I walked up the driveway, my rubber flip-flops thwacking the blacktop with each step. The air was already thickening and the July sun was beginning to bake my naked shoulders. The Millers’ lawn was already brown in patches and the summer had only just begun. I gulped in the humid air thinking how this summer was somehow sweeter than any other I’d experienced in my 18 years. I had just graduated high school and was more than ready to shed this quiet little town where nothing ever seemed to happen. I smiled at the thought of the new freedom awaiting me in just a couple of months.
I was startled when Mrs. Miller suddenly appeared before me, having swung out from behind the bushes near the front door and rummaging through her pocketbook for her keys. She nearly walked straight into me, but my gasp of surprise immediately alerted her to my presence.
“Sara… hi.” She went back to searching her bag. My being there barely registered, but I guess she was used to my visits by now. “Danny’s around back,” she said distractedly.
I heard the front door shut and Mr. Miller appeared just behind his wife. “Hi Sara,” he said smiling warmly.
I wondered what they thought of me, this girl who seemed to be almost inseparable from their son for about 7 months now. I knew Mr. Miller liked me. I mean, he was always all smiles around me and really friendly. I think given the opportunity, he would have jumped at the chance to do the same things to me that his son was doing. But Mrs. Miller I wasn’t sure about. She never seemed to acknowledge me as anything more than just another one of Danny’s friends. I wondered how much they knew. I wondered if they knew that I had popped their son’s cherry. Or that he had done the same for me.
Mr. And Mrs. Miller walked past me and got into their car. I turned and headed towards the narrow pathway that leads to their backyard. The concrete walkway was cracked and tiny weeds were sprouting up from underneath, tickling my fuchsia-polished toes. The shrubs and trees lining the path were overgrown and their arms jutted out into my path. I felt as though I were walking through a neglected labyrinth just feet from the exit.
The path spilled out into the backyard and there was Danny, dangling on one of the swings on his rotting swing set. He didn’t notice me at first and I just stood there watching him for a moment as he hung there limply, staring at his Converse.
I started walking through the grass towards him and the swish of the still-damp grass caught his attention. He looked up at me and smiled. “Hey.”
“Hey.” I smiled back looking into his suddenly beaming brown eyes.
I was suddenly conscious of the hot breeze brushing against my bare bronzed thighs beneath my short white ruffled skirt. Danny’s favorite. He said it reminded him of a flower when I wore it. How he had to peel back the petals to get to the soft, wet center. I thought of this when I slipped it on this morning and then pulled on a thinly-strapped black tank top over my bare breasts. The air conditioning had hardened my nipples beneath the thin fabric and thankfully, once I stepped outside, they softened up.