“Well, I happen to think it is pretty down here,” she mutters, tilting her head back to stare up at me. I flush because her words seem aimed at me.
“It is beautiful here,” I murmur back, reaching out to brush some windblown hair back from her face.
Wind rocks the swing we’re in a little, both of us gasping at once. Debi presses closer, peering up at me in the darkness. A dozen glowing lights from the lemonade stands, the corndog cart, and the other rides, light her up from behind, like some sort of neon goddess. Because lord is she beautiful.
“It is. Why does this ride scare us? It seems nice now.”
“It scared us because we weren’t riding it together,” I shoot back, proud of my quick wit.
Debi laughs, a loud, warm sound, shaking her head. Still, she pushes closer to me, snuggling up against my side. I switch the hand holding hers so I can wrap my other arm around her shoulders. Up high as we spin slowly, the air is cooler, ruffling her hair and pinking our cheeks.
“No, you got it right. I am not afraid because I have you here.”
“If something else scares you, let me know. We can handle that next.”
Another laugh bubbles out of her, but she turns to snuggle her face against my throat. I am hyper aware of her soft body pressed to mine, her hand on my thigh. Hard as stone in my chinos, I hope she does not notice.
“I am afraid of growing up,” her voice is soft, almost lost in the wind.
“Me too. I am not sure who I want to be yet.”
“Thought I knew who I wanted to be once. Now not so much.”
“Is this about the band? Purple Hearts. Is that you?”
“Thatisme. Purple Hearts isallme. Two of my best dude friends, my favorite cousin Giani, my best-bestfriend Jenna. We wanted to be cool rock stars when we grew up. Now I don’t think any of us wants to grow up.”
Sighing as she traces patterns on my thigh, I give her another squeeze. I am lucky because I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. I had a great teacher in grade school who saved my life. He was a good man who took on more of my issues than he had to and gave me direction for the rest of my life. If I can be that for one person, the way he was for me, it is worth it.
“Growing up has some good things waiting for us, I think. Even if we’re not prepared, it is there waiting on the horizon for us.”
“What will you be when you grow up?”
Sitting up there in the twilight of a summer day, I am a little hesitant to answer. I am boring.Bland.Safe. How can I admit I am going to become a teacher? Is there a future, a grown-up life less exciting than being a teacher?
Debi is an exciting rock star who must have a dozen men who would worship at her feet. Not that I wouldn’t be one of those men. Just sitting here with her, feeling her snuggled close, smelling her sweetness, it makes me wish this ride would never end.
“I will be...a teacher. Not nearly as glamorous as a rock star.”
Pulling back, Debi pushes me back too, giving me a dirty glare. I am about to apologize for my hard-on that her fingertips keep brushing, or how my own fingertips keep teasing the bare skin at her shoulder. Until I see her crack a smile, shaking her head at me as if chastising me.
“That is totally fucking metal. My favorite teacher from junior high is why we started a band. Because we loved music, she encouraged it. Even came to a few of our shows. Teachers create rock stars, rocket scientists, they create writers. My best friend Jenna is an amazing writer because she had a wicked cool creative writing teacher who let her be whoever she wanted.”
Flushing at the praise she showers me with, I grip her a bit tighter as the wheel spins us backwards. That is just why I wanted to become a teacher. To be able to offer something positive, something supportive to kids who need it. To reach that one creative spirit or dreaming soul who needs to be seen.
Quietly we rock in the bucket as we move slowly backwards. It truly is a sight to behold once we reach the top. I am terrified but I also feel alive. Just the way I felt the moment I saw her standing in line with her neon colors and beautiful eyes. I was drawn to her for reasons that startled me a little.
“Why did you ask me to take a ride with you?” I whisper, almost wanting to take the words back once I hear them in the quiet.
“Because...because you did not see a rock star when you looked at me. Or, well, I mean...if you did, you did not see just a rock star. I am not even a star, not truly. Just a girl who sings with some guys. I am not sure that is who I want to be anymore. I have been kind of lost lately. Then I looked over,” she trails off as she pulls back, her gray eyes searching my face. “Saw you there, smiling at me, seeing me as just a girl. Nothing else. It felt good.”
Before I know it, she moves. Tangling her fist in my hair, she pulls my head down and licks her pink tongue across my mouth. I groan against her soft lips as my tongue comes out to meet hers. Debi makes a soft, humming sound as I open my mouth, letting her push her sweet, cotton candy flavored tongue inside.
Turning towards her, I try to pull her even closer as she kisses me hard. Her mouth is so sweet, her whimpering sounds turning me on until it hurts. I almost roar like a wild animal when she reaches between us to stroke my dick through my too-tight chinos. I pull back, panting against her mouth as I skim my hand up the back of her thigh.
“Debi...I... I don’t know what to do to you,” I whimper as she kisses down my jaw, biting gently, sending shockwaves of pleasure through me.
“What do you want to do to me, baby?”
