First Day, Rest of My Life

The moon danced overhead, the wind kissing our cheeks and noses with nips of winter’s bite at our toes. She twisted every which way- just as to not look at me. I bit back a smile and poked at her ribs, taking in the shades of tender fear- a chameleon to the red pleated jacket wrapped tightly around her- on her face. I waited for her to let go of the breath she had been holding the second we reached the rooftop and took in the delightful scent of damp air and sounds of our friend crunching around awkwardly trying to give us our space on the other side of the roof. There was no traffic- no dogs barking or birds flying overhead. Just us and, our friend- texting me asking if she could come over to our side of the roof yet. I took her hand, unsure if she was trembling from the cold or the fact she knew I was about to ask her to be my girlfriend, but either way her hands gave way to the befuddlement in her head. I puffed a laugh, drawing her wide eyes and puckered brows to finally look at me, and suddenly she relaxed, so I squeezed our clasped hands and pulled her to stand, to spin around the moon and become elusive to the clouds.

It is much the same now, as I spin her beneath my arm that is stronger than it once was. My face is warm from a liquor flush and the heat of the venue, the lines in my face defined from a lifetime of laughing and worrying beneath the makeup I wear. I pull her close, finding myself anchored to the glow of fairy lights in cobalt eyes. Tiny stars, reflected from my heaven.