his fingers curl around the bench, grasping

                                                     splinters and words to speak.

                                                     the sun harsh on our backs

                                                     as i sweat underneath my

                                                     ohsoslick nike californian

           jacket; he laughs and i giggle, rising up from the park bench

           to take another stroll past gonzales road: casual and cool

                                                     and so innocent, with tales

                                                     of love stories coiling in

                                                     our heads. i sigh,

           arms around me, backpacks trailing; almost stitching me

           to his side, never letting go of this moment

 

           our answers to the universe almost unveiled themselves

           when we took my shaking hand with his

                                                     both comforted by the fact

                                                     of no school tomorrow

                                                     and the heavy sighs

                                                     exchanged.

by J.C.