Page 39 of Xavier

"My dad hasn't been around for... well, since the twins had just turned two. And it's not like we were swimming in it then. So, I've been working as much as I can to help out. They were good to me at the ice cream store. Hired me when I had no experience or references. Gave me as much work as I wanted. Even some times when I know they didn’t need it. Understood when I had to take off to take care of the boys when my Mom worked. She's... had it really tough."

He stops talking and takes a big bite of his sandwich and I take the chance to ask a question while the gates might be open.

"What are you reading all the time? Whenever we're at the basketball court, or in quiet times at work?" I point to the upturned book he cast to the side, probably pre-headbutt.

He reaches for it and shows me. It's a law textbook.

"You want to be a lawyer?"

He nods. "Yeah, always."

"Why?"

He thinks for a moment, and I love that about him. How everything he says is measured, considered.

"It think because my life is so messy and there's so much order to law. Almost every aspect of our lives has something that is covered by a rule. But even then, it's so open to interpretation. You can manipulate it. Chaos in order."

"Rather than order in chaos," I say, and he looks at me as if I've spoken exactly what he's thinking.

"That's what dancing is. And art. It can be so chaotic, there aren’t rules, there shouldn’t be. But dance is about the exact right movement, angle, shape at the right time. And the order of those movements. Dancers spend a lifetime trying to perfect a pirouette, the technical aspect of it, but there is still so much open to interpretation. I think, I think that's why I've been enjoying working on my mural so much. It’s all me. And... you. It wouldn't exist without you. Thank you."

He doesn't say anything, just stares out the opening of the tent, watching the pink and orange of the sunset darken into night.

"I can't tell if we're two sides of the same coin, or the same side of different coins,” he murmurs.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we're so different, but the same."

"I don't care. As long as I can be tails on the coin." I say.

"You do have a nice tail." I look at him, and he's grinning. The seriousness of the moment before broken.

"I didn't think you'd noticed."

"Oh, I've noticed... a little too much."

"Well, I've noticed that you have a handsome head," I reply and he takes a deep breath, his eyes on me. I want to be closer to him. As close as I can be. I inch forward, our hands touch on the blanket between us.

The smile fades from his face and it's all seriousness again.

"Malynda. Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"

I shake my head.

"Beautiful. Stunning. Perfection."

"Even my freckles?"

A flash of a smile dances over his lips. "You mean, these little dots where you've been kissed by the sun?" He lifts a hand and runs a thumb over the tip of my nose and over the side of my left cheek.

A shiver creeps up my spine, thrilling. Something I've never felt before. "Yes, especially those."

"What else?" I ask, wanting to hear more.

His hand slides down to my neck. "You have the most elegant neck. Like a swan. Long, lithe, alluring." He moves closer, I can barely hear him now.

But I can see him.