Photographs | Dallas Winston

7

    The metal chain of the park swing stung my hand as I sat down.

    Today was hotter than usual, signaling the beginning of summer in Tulsa. Which, I was thrilled to finally see.

    I looked over at my best friend, Angie, who was already practically swinging as high as the empire state building. She had her hair down and a pink bubble of gum protruding from her lips every few seconds.

    I smiled, getting ready to tell her the news.

    "Angie," I began.

    She just kept swinging, humming some Beatles song. As usual, she hadn't heard me.

    "Angie." I said, louder this time. "You there?"

    "Huh?"

    I watched as her hair flew around her head, golden highlights glinting in the sun.

    "What?" She grinned. "Why aren't you swingin'?"

    "Because..." I smiled. "I have something to tell you."

     "Let me guess." She leaned back and stuck her legs out. "TIME magazine finally write you back?"

    "I wish." I rolled my eyes. "But no."

    "No?" Her tone was mixed with playfulness and genuine disbelief.

    "No." I shook my head. "You remember the boy I met at the diner?"

    "'Course I do." She popped a bubble of gum with her teeth. "Wasn't he the one you drove home that night because he was so drunk?"

    "Yeah, this is the one."

     "The criminal, no less." She laughed, lightly. "Dallas Winston, known as a criminal around Tulsa, no less."

    "He's not a criminal." I said, knowing that was an absolute lie.

    "Hey, statistics show that criminals are pretty romantic." She shrugged. "Pretty dangerous too, but we're going to ignore that for right now."

    I smacked my palm to my forehead, laughing.

    "So, what's this big news?"

    "Well, I may have asked him on a date..." I squeaked out, sheepishly. "Kind of...?"

    "A date!?"

     She might as well have fallen out of that swing.

    "Whoa! What?" She laughed, excited. "What happened to gettin' out of here and finding you a city boy?" She got more dramatic. "What happened to never falling in love because it was a complete waste of time?"

     I couldn't help but grin. I had in fact said those things.

    "Well..." I shrugged. "People are surprising."

    "Good lord, you ain't gotta tell me twice." She smiled. "You just about killed me with that."

     "Oh, calm down." I ran my hands through my curls. "He came to the library a few days ago with his buddies and I told him I'd go on a date with him if he read Lord of the Flies."

    "Easy as that, huh." She smirked. "What'd he say."

    "He took the book." I took a light swing. "Now, if it'll come back in one piece? I don't know."

     Angie laughed. "Well, do you like him?"

     I sighed, looking out over the park. "I don't know..."

    "Sounds like you do."

     "I do." I groaned. "I like him. I like him..."

     "I mean, each to its own." She laughed, jokingly.

     "I don't know why, he's the complete opposite of everything I've ever wanted."

     "Oh, you've never known what you want, Milli." She smiled, blowing a big bubble and popping it. "Maybe you fancy delinquents. Who knows."

     I couldn't help but laugh.

    "Just be careful. Lay low for a while if ya'll really do hit it off well enough for a second date." She jumped out of the swing, her sneakers hitting the ground with a light thud. "You never know with boys like this. Could be the love of your life. Could be the reason you end up with a sixteen-year sentence with no chance of parole."

    I stared at her, rolling my eyes.

    "Be smart, okay?" I could tell she was trying to be serious. "Promise me?"

    She held out her pinky. I did the same.

    "I promise." I grinned. "Besides, it won't last long I don't think. He doesn't seem like the "long-term" kind of guy."

    "Well, what about when you get all your dreams up and running, Milli?" She countered.

   "I know..." I got up, beginning to take a walk through the park. Angie followed. "I'll think about that when it happens."

    "Well, what if he brings the book back?" She smirked. "What then?"

    "I'll hold up to my side of the deal and go on a date with him." I answered. "Hopefully not to a bar. Or a club...or some out there hippie concert."

    "Wow. You're a changed woman, Milli." Angie laughed, kicking a rock with her sneakers. "I'm diggin' it. I'm proud."

    "Oh, stop it." I elbowed her. "I'm not getting my hopes up."

    "Just tell me where to hide the body if he screws it up." Angie flipped her sunglasses down and blew another bubble of gum as we crossed the street. "I've got places. Won't ask questions."

    "Like I said," I repeated. "I'm not getting my hopes up."

    "And like you said," Angie began.

    "People are surprising."