Peaches at Two

Three- The Park

Rosalind

Clayton and I had three more dates in the course of three weeks. Luckily, no more spills happened on any of them. We had our, technically, third date— if you count the midnight peach run when we first met—over dinner at a fancy restaurant. He wouldn't let me help pay, again. Our fourth date was at a breakfast place that had great muffins. I also didn't get to help pay here either. And the fifth date took place at a movie theatre, where he finally let me help pay, only because of my constant begging and a lost game of rock, paper, scissors.

This time, for our sixth date, we decided to go for a less costly date at the park. I bounce happily in my seat as I pull into the park parking lot. Flipping off the radio, I check that I have my phone and keys in my small purse before climbing out of my car. The warm sun greets me as I open my door, and I instantly feel my hair poof more because of the humidity. I look around to find Clay standing at one of the park benches. Hurriedly, I walk to him with an uncontrollable smile.

"Clay!" I greet him happily, the feeling of butterflies return in my stomach
"Rosie." He smiles back.
I engulf him in a hug and breath in his familiar scent.
"Have you been here long?" I ask, worried that I made him wait.
"No, I just got here." He assures me. "Oh, I brought bread so we could feed the ducks." Clay says excitedly
"That's great, I used to love to feed the ducks." I say cheerfully.

We start our way down the trail toward the play area. I smile as the joyful sounds of children playing fills the air around us. As we walk, we watch kids run and jump through the playground, all seeming to be having the time of their lives.

"Ms. Harper!" I hear someone suddenly yell before I feel a tight grip on my leg, stoping me in my tracks. I look down to see a student from my class attached to my leg with a grin from ear to ear spread across his face.
"Hi, Brandon, are you having fun at the park?" I ask politely, earning a vigorous nod from the blonde haired child.
"Yeah! I go down the slide super fast!" He beams
I giggle at his cuteness, "That's so cool!" I congratulate him, "Why don't you go slide some more, I have to go, okay?" I suggest. He nods and says a quick goodbye before running off.

"Sorry, he's one of the students in my class." I apologize to Clay.
"It's alright. He looked happy to see you." Clay grins
"So you like kids?" He ask
"I love kids. I say, looking over to admire the rampant, joy-filled children on the play set.

Clayton and I walk contently down the path. Trees begin to surround us, and the brush grows thicker as we move further into the trail toward the pond. I glance down to our hands. Nervousness takes over me, and I can't make myself just reach down to take his hand. I suddenly move to in front of Clay, beginning to walk backwards. Clay smirks confusedly but keeps walking to match my pace.

"Put up your hands." I tell him. He does as I say, and I immediately put our hands together with a wide smile; the bread bag being squished between our hands.
"What are you doing?" Clay chuckles
"This," I say. I let go with my right hand, keeping my left and his right hand together and return back to my original spot. He laughs, showing off his straight, white teeth.
"You could have just grabbed it." Clay says, rolling his eyes, "That would have been a lot more simple."
This time it's me giggling. "Simple is boring."

"You were too nervous weren't you?" Clay questions
I blush as the feeling of embarrassment creeps up on me. "Well, yes." I sigh, "I always figured it was better to be embarrassed by something big rather than dwell on being embarrassed by something small."
"So you thought that if I didn't want to hold your hand then you would be embarrassed, so instead of being embarrassed of something small, you would rather go through the embarrassment of doing the whole spiel of getting to hold my hand." Clayton explains aloud to both of us.
"Exactly." I assure him.