YOUTH
He knew he should stay away, but something made him go. It was her eighteenth birthday and, even though she always invited him, he had never attended her parties. This time he convinced himself to go. He wanted to. He wanted to see her.
Merging into the crowd, he managed to slip a note in her hand. "Backyard" was all it said, but as she lifted her eyes from it he knew she was looking for him. He read his name on her lips.
Ten minutes later, the door to the veranda opened and she walked out, making sure she was not being followed. She ran down the stairs, holding the hem of her dress in her hands, and immediately spotted him sitting on a bench half-hidden behind the water fountain.
For a moment, he was sure she would reprimand him for not greeting her inside and staying there, making cheap-talk with the rest of the guests. He almost regretted his decision to go there.
'Hi.' Was all she said, breathless and blushing from her little spurt. He could not speak, he had forgotten how beautiful her smile was. 'I cannot believe you came.'
'These are for you.' Attending the party had been a last moment's decision and he had not had the time to buy anything other than a bouquet of flowers.
'They are beautiful. Thank you.' She sat beside him, smelling the cream coloured roses with closed eyes. 'It's funny…'
'What is?'
'How I feel so old and yet so young.'
'We have seen too much.'
'I know.' She turned to him with a gentle smile. 'I've missed you.'
There was an undertone of sorrow in that statement. He frowned, the guilt he felt at it was almost painful and then, as if he had not made enough hasty decisions that night, he said: 'I won't be leaving this time.'
She met his eyes, surprised, and a short "why" was all she managed to whisper.
'Because…' he looked down thoughtfully and seeing her hand took it hesitantly in his own. His heart was so loud in his ears he doubted he would be able to hear his next words. 'I want to be with you.'
With one shaking hand, she cupped his face and kissed him. It was their first kiss, a mess of bottled up feelings and hormones. In a matter of seconds they had opened up their hearts to each other to a point where there was no going back and yet, despite their young age, they knew they would never want to.