked a short distance before the path veered sharply to the right. A few seconds later, they entered a small clearing, brighter than the rest of the woods. The clearing was about the size of a small living room. A large rock was situated in the center, appearing to have been placed in that exact location for visitors to sit and contemplate the wonders of nature. To the right of the rock was a small area of grass, growing from the sun’s rays filtering through the canopy of trees. A decaying log lay at the edge of the clearing alongside the thickening trees.
Scott strolled to the rock, sat down, and made room for Briana, taking pleasure in her nearness. Her body heat burned through his T-shirt and flooded into his chest.
He inhaled the pleasant woodsy scent. Words such as tranquility, pleasure, virginity, and miraculous raced inside his brain. Briana’s presence inspired his poetic fluency, and he knew this sheltered spot was theirs. He said, “This will be our special place.”
Scott and Briana sat contently on the rock, listening to the chattering of squirrels and the humming of insects. The rustling of the leaves overhead and the cooler damp air added a feeling of coziness.
Briana shifted on the rock and glanced around. She smiled, pleased Scott had mentioned this secluded place was theirs. It was perfect. She glanced at the small patch of grass, thinking how Scott had mowed three lawns before coming to see her. She had never seen a boy her age mowing a yard. Everyone in her neighborhood hired gardeners. Briana bit the bottom of her lip. Maybe it was silly, but someday, she hoped to watch Scott mow a lawn.
It was amazing how at ease she felt with Scott. The self-consciousness she experienced earlier had vanished, replaced with a spine-tingling sensation, especially since their arms were touching. Another new sensation she’ll describe in her journal tonight.
They sat for several minutes, enjoying another moment of intimacy. When Scott unexpectedly stood up and pointed to another path, Briana frowned. She missed his body heat.
He asked, “Would you like to follow that path and find out where it goes?”
“Okay,” Briana replied as Scott took her hand.
They trekked across the clearing. The dirt path was covered with larger twigs and forest debris. They followed the trail. It narrowed. Leafy branches from the surrounding trees blocked their route. Scott led the way, moving the branches out of Briana’s way. Nearly one hundred feet into their trek, the trail began to slope downward.
Scott held Briana’s arm, glancing at her sandals and the slick dirt path. “If you grab the branches with your other hand, you won’t fall.”
Briana nodded. “Okay.”
She took a few steps and grabbed a branch that was more like a twig. It broke and her feet slipped from under her. She fell, pulling Scott with her. She landed on her rump and then fell onto her back. The next thing she knew, she was looking up at Scott who was falling too.
He quickly grabbed another branch to soften his fall as he landed on Briana. He looked down at her, thinking this was a position he could easily get used to. Their eyes met. When there was no uneasiness evident in her eyes, he wondered if she felt as comfortable as he did. Calming his racing imagination, he joked, “I didn’t think I’d be in this position on our first date.”
She laughed as he climbed off and jumped to his feet. He helped Briana up and asked, “Are you okay?”
She brushed the dirt off her clothes. “Yes.”
“Do you want to take your sandals off? This ground is pretty slick.”
“No, but I’ll be more careful.”
They continued their descent. The closer they got to the bottom of the hill, the sparser the trees became.
Briana managed to stay on her feet with the help of Scott’s firm grip on her left arm. Several minutes later, they exited the woods, strolling into the lower field.
Scott scanned the field. “I can take this path if I want to come to the park unseen.” He noticed a log lying on the ground. “Do you want to rest before heading back up the hill?”
“Yes,” Briana replied, disappointed he had released her arm.
They sat in silence on the aging log, staring at the tall grass in front of them. Scott placed his hands on his lap which now felt bare without the warmth of her touch. He leaned forward, plucking a tall grass stem while racking his brain for something interesting to say. His knotted tongue frustrated him. He usually didn’t have a problem talking to girls.
He wiped the sweat off from his forehead. He wasn’t sure why he felt so hot since the wind was more powerful down here than inside the park. A sudden gust of wind blew Briana’s hair into his face. He inhaled. Her hair smelled like the lilacs growing in his backyard. He had an urge to run his fingers through it.
Briana gathered her hair. “I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay. Your hair can blow into my face any time.”
Briana smiled as Scott asked, “Do you need to get home at a certain time?”
She glanced at her watch and sighed. “Noon.”
Hearing her sigh, Scott nodded in agreement. Time was passing by too quickly. He studied her hands as she twisted them self-consciously. He had never met a girl as quiet as this one. She never spoke unless he asked her a question or to apologize for something. Most of the girls in school were talkative, and if they weren’t, it didn’t take much of an effort to get them chatting; but Briana was the opposite. In fact, being around Briana made him feel like a freefalling meteor, hurtling through space without any navigational coordinates.
He redirected his thoughts toward his town and asked, “Does it bother you that I live in South Hillside?”
The wind blew powerfully again, and Briana quickly grabbed her hair. She answered without hesitation, “No.”
Their eyes met and held, and Scott noticed her dreamy expression. It was as if she was having a secret conversation with herself. He just wished she’d open up and reveal some information about herself.
When she gazed at him longer than usual, he moved his attention to her lips. Captivated by her innocence, an urge to kiss her swept through him. He leaned forward, hoping to satisfy his longing, but she moved her attention to the path.
Scott followed her gaze, wondering if he had misread her, but then, she might not even be thinking about kissing at all. However, she did look at the path. Was she giving him a hint she needed to leave? He asked, “Will you get in trouble if you’re late?”
“Yes.”
Scott stood. “Then we need to get you back up the hill.”
Their climb to the top took longer than he anticipated. The slickness of her sandals on the smooth terrain slowed their ascent. He held her arm firmly to keep her from falling. When they reached the clearing, he led her to the large rock for a chance to rest. He hadn’t realized hauling a girl with slick sandals up a hill could be this much of a workout.
He pulled out his second-hand watch from his pocket. It was ten minutes before twelve. Their date was
