3/7/2018

I dipped my aching feet into the cool stream, feeling the soothing water run between my toes. I fanned myself with the wide brim of my straw hat. It was a hot summer day, and shovelling dirt, hammering fenceposts and whacking weeds had drawn most of the strength out of me. The abundance of grass seed exacerbating my allergies didn't help, either. But it was all worth it thanks to the one standing beside me.

I looked over at her—I must've been an absolute eyesore, with my puffy eyes and runny nose. But she grinned at me with a smile like a rose in bloom. She knew she wasn't the reason I was there, but she also knew that she was a bonus to my workday. Her father, the farmer I was helping, stood behind us in the shade of the creekside foliage. He'd said to call it a day, and we took a moment to rejuvenate ourselves before heading inside.

We dried off and began heading back towards the house. He turned and walked along the opposite fork. I watched as he disappeared behind a wall of grass stalks, then immediately turned back to the one beside me and grabbed hold of her hand. Her fingers curled around mine and squeezed like we would never be separated. I pulled her hand to my face and kissed her knuckles. She breathed a deep sigh, pulled my hand to her and gave a wet smack on the back of my dusty hand. I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her, and leaned my head on hers, her own in the crook of my neck. I could have lived in that moment for forever.

The grass parted once more, her dad appearing from behind, and we reluctantly released each other's hands. Did he know? He must have. Did he care was a better question. We stepped onto the back porch, and he said he had to go take care of something. We stood there in the shade, staring into each other's eyes, when hers drifted over my shoulder, and she bit her lip. I turned around, wondering what she could be gazing at so intently. Her dad was in the shed across the yard from us. The moment he turned his back, her small hands grabbed me by the cheeks and pulled my face down to hers, and her lips pressed against my forehead. Such a rush of emotion washed over me, like a wave crashing on top of an unsuspecting swimmer. I collapsed into her arms and squeezed her. I never wanted to let her go.

When I opened my eyes, she was gone. She never came back.