Impavid

A Hog

     "Ready?" 

     "Yes." 

     Luke's hands moved from my eyes as he stepped beside me. I turned to look at him, wide-eyed. 

     "Luke," I blinked, looking back to the sight before me, "this is beautiful."

    "You're beautiful."

    This was one of the times that called for an eye roll. It was just overly sappy. I laughed, turning to press my lips against his. 

     "And you're lame."

     "You love me."

     I hesitated, knowing that what I felt for Luke could definitely be considered love. I wasn't sure I was in love with him, as we were still in the early stages of our relationship. I knew for sure that what I felt for Luke was love, though. I figured that admitting to loving him could be taken the wrong way, so I figured I'd deny this feeling until he admitted his feelings about me first. 

     "Do not," I protested, folding my arms over my chest and sticking out my tongue.

     "Happy first real date, Carse." 

      I kissed him again before looking back to the view before me. 

     After an hour drive and a twenty minute hike, we had started through a forest. Luke had placed his hands over my eyes as we approached a clearing, guiding me in from behind me. We had nearly taken a tumble as I tripped over a branch in our path, earning laughter from both of us.  He had managed to steady us and keep my eyes covered, though, which both impressed and disappointed me. I had never been one for surprises.

    This one, however, was worth it to me. My eyes focused on the lake as Luke moved to sit on the picnic blanket he had set up for the two of us. He stretched out, motioning for me to join him. I started forward slowly, my eyes unable to leave the beautiful view. The sun beamed in the blue sky, the trees reflecting on the still water. I sat beside him, leaning over to rest my head on his shoulder. 

   "Do you really like it?"

    I turned my head to look at him, giving him a questioning look. 

    "How could I not?" I wondered. 

    "I just wanted to make sure," He clarified, pressing his lips against my forehead. 

     The next hour passed with ease. We ate cute turkey sandwiches that Luke had cut into hearts and then laid on our backs watching the clouds. 

      "It looks like a dog," He argued. 

     "It does not! It totally looks like a horse!" 

     "It looks like a hog."

     "A pig?"

     "A hog."

     "A hog," I repeated.

     "A horse dog," He clarified. 

     I shoved his shoulder before moving back to rest my head on his chest. Things were so different now that Luke and I had this kind of relationship. I wondered how open he'd be willing to be with me. 

     I thought back to April, when our relationship was quite the opposite. I thought about that one night when I had noticed police lights outside my window as I was just about to fall asleep. I tugged the curtains aside and watched as an officer tugged a handcuffed Luke from the back of the patrol car and toward the front door. I kept my eyes on the front door, where his mother answered in long pajama pants. She turned back into the house for a second, and suddenly, his father was at the door as well. He looked angry, as the officer uncuffed Luke. Luke's dad put his hand on Luke's shoulder, tugging him inside. The officer left after talking to his parents for a few minutes, and I noticed a light had turned on upstairs. 

     I had seen Luke's face appear in the window, looking down at the flashing lights, before his eyes found me. He had held up his hand, which I initially thought was going to be a wave. He did wave something: a finger. I had stepped back, surprised, allowing the curtain to fall closed. 

     I sat up, considering this as I stared out onto the water. 

    "What's wrong, Carse?"

    "Why'd you get arrested?"