"Ernst."
No reply, your body's still lying stretched out amidst the long grass
"Ernst."
The sun soaked day is drawing to a close, we spent the last four hours by the stream but now you've fallen asleep.
"hmmnerugh" you mumble something indiscriminate through your dreams, I kick you hard with my foot.
"Ow!"
"Oh I'm sorry Ernst dearest did I wake you?"
"Why did you just kick me?"
"To wake you up."
"I've only been sleeping for about ten minutes-"
"Well surely that's more time than you could possibly bear to spend away from me?"
"Well I-"
I cut your protest short with a kiss, "you know you're cute when you're angry,"
You blush and look at the floor, your dark hair falling across your face, those dark eyes flick upwards to meet mine again, you plant a soft kiss where my jaw line meets my neck.
"Have some more cake" I reach into my mother's picnic basket, and using two fingers scoop a dollop of frosting from the top layer of the pink cake.
"I think I'll burst" you laugh
"Come on," I use one finger from my other hand to delicately lift a smudge of icing, and you softly lick the icing off, "See," I smile wickedly and before you know it I've taken a whole handful of cake, and smudged it round your mouth,
"Hey!" you protest, flicking a few crumbs at me
"That's it," I growl, getting up, you start to laugh and run down the river bank as I chase you, heart pounding I pull you to the ground, surrounded by the long grass, landing on top of you, I kiss you roughly the taste of icing ringing metallic in my mouth. I pull away just enough to look into your eyes, "So Ernst," I say suggestively, "how do you suggest we spend the next few hours, alone, now all the cake's gone?"
You sigh, "The others will be here soon,"
"They will?"
You smile, "You know they will, Melchior's building a raft, and wherever Melchior goes, the girls go."
"Jealous?" I smirk
You shake your head shyly, eyes still fixed on mine, "I wish we didn't have to hide from everyone."
"Listen," I say, "I've been thinking, I-" what's wrong with me? I don't stutter, I'm not you, "I've-" this is ridiculous, but I want you to say yes, "I've written it all down, a plan, read it and tell me what you think" I had you the folded scrap of paper, you turn it over in your pale hands and start to read.
"What's that?" Thea, accompanied by most of the girls and boys from our village school has suddenly appeared on the other side of the river bank.
You snatch the piece of paper into your blazer pocket "Nothing."
Thea tip toes across a log that forms a rickety bridge from one side of the stream to the other, thrusting out a demanding hand, "you hid something in your blazer pocket. Show it to me."
"I don't have anything," you reply softly, but your hand goes to your pocket.
"Show it to me." Thea repeats, her eyes gleaming with mischief, she knows she's onto something. The other children have stopped their games and are starting to drift across to our side of the stream; you stay by the water's edge, letting the current of the stream wash over your feet, your raven black head bent close to the dark pool.
"Show us Ernst!" Anna giggles
"Anna, I really don't see what you could possibly think Ernst here is hiding," I say, standing up to face her, "Thea why don't you go back to watching darling Melchior build rafts."
"Just let her see it Hanschen," Melchior smiles, "she's never going to let you alone if you don't"
"There's nothing to see."
"Hanschen! Just let me see!" Thea grabs my wrist playfully but I pull away
"Its not for you!" you blurt out.
"Ah!" Melchior laughs, that familiar twinkle in his eyes, "So you are hiding something."
"Maybe some secret plot against our pirate gang that you two are making in all that time you spend together," Moritz jokes
Otto and Georg pin you down, and in a second Thea's grabbed the note from your pocket and is holding it aloft for the world to see,
"Give it back!" you struggle under Otto's grip
"Dear Ernst," Thea begins in a mock important voice.
You draw back against the tree trunk, Wendla and Melchior rush forwards to make sure you're not hurt. You're body is shaken but your eyes remain dark and steady, like always. Sometimes I wish I knew what went on inside that head of yours.