Young Love Is The Fluid That Flows In The Veins of The Gods
Young Love Is The Fluid That Flows In The Veins of The Gods
Chapter 1 - The Girl Gets To Choose
The Girl Gets to Choose is a story about love, in all its messy forms. You can find more of my work on my website.
This is a story about how young love is intense and impulsive, trusting and naïve, and how mature love fulfills a deep need within us. It is about love overcoming obstacles and how friendships are bound together by love. Most of all, it is about the importance of loving yourself.
Paid subscribers can access the entire archive of this series from the beginning, along with my poetry and every article I’ve ever written here. If you aren’t a paid subscriber, you can access the archive for free with a 7-day trial.
She knew he was dangerous the first time she set eyes on him.
Rick was scruffy and tough-looking but in a boyish way.
He had a swath of dirty blonde hair hanging over his forehead in a way that defied all his attempts to control it. He would flick his head to push it back, sometimes brushing it out of his eyes with a calloused hand.
He channeled James Dean, sticking to a uniform of white t-shirts and jeans, with a worn leather jacket that he would sometimes sling casually over one shoulder.
When he noticed you, the rest of the room would dim, and when those light blue eyes met yours, you were transfixed. It was exciting.
One day she and Penny, her best friend, went out for a smoke. He was standing beside one of her classmates, Jamie, and another guy she didn’t recognize.
They glanced in her direction and she could feel his gaze on her body. She held herself very still and acted as if she didn’t see him.
After a minute, she leaned toward Penny and said, “Who’s that guy? Is he new?”
“I’m not sure. I think he’s Jamie’s older brother. They say he’s a player.”
She shot him a quick glance and said, “Like a football player?”
Alicia folded her arms across her chest and made a little snort noise, as if she’d said something funny.
“No, silly, he’s into drugs. You can get pretty much anything from him. They say so anyhow. If you want to, I can get Jamie to introduce us.”
“Maybe some other time,” she dropped her smoke and stepped on it, grinding it with the toe of her black boot.
“Let’s go back. I have history and it’s halfway across the school. Mr Craymer will have a fit if I’m late again.” As they walked away, Alicia looked back and blushed when he caught her glance.
The next time she saw him was at a house party down in the Hollow.
She was at a sleepover at Penny’s house. They were waiting for everyone to go to bed. The two girls planned to sneak out and walk across town to the Hollow.
No one really knew why it was called that, but it was cool. The rich kids lived there and sometimes when their parents were out of town, they’d have a party.
It was after eleven when they climbed out Penny’s bedroom window and scrambled along the roof over the front deck. There was a heavy trellis that supported a climbing vine and they managed to use it to get part way down the side of the house. Then they jumped down to the lawn below.
“Sshh,” said Penny, giggling as she picked herself up and adjusted the strap of her purse over her shoulder. Together they tiptoed down to the gate.
The garage light blinked on as they passed, and they ducked into the shadows. After a moment they let out a sigh of relief. They were safe. No one was awake to see them leave.
Sticking to the dark side of the street, they walked until they came to the tracks. From there, they could take a shortcut through the woods. Alicia was excited, but felt nervous at the same time, hoping they wouldn’t get caught. Her parents would kill her if they knew what she was doing.
“Did you remember a flashlight?” said Alicia, digging in her purse. “I have an extra one.”
“Thanks.” Walking along the tracks, they stretched their legs to step on every other tie. It was too dark to balance on top of the rail.
Soon they left the streetlights behind as the tracks entered thicker bush and the trees were closer together. It was quiet and they were feeling jumpy as the darkness closed in behind them.
“Stop for a second, I need a light,” said Penny, pulling out her smokes. “Want to share?”
“Sure, thanks.” The lighter flared, bringing a bit of comfort as they lit the cigarette. They passed the small red coal back and forth, walking quickly until they could see the lights of the street ahead. When they reached the crossing, they turned right and walked down into the Hollow.
They could hear the party before they saw it; a deep thumping that carried in the night air. When they reached the house, there were several groups of people on the porch. A couple were hanging out at the door.
“Hey, “said someone as they crossed the lawn. “Want a toke?” It was a guy they knew, so they stopped to share the joint that was being passed around the small circle. Buzzing, they went into the house, looking for the beer.
“I’m going to the kitchen,” said Penny, “see you in a bit.”
Alicia was standing by the front window when the air changed. There was a connection like an electric current. She could feel his heat and knew who it was before she turned her head.
“I was hoping I’d have a chance to meet you,” he said, in a voice so deep that it tinged her like a tuning fork. She could feel it in her toes.
“I’m Alicia,” she said, trying to be outwardly cool, while she was frantically pulling herself back from falling into the blue abyss.
“Nice to meet you, Alicia, I’m Rick.” He took her hand to shake it and she was lost. “Let’s go get some air.” She watched as he turned and walked toward the door, trying to decide what she should do.
When he reached it, he paused and looked back at her. And she felt it again.
She followed him without a second thought.
The Girl Gets to Choose is a story about love, in all its messy forms. You can find more of my work on my website.
This is a story about how young love is intense and impulsive, trusting and naïve, and how mature love fulfills a deep need within us. It is about love overcoming obstacles and how friendships are bound together by love. Most of all, it is about the importance of loving yourself.
Paid subscribers can access the entire archive of this series from the beginning, along with my poetry and every article I’ve ever written here. If you aren’t a paid subscriber, you can access the archive for free with a 7-day trial.
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This is a chapter in my draft Novel (Working Title): The Girl Gets To Choose