pink nights / sally face

the end of november (pt. 2a)

🔞 RESTRICTED CHAPTER 🔞

this chapter contains sexual themes. if you're not comfortable reading on- no worries! it's totally optional. the next chapter will pick up seamlessly from the end of november (pt.1) so no biggie if this isn't your thing.

as promised, i tried my very best not to scar you all! please be nice though, i'm sensitive to mean comments. T—T ofc you guys have been nothing but kind soooo enjoyyyyy and let me know if you enjoyed it or wanna see want more!

with my hand in his, sal began to lead us to the backyard. there was something exciting about holding his hand in front of all these people. i thought about how we looked, hand in hand escaping from the crowd. i imagined we looked like something i would've watched in a music video. being seen leaving a party with a boy was never on my bingo card for college.

sal shut the door behind him, "oh fuck, it's kind of cold tonight. sorry for making us come out here ..."

i shook my head and sat in one of the plastic lawn chairs positioned in front of a table. "i'm okay, sal. i mean, as long as you're okay too." the backyard was small, most of the yard space was taken up by a pool. i couldn't even think about how cold the water was but it looked pretty all lit up. i laughed to myself, "your hair is like the color of the pool."

sal, who was now sitting in the other chair, turned to me with clueless eyes, "what?"

i pointed to the pool, "see? it's all lit up. it's a neon blue like your hair."

his eyes squinted and he chuckled, "no wonder i didn't understand what you were saying." he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and flicked the box open. "drunk cigarettes don't count, you want one?"

hesitantly i nodded and took one from sal. i had never smoked before but smoking with sal in an empty backyard wasn't something i could pass up. i felt the cigarette in my hands, it was smooth and virtually weightless and i was embarrassed that this was the first time i'd ever held one.

"have you ever smoked before? well, a cigarette i mean." he sparked the lighter, lighting his before gesturing for mine.

i held my hand out to sal letting him spark mine. "um, not really ... no, i haven't."

sal nodded and pushed his mask up just slightly, "it's like smoking a joint. you just breathe like normal ... suck the air in gently and don't swallow." he brought the cigarette to his lips and i watched the end glow red. he turned his head to blow the smoke before turning back to me with a smile, his lips just barely visible, "see?"

"suck and don't swallow. that's gross sal." he laughed while i mimicked his motions. i could feel the smoke burn my insides as i inhaled. i blew it out as fast as i could and cleared my throat. i kept my voice low to avoid coughing, "this doesn't burn as bad as the weed but it's still weird to me that people willingly inhale the opposite of clean air."

"well, it makes you feel good. it's like a little tingle." he shrugged and brought the cigarette to his lips again. "i think it's okay if it's just every once and a while."

i tapped the ash off and watched sal gaze up to the sky. his hair fell back and exposed his neck. he was right, cigarettes did make you feel a little tingly. then again, sal made me feel the same way too so the cigarette probably wasn't the only factor in my elevated heart rate. i swear i could stare at him forever. there were so many pretty things about him. the way his hair moved messily with the windy, the lines of his relaxed hands, even the way he positioned his legs as he sat. i looked at every detail of him with so much desire. i couldn't help but imagine the warmth of his body lingering on his clothes, like the first time he lended me his jacket. i wanted to feel his warmth again.