Temporary Kisses || Van Palmer

Chapter Two || Proposition

As the night grows darker, I find solace in the quiet of the evening. I'm sat on the steps out the front of my trailer, my mum came home drunk with some random guy and I don't want to be inside to witness that. My sister, Natalie is probably out with Kevyn and their buddies so i'm left alone. The dim light from the streetlamp casts long shadows, reminding me of the hidden corners of our lives that are often left unexplored.

I watch as stars begin to twinkle in the sky, the cool breeze rustles the leaves around me, carrying with it a mixture of scents from the neighboring houses — a blend of home-cooked meals, cigarette smoke, and the faint aroma of rain-soaked earth.

The trailer's thin walls can't contain the muffled voices from inside, a reminder of the strained relationships and secrets that have become an inseparable part of our lives.

"Scatorccio," the word slices through the evening air, a blend of familiarity and surprise. My head turns instinctively, drawn by the sound, and there she is—Van, striding purposefully toward me. A rush of relief washes over me as her presence interrupts the oppressive weight of the trailer park scene. She settles down beside me, her elbow nudging mine with a mischievous force. I instinctively hold onto my arm where she elbowed me, a mix of pain and humor tugging at my expression. "Nice to see you too," I quip, my fingers rubbing my arm slowly as I give her a teasing side glance. The sweet sound of her laughter lifts the corners of my lips in response, the shared joke already creating a bridge between us.

"I have a proposition," she announces, her words carrying a blend of confidence and anticipation, like a secret she's been itching to share. One of my eyebrows arches in curiosity, my attention fully captured by her sudden intensity.

"That's a big word for you," I tease, a playful smirk quirking my lips upward. Her grin widens, a mixture of playfulness and self-awareness evident in the way she drops her head, almost admitting that she's stepping into uncharted waters. "I'm getting smarter, you must be rubbing off on me," she retorts with a wink, her words wrapping around us like a shared secret, reminding me of the unique bond we share. Her words elicit a genuine chuckle from deep within me, a sign of the ease she brings into my life.

A moment of warmth passes between us, unspoken camaraderie mingling with the growing shadows of the evening. "Wow, the flattery," I reply, a note of mock disbelief underscoring my words. "The proposition must be something big," I add, my curiosity now fully engaged.

She looks up, her eyes locking onto mine, and I find myself instinctively tracing the familiar pattern of freckles on her face. The way her gaze holds mine momentarily erases the background noise of the trailer park, leaving only the two of us in this suspended moment. "Can you be my girlfriend?" she asks, and time seems to pause as her words hang in the air. My eyes widen, caught off guard by the unexpected question, and I nearly choke on my own breath. "What?" I manage to utter, my disbelief palpable.

"Just a pretend girlfriend!" she hurriedly clarifies, her words rushing out as if she's trying to catch the fleeting thought before it disappears. Her explanation only deepens my confusion, leaving me grasping at the threads of her intent. The world around us seems to blur, the dim glow of the streetlamp casting an almost dreamlike quality to the scene.

My brows furrow, a mixture of bewilderment and curiosity flooding my expression. "Please explain to me what you even mean by this, Van," I implore, my voice soft yet tinged with an urgency to understand. I search her eyes for some hint, some indication of the thoughts that led her to propose this strange idea—a proposal that feels like it holds more weight than it should.

Van's sigh is almost melodramatic, and as her hands begin to move in a symphony of gestures, I can't help but watch her with a mix of amusement and curiosity. Her palms rise and fall, as if attempting to illustrate the layers of her predicament without relying solely on words. It's a captivating dance of expression, and I'm drawn in, waiting for the story to unfold.