The sun was just beginning to set, and a cool, autumn breeze blew as we walked home like we did every afternoon. Minnie lost her footing as a small pebble shifted beneath her foot, and I instinctively reached out to catch her with my arm around her waist. I let her go, feeling my cheeks heat up slightly as she regained her footing.
"Thanks", she chuckled. "I almost ate the pavement there". We hadn't been able to avoid each other's touch lately; every time we brushed hands or accidentally grazed each other it was feeling a bit electric.
Just then, something caught the corner of my eye. I bent down and grinned as my fingers closed around a crumpled five pound note. I picked it up and held it in the air triumphantly. "A fiver!"
"That's not fair! You wouldn't have even seen it if it weren't for me tripping over!" She tried to snatch the bill from my hand but I kept her away with my long arm - I had quite a few inches on her at this point, excluding my spiky hair, playfully teasing her with the bill just beyond her reach.
"Ain't gonna happen, so don't bother trying." I tucked the fiver into the back pocket of my black school trousers with a smirk and watched as her lips pursed together out of frustration before she stuck her tongue out at me.
By this time, we were under the bridge and ready to start our usual after-school routine of graffitiing the wall. Taking a can of paint from my backpack, I worked alongside her with our undeniable synergy. I waved the nozzle back and forth with confident strokes, etching "MENACE FOREVER" in bright, bold colours on the steel wall. She grabbed another can, smiled mischievously, and spray painted 'MINXS RULE' next to mine.
I couldn't help but keep stealing glances at her. Her vibrant red hair was pulled back into a single pony tail nowadays while her long fringe framed her big green eyes. It suited her.
She noticed my gaze and I felt my heart skip a beat as she leaned closer. "You know, Dennis, you're kinda cute when you're breaking the law,"
I felt my cheeks flush and heard the clatter of the can hitting the ground just before I realised that I had dropped it. As if reading my mind, her lips stretched into a full smile, highlighting her delicate features. Before I could react, with lightning speed, she had reached around me and extracted the five-pound bill from my back pocket.
"Oi!" I shouted, making futile attempts to grab the money back from her, but her movements were swift; she skillfully sidestepped each of my attempts with a graceful smile.
"Nah, it's mine now, take it up in court," she said cheekily and swung her bag over her shoulder. Just before she could turn away, she glanced back at me, "You fancy an ice-cream? My treat."
"That's generous of you Minx." I grinned wryly and followed along as I usually did.