The Deep Prick

~Chapter 2~

 

 

 

            Caroline’s face was overtaken by the warm amber glow of a growing bonfire, at a large Oregon lake. It was night time, however, it wasn't a dark night, thanks to the moon’s starkness. Caroline sat on a log, watching the changing flames, while right beside her, two twenty-three-year-old perfectly pretty girls, named Becca Mackenzie and Stacy Smith, continued their long-winded conversation. Dave Matthews “Sweet,” played loudly over the radio that sat in the shore sand, amongst the party goers.
        Becca who was done up like a perfect doll that came to life, spoke loudly and high-pitched, “he moved from Florida, he’s twenty-six years old. He hasn’t seen his parents since he was sixteen. He works at the Circus Unsound. He drives an old red Ford pickup truck, which is probably the coolest truck ever.”

       Amongst the large crowd that lingered around the blazing fire, Frances walked through. Somehow, he captured people's attention, even with the subdued nature of his clothing. He wore a black unbuttoned collared shirt, over an off-white crew neck, tucked into his dark washed jeans, not particularly held up, but topped with skinny black suspenders. He had been dressed almost too nice for a bonfire. He sat down on a log directly in Caroline’s eyeline, which was just barely corrupted by the fiery flames. Caroline watched as Frances said 'hi' to Peter and Danny right next to him; they were roasting hotdogs and cracking jokes.
         Caroline took her sights away from Frances for a moment, to ask Becca and Stacy, “who are you guys talking about?” Caroline then looked at Frances again, and Frances locked eyes with Caroline from across the crackling flames. The flames seemed to make Frances’ eyes even brighter, as if his eyes weren't smoldering enough. Their gaze shared, was ablaze with growing curiosity, magnetic familiarity and lots of lust. Caroline again, briefly looked away from Frances at her hands that fiddled with her charm bracelet on her wrist. Then she looked at him again as his attention was still snug quite close to hers, even with the bonfire keeping them distant.

      Becca continued, “he plays the banjo, he has a tattoo on his right leg… still can’t figure out what it is.”

       Caroline and Frances stopped their fiery gaze for a moment, as Caroline looked to Becca and once more asked, “who are you talking about?”
       Stacy showed Caroline that she was in fact not just a log filler and replied, “Frances.”

       Caroline questioned, “who’s Frances?”

       Becca continued, “he has a snake named Jack. He’s been to ten different countries. He loves blues music.”

       Caroline and Frances locked eyes once again. This time Caroline revealed a modest smile. Frances then got up and walked his way around the bonfire, and in the direction of Caroline, who's ears were ringing with the sounds of Becca's constant tongue, spewing knowledge of a mysterious boy named Frances. This mysterious boy named Frances finally reached Caroline and put out his hand, silently. Caroline shook it, quite stoically mesmerized at the beauty he possessed.  “Hi, I’m Frances,” he said with a certain humbled confidence.

     “Hi...” Caroline swallowed deep and said quietly, “Caroline.” They both shook hands and gazed at each other, for as long as it took Becca’s long-winded conversation to finally loose wind.

           
            ~ I know we’ve seen each other before. But do moments truly happen this way? Eyes connect... the slightest turn up of a straight lipped mouth. That is what causes the circuits to connect and create the spark between two people… And that spark ignites the brain, to move the legs and walk over to the girl. Is it really that simple? You know that glass wall between two people, that easily deciphers who’s strangers and who's not. The quick “hi, I’m Frances,” shattered that glass wall. Those three words, can so easily make you strangers no more. But it’s now up to the girl, to be able to choose to walk confidently over that shattered glass, with the boy who broke the glass in the first place. ~