Standing outside, the sky looks even darker than from the inside of the house. A cool breeze ruffles my hair a bit as I pace around our porch, my bow tie bouncing up and down. Sighing, I try to fix it, but only end up making it worse. It's going to rain, I think stupidly, then scold myself for being so stressed out about the whole competition that I'm starting to think of the most ludicrous things. You'll do something dumb there if you keep this up.
After pacing around for a few more minutes, I decide to take the walk to Kyle's house alone. I tell mom and Rose that I can meet them at the Dome- where the competition is held, then start my stroll toward Kyle's.
After a week of sun and non-stop heat, the wind feels nice for a change. I walk along the stone path, with carnations and alliums accompanying me on both sides. Some trees are already changing colors, even though it's mid-July.
I'm almost there when a girl suddenly waves at me, forcing me to stop in the middle of my thoughts I was having. But as she approaches, I recognize her hair, and a blush threatens to creep up to my cheeks. Calm down, you've been friends with her since kindergarten.
"Hey Jack," Taylor's silvery voice sends warm tingles through my body. "You going to Kyle's?"
Quickly, I take in what she's wearing without looking like I checked her out. She wears a sleeveless, rounded neckline, coral skater dress that's a little shorter than her knees. And the way the dress hugs her body lets me know the back is cut out in a V. Beige sandals with tiny heels give soft little clicks when she walks, and her copper brown hair hangs loosely around her shoulders with the tinniest bit of curls.
Kyle had once told me that I sometimes talked and acted like a girl, especially while describing something. I never dwelled on that, until now, when I realized that by the way I take everything in, sometimes it could seem a bit like how a girl would describe what she takes in. And even the way I react around Taylor sometimes feels like how a girl would react if she had a crush.
"Ya," I say. Noticing every little detail could be such a burden to me at times.
"Mind if I tag along then? I haven't—" She stops, as if noticing something.
"Jackson!" She says, surprised. "Your bow tie!"
I look down at it. The bow tie is loose now, after my walk, and one half of it is already falling out.
"I'm not good with these things," I give Taylor a slight smile.
She shakes her head, her curls bouncing. "Here, let me fix it."
She comes so close to me that we're now standing nose to nose. I can feel her breath against my neck, and I can't help but wonder how it would feel to kiss her glossed lips. Her fingers work fast, untying then retying the bow tie, touching my neck just the slightest from time to time.
When she's done, I can feel my cheeks burning despite the windy weather. I lower my head, pretending to be observing the faultless job she'd done with my tie. When I look up again, her smile seemed to have reached her dark, ocean-blue eyes.
From the first day when I met Taylor in kindergarten, I knew that this was a special girl. Then more and more years passed, and we became best friends. But even after knowing her for so long, I still never saw tears in this girl's eyes. No matter what, that brilliant smile never left her face- even when her dog, Kimber, died. Maybe that's why I like her so much, I always thought. Because she's strong and can withstand anything that comes her way. But before I can finish my thought, Taylor pokes me in the arm.
"Not too bad, huh?" Her eyes are sparkling like Rose's, and her voice sounds so cheerful, like nothing in the world could make her upset.
"You did a better job in less than a minute than I did in half an hour," I return her smile.
YOU ARE READING
Eternal Flame
General Fiction"How can she be so sure that I will do well? I think to myself. But I can't screw it up either. I need this prize. This is what I've been waiting for. This is what I've been training for. This is my only chance to give my family a better life...
