fruit salad

5

it was around nine o'clock, towards the end of our coffee date, when Toes brushed a strand of my h/c hair behind my ear and gazed lovingly into my eyes. with a hand grasping our art project and another  holding his firm, warm hand, i gazed back and wondered how i was lucky enough to have this gorgeous jelly like me back.

"y/n" he whispered my name like a promise.

"Toes" i whispered in response. at that, a smirk tugged on his lips.

those blueberry lips.

"toes, i need you to kiss me" i whispered breathlessly. i knew it was daring but i couldn't help myself.

his clear blue eyes widened and his lips parted ever so slightly. his face somewhat resembled a startled deer but it was hot.

i leaned in and we shared the most beautiful kiss imaginable. the warmth of his lips amidst the stinging december cold was addictive, pulling me to him more and more. the taste of rich, sweet blueberries fuelled my taste buds, urging me to keep going. it was like a private, sacred fruit salad that only we knew the true bliss of.

my hands were in his loose, light brown curls, and his were cupping my pineapple face making me feel secure and grounded. this was a good thing because i felt as high as ms carrot on a sunday evening and i was sure i would drift into the deep night sky any minute.

after he pulled away, the shine in Toes' eyes turned into a treasure trove of glittering jewels and i could only imagine a similar image was present in my own.

Toes was an excellent kisser.

***

"oh my stars! really?" Winnie gushed on the opposite end of the phone. it was the witching hour of the night me and Toes shared our first kiss, and i was telling winnie all the minute details.

"yup. it felt like the moment was charged with stardust." i told her, swiping a coat of lavender nail polish onto my voluptuous big toe.

"i'm so happy for you y/n. you deserve to have your moment after all the hard work you put yourself through. being president of the student body, the chess club, the art club and a member of the volleyball team whilst maintaining straight As can't be easy."

"it isn't. sometimes i want to stick my hand in the blender when I'm making my daily banana and lime smoothie so i can go to the emergency room and get a few weeks break."

"so why dont you?"

"winnie im not going to stick my hand in a blender just because I'm stressed."

"no, i mean, why don't you take a break? why put yourself through it all?"

"because winnie," i started, "i need to get into Squishford University. its my dream. i can't let a single thing get in the way of tha-"

and then it dawned on me.

"winnie, i need to go. remember to take your pills before you go to sleep."

i clicked off the line and began composing the hardest text message i have ever had to send in my life.

'Dear sweet Toes,

I'm truly sorry for what i'm about to tell you, but I have made an important realisation. As much as our kiss was otherworldly and I feel like i'm amongst the shimmering stars when i'm around you, this cannot continue. I have goals and dreams, and there is simply not enough room in my life for both them and you. You are my first love Toes, but I cannot go on. Our brief fruit salad tasted whimsically sweet but fruit expires.

Yours forever and truly, Y/n"