The Art of Gravity

NOAH ANDREWS

He's warm.

My arms were wrapped around his waist as we sped down the empty streets on Toby's motorcycle, which I had refused to get on at first.

I held onto him tight, loving the feeling of warmth he provided. Is it bad that I like this? I like speeding down roads on Toby's motorcycle with my arms wrapped around him, wind gently caressing the platinum blonde locks of my hair.

"Where are we going?" I ask, clutching the sides of his leather jacket.

"I don't know... anywhere." He says, giving me a completely vague answer like always.

"But... If I take you somewhere... Somewhere no one knows about..." He says, and I was slightly interested in the mysterious tone of voice he'd used.

"Yes?" I respond.

"Will you follow me there? Put your trust in someone you shouldn't...?" He asked.

He stops in the middle of the road, and we're surrounded on both sides by miles and miles of forest.

I let go of him, and climb off. He stays sitting on the seat, staring at me.

"Scared?" He asks. I don't think he understands how scary just being in his presence is.

"No." I lie.

He frowns, his jaw clenching, "Do you trust me?"

"Yes." There was no moment of hesitation. That was what scared me.

Toby shakes his head in disappointment, "You still don't get it."

He stands up, walking closer to me. I back away a little, and he stops, before approaching me like he would a small animal.

"Do you trust me?" He says again, and he's close now. He's close enough that I can feel his cool breath on my face, the refreshing scent of apples washing over me.

"Yes."

Toby shakes his head, "Don't."

It was barely a whisper, and a still settled upon us, no one moving. Until he backed away, heading into the forest.

I follow him, like I know I'm supposed to. He lead me into an open field, dead grass everywhere, some flowers blooming here and there.

"Where are we? What's this place?" I ask Tobias who's looking out at the field.

"An autumn paradise..." He says, turning to look at me. He walked over to an old oak tree, and sat down against it. I sit down next to him.

"I come out here sometimes. It's quiet." Toby says, his eyes closed and his head laid back against the trunk of the tree.

"Why do you come out here? What do you do?" I ask, eyeing his face while I have the chance. Those stupid lines were etched on his forehead again. His tan skin glowed in the sun, peach colored lips frowned downward.

"To think. I think out here." He responded, his eyes opening and catching me in the act.

I look away.

"What do you think about?" I ask, picking at the dead stems of grass.

He sighs, thinking.

"Another world. Different than now, better. Peaceful..." He says, and I couldn't help but wonder if I was in this other world. It sounded nice.

"Do you do this with other people? Do you talk about this stuff with other people?" I ask him, and his eyes immediately shoot to mine, capturing me in their spell.

"I don't talk to other people. Not like this. Just you."

I swallow, wringing my hands together nervously. I didn't know what that meant and why it made feel happy that he didn't talk to other people like he did to me.

"Just me?"

"Just you..." He says, gauging my reaction. His dark, angry eyes were always calculating, knowing what I was thinking even before I did myself.

"Okay." I say. I didn't know what else I could say.

Toby sighs, "Little lamb..." he murmurs under his breath, though I can still hear him.

I don't ask him about it, and lay down against the trunk like Toby, jolting as his thigh brushes against mine.

I open my eyes, breathing hard and look over at Toby, but he's already looking at me.

He shakes his head, "You make it so hard..."

I frown, "What?"

He shakes his head again, "Some things aren't meant to be said out loud."

So, we're quiet as we lay there, dreaming about another world, where everything was better, where everyone was pure, where another Toby and Noah lay side by side, against a tree trunk, in a open field, their thighs brushing together. Another world where everything made sense.