Tequila & Birdcages

Come closer |m.y|

As I swing back and forth, I stare at the lake beside me with a sigh. I admire nature and its freeness; I feel like the little creatures are so much more in tune with the world than humans could ever be. We're constantly distracted by media and such, advertisements convincing us to hate ourselves and make corporations more money. Even something so simple as our attention can be controlled.

Especially in a small town like this, where you basically have no privacy, it's easy to just forget everything exists. There's a whole world outside the invisible walls of the town line that feels so unreachable at times. Most people born here never go anywhere else. It's so hard because it's like the whole family is here and then there's me, the only one who seems uncomfortable with it all.

The guilt of leaving them weighs so heavy on me that I have to take a break from the world sometimes and at some point I just forget I wanted to leave at all. Today is one of those days where I remembered how miserable I am here. Which lead me to my favorite park, sitting in the swings and kicking my feet to propel me. Here I can pretend and make up any scenario I want.

I can't hear the voices of my relatives, I can disconnect. It's the only real peace I get considering I don't have many friends. The ones I do have don't live here, I like to hear about their lives and sometimes pretend I'm where they are. I think it also gives me hope that maybe one day I'll get out of this seemingly endless cycle my family has fallen into.

I go to jump off the swings, hoping it'll bring me that spark of joy it did as a kid. Unfortunately my knees were not prepared and I do not have the same agility I used to have back then. My joints buckle under my weight and I yelp as I fall to the ground, turning my face just before so I don't get a mouthful of dirt on top of everything else.

"I hate my life" I mumble to myself, laying there for a second. "Oh my god, are you ok?" I hear and I close my eyes tightly. As if things couldn't get any worse someone SAW me. I push myself up to a sitting position with a grunt and try to blink to get the little specks of dust out my eyes. I go to rub them but a hand stops me, "no, don't. It'll make it worse" she says and my eyes trail up the arm as the grip loosens.

My mouth opens but I can't firm words as I'm rendered breathless by her beauty. "Who are you?" I breathe out softly, "Merrill" she whispers with her hand never quite leaving my wrist; it lingers there just hovering over it and I can feel my hairs stand on end and goosebumps litter my arms. "Y/n" I say and she smiles softly, her eyes crinkling a bit which I find to be the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Her wavy coffee brown hair hangs on her shoulders, her chocolate eyes leaving mine as she moves to stand straight. She reaches out her hand for me and I take it, allowing her to help me up. Our hands stay locked, both of us just looking at each other for a while before she pulls me over to a nearby bench. "Are you sure you're alright, honey? You fell pretty hard" she mumbles as she looks over my body.

"Are you really interested or was that just an excuse to check me out?" I tease, trying to turn the subject to her and not me. "If I wanted to check you out, I'd just do it. I don't need an excuse" she smirks. "Well in that case... I'm ok. My ego is bruised more than anything" I chuckle, "that's good. Taking you to the hospital would've been so much work" she sighs dramatically.

"Wow. And here I thought you cared about me" I scoff, "of course I do! But it would've been a little awkward considering I don't know you" she points out and I nod. "So, Merrill. You live around here?" I ask, "I used to. I recently moved in with my aunt" she sighs. "Why's that?" I ask, "long story" she states and I get the feeling she doesn't wanna talk about it so I move on.

"You said you lived around here? Where about?" I pivot to her statement before, "The end of 24th actually" she says and my jaw drops. "No freaking way. I live on that street, you're talking about the White House—the one that's been empty for a while?!" I ask excitedly, having fallen in love with that house a while ago due to its vacancy.

"Yes, actually. You like it?" she smiles and bites her lip as I nod animatedly. "I mean who wouldn't? It's gorgeous" I reply, "it really is" she sighs nostalgically. "You're really pretty, you know that?" I blurt out, "huh?" she counters as she scrunches her nose a bit. "I said... you're really pretty" I repeat and she blushes, her eyes moving to the ground.

"Don't look away..." I say softly and her eyes meet mine again, "you're really pretty too—despite you falling on your ass not too long ago" she giggles. "Woah woah, that was so unnecessary to add" I gasp dramatically, "it was kinda cute though" she whispers. "You think I'm cute?" I tease, "mhm" she bites her lip and my eyes focus on them for a second or two. "Oooo you wanna kiss me, don't you? You little gayball" she teases and I roll my eyes dramatically.

"And if I did?" I question, "then... I'd say yes, please—but you don't want to I guess" she shrugs before looking away with a tight-lipped smile as she fights the grin trying to come through. "No, I definitely want to" I whisper as I scoot closer to her, "oh really?" she asks quietly and seemingly surprised. "Yes, now where's that 'please' I was promised?" I smirk, "well... you didn't really ask" she counters.

"May I kiss you?" I ask softly, "yes... please do" she whispers. "That was even sexier than I imagined" I mumble before quickly taking her lips with my own. She whimpers before clutching at my waist and moving closer to me. It goes on for a while before she pulls away and I open my eyes to see her staring back at me. "What happened? Are you ok? Did I-" "shhhh" she shushes me softly and I close my mouth in response.

"W-would you like to go on a date with me?" she asks shyly, "yes, please" I smirk and she giggles. "Now can I go back to kissing you? It was really good" I joke, "mm maybe later. I have to get back" she gestures towards where she lives I assume and I nod before standing and helping her up too. "It was really nice meeting you" she mumbles, "it was nice kissing you too" she adds with a smirk.

"Same here. I'll... see you later?" I ask, "definitely. Let me get your number" she says and I recite it for her while she puts it in her phone. "Bye, Merrill" I whisper and she responds by putting her hand on my waist and the other on my cheek to pull me in.  She holds me close as she kisses me, biting my lip as she pulls away and letting it snap back. "See ya later" she winks, turning and walking away with an extra sway in her hips that I don't remember from before.