"I bet I can go higher!" Legs pumping, she grinned at her competitor, whose longer legs were quickly eating up the distance between them. The boy laughed, leaning back in the swing seat to go higher, ever higher. "What would I win?" He teased, glancing at her. "You mean what would I win? Hm.." He giggled at her furrowed brow, the expression meaning his companion was deep in thought. "Ice cream!" She decided with a grin. "Loser buys ice cream for us to share."
With a laugh, the two began to pump their legs in earnest, making the swing set creak and groan. She leapt first, hair flying in a banner the color of rich earth after rain, and she was laughing as her feet hit the gravel. Out of breath, she rolled onto her back, sinking her fingers into the loose gravel and letting it pour from her open palm. "Your turn!" She called, turning her gaze from the cascade of pebbles to her friend.
Grinning, he let go at the peak of his arc, soaring through the air until his hands and knees hit the gravel. Groaning, he flopped down beside her. "You had a better landing." He admitted, turning his head to meet her eyes, sparkling with suppressed laughter at his disheveled appearance. "But you got higher." She replied, pouring pebbles onto his outstretched arm. He laughed tiredly, watching the clouds scuttle by as she continued to bury his arm.
"Do we wanna go to Scoops, or try and find an ice cream truck?" He asked, turning his head to watch her cover his shoulder in gravel. "Scoops is more expensive." "So ice cream truck?" She nodded, trying to keep the relief from her expression. He frowned, her flight tugging at his heart as he wished that he we're older so he could help. Trying for a smile, he asked, "Are you going to bury me completely before we go?"
She giggled, eyes shining with mischief as she began smoothing pebbles over his torso and towards his neck. "I was going to leave your head exposed, but we could do that instead." She teased, pouring another handful of gravel onto his chest
He laughed, his dust-streaked companion joining him after a moment, flopping down beside him as laughter shook her frame. "Imagine the headline," she gasped, " 'Local boy drowns in 2 inches of gravel!"
He nearly choked; maybe laughing while flat on your back wasn't the best idea. Pulling himself into a sitting position, he coughed as a cloud of dust rose from the landslide of pebbles that fell from him. "I would've suffocated," he wheezed, eyes watering. "not drowned." She propped herself up on her elbows, shrugging as he brushed the gravel from his lap. "Whatever you call it, you'da been dead, amigo."
He turned to roll his eyes at her, laughing when he saw that her once-dark hair was chalky-white with dust. "What is it?" She demanded, sitting up. "Your hair!" He choked out, laughing even harder when she looked down at her chalky hair. Growling playfully, she lunged for him, wrestling him to the ground to rub dust into his fair hair. "There." She said smuggly, climbing off him while he bemoaned his dirty hair.
She smiled innocently as his eyes narrowed, and he pounced on her. "I'll get you for that!" He promised as they wrestled, rolling across the gravel. Finally she managed to pin him down; hands on her hips as she grinned proudly. "Looks like I got you." She stuck her tongue out at him. He groaned, pouting while she grinned down at him. "Fine, you win." He relented, then poked her in the stomach, making her shriek. "No fair!" She gasped as she rolled off him, clutching her tummy to avoid further attacks.
He got to his feet, brushing the dust from the seat of his shorts before offering his hand to her. She eyed it for a moment, not sure if she wanted to risk another tickle attack. He waited, knowing that trust did not come easily to the girl. Finally she took it, and he pulled her to her feet. She grinned in thanks, shaking her head to get rid of some of the dust in her hair. Grinning in return, he asked, "Touch day?" She nodded, smiling gratefully as he slung an arm around her shoulders. "And you?" She asked. "Yeah, I'm good." He reassured her, giving her shoulder a light squeeze.
She smiled, slinging an arm around his shoulders, limbs entertwined so you couldn't tell where one ended and the other began, just like they'd always been. "Ice cream?" He asked, grinning like there was nowhere else he'd rather be. "Ice cream." She confirmed, turning her back on the sunset to smile at him. Together, they began to walk towards the road.
