Boy/Man teetering on the edge of adulthood zips by one day.
He hauls her over his shoulder, and buries her beneath roses and hope, hands out smiles she's not used to and pulls her into a world she's run from for the past six years.
Jinx wants to kick him.
…
He runs circles around her, leaving her spinning and drunk on vertigo. No matter where she runs he catches up. Like a dog, like a shadow; now she wants to trip him.
She does.
Man child eats gravel and she kicks back dust from under her platform heels. His laugh jumps up her back, reaches her ears, and climbs into her brain. Running circles in there as well.
When she gets home she looks up cures to vertigo and asks Gizmo to lend her some pepper spray.
…
Jinx takes a walk in the park. He's sitting on a bench, smile and mask in place. All sighs and frowns, she settles down beside him. This elates him.
"Good evening."
"Stalker."
He tilts his head, quirk of lips and smile, and introduces himself. "My name is Wally."
Eyes burning and tongue heavy, she leans against his shoulder. Her head is spinning again.
"Shut up."
"Your hair's longer than I thought it would be. It's pretty."
He tugs on a strand and wraps it around a finger. Pale face flushed and bright, she spits out, "Shut up."
She can feel another smile on his face and maybe his heart beating fast?
Then again…
…
She dreams of circles and wind. Breezes grow strong legs and run into her. They twist and tie up around her in coils and knots before falling to her feet. The breezes become her shadow and lick her heels. Always walking behind her, they finally grow up, taller and taller than she could ever be. Her hair flies in every direction and Wind yells goodbye. They tilt her into purple and Wally catches her.
She wakes up to blue eyes and splashes of red freckles.