After Hours

Kim and Robert walked uphill, slowly and side by side. While the temperature had dropped below 50 degrees, the last of the snow had melted away. There were a few walled and a few fenced properties they passed by. But on their way up the meticulously trimmed hedges made way for more and more wild trees and other untamed greenery.

“How do you like the neighborhood?”

“Beautiful houses, tacky gardens.”

“Yeah, a lot of the owners have no taste. Something like that doesn’t usually come with quick money.”

“Hmm, old money talking?”

Robert flinched.

“I come off as a dickhead again… Sorry.”

“Don’t worry and please don't pretend to be someone you're not. It’s okay to come from a “good” family. I won’t resent you for something you couldn’t choose.”

“Not very punk of you.”

“Post-punk, you remember?”

“So post-punks are tolerant of rich kids again. Noted.”

“Well, post-punk comes with less lifestyle. It’s just a vague music genre.”

“Vague, huh?”

“Only the definition of the genre and it’s edges that blend into other genres are.”

“I think you'll just have to give me a private concert so I can get it.”

“We’ll see.”

In the distance a large Egyptian Revival obelisk came into view.

“Is that what you wanted to show me?”

“Not really. That’s just the Fortune Hill Monument. It’s kind of bland. But you’ll know what I wanted to show you when we get there.”

Kim held her hands to her face and breathed on them, the warmer air visible in the cold night. Robert watched her and rummaged through his coat and produced a pair of black leather gloves.

“Here.”

They were much too big for Kimberly's petite hands, but she put them on anyway.

“Thank you.”

The teenagers reached the monument at the top of the hill. Kimberly stopped and took in the surroundings. It stood in the middle of a large viewing platform, fenced in and surrounded by a few benches. To the right of it a small lodge crouched in the shadow of the sparse lanterns. It resembled a Greek temple from the outside.

Robert simply walked past the monument, heading toward the railing of the platform. After another fleeting moment had slipped away, she followed him to the edge.

They looked eastward from the highest of the three peaks of Trinity Falls. Before them stretched the sprawl of the city's nightlife. Vast darkness punctuated by a sea of very yellow-white lights. In the face of the contrasting spectacle, the chilling wind blowing through Kim's hair had lost much of its bite.

Robert glanced at her with a knowing smile. For a brief moment, she saw a trace of uncertainty behind his expression. Kimberly smiled back.

“You’ll see that over there?” Robert said pointing to a bridge near the city center.

“The bridge?”

“Yeah, it’s part of an old railway line to the harbor. It was shut down around ten years ago. A bit overgrown nowadays. Still a great view at the skyline from there though.”

“It’s already breathtaking up here… Thank you for showing me.”

“I just knew you would be able to appreciate it. I haven’t come here for a while. Four years I think.”

“Why?”

“Don’t know. Only went up here with my brother a couple of times. We don’t talk that much anymore. He left the city. Studies at Columbia last I heard.”

“Did he leave because of your family?”

“Yeah, let's not dwell on that… Are you up for a few more stops?”

“How many are we talking?”

“It’s already late, so, let’s say just two more for tonight.”

“For tonight?”

Kim's face conveyed her question at least as much as her words did. Robert’s brooding demeanor quickly shifted to a wide smile.

“For tonight.” He spoke, his voice low but filling the empty space between them.

The descent went smoothly, and soon the two were back on the narrow dirt path that wound its way down between the villas to the parking lot. However, Kim's final step from the curb onto the asphalt did not reach its target. A soda can caused her to slip and it would have probably been a nasty fall.

Fortunately, Robert reacted faster than he could think and pulled her back, which caused them both to lose their footing. The sudden movement shifted the impact toward the dirt path. Robert landed on his bottom and Kim... well, she landed in his lap.

Realization came slowly and then quickly, all at once. Awkward movements widened the space between them again. For the first time, Kim's blush was not so faint.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean…”

“It’s alright. You saved me there. Don’t worry about it. Could have been nasty without you. Just forget about it. I mean… Thank you?”

They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments. Both thrown off balance by what had just happened. And then they laughed. At first, it was just a feeling that came over Kim. A feeling that she held back. But Robert saw the twitching corners of her mouth and the tension in her facial features. But Robert saw the twitching corners of her mouth, saw the tension in her facial features, and couldn't hold back. They laughed for minutes, for minutes that felt like an eternity.

“This night is truly cursed… But in a good way.”

“So, now you are calling me a hag?”

Robert had to laugh again. She enjoyed his ease and smiled at him warmly. But the chilling spring night quickly caught up with Kim again.

“Let's get in the car and turn up the heating. I’m going to freeze to death out here.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry. Let’s go.”

The other car had left. They entered the Caprice, Robert started the engine and promptly fiddled with the buttons to turn the heat up to maximum.

“Are you still up for another round of sightseeing?”

“Definitely.”

“Nice.”

They drove back on the winding road down the hill. Kimberly felt fatigue creeping into her body along with the returning warmth. She yawned.

“Maybe it’s better when I take you home? We can go for a drive another day.”

“No! Don’t treat me like a child or some old lady.” Kim muttered.

“But then let's just make one more detour and postpone the third stop until another time, deal?”

“Sure, deal, whatever.”

“Fortunately, your enthusiasm is only as contagious as your yawning.” Robert teased.

Kimberly was happy. A content smile graced her lips and she leaned against the passenger window, watching the passing scenery in the side mirror.

“I’m happy that you took me to the monument. We'll make up for the third stop. For sure.”

“I'll take that as a promise. The second stop isn’t too far off.”

They took a left turn, back onto a road much busier, and also much brighter. Too bright for Kim. She wanted to cherish these tingly feelings a little longer in the dark.

“Is the bridge next?”

“No. That would’ve been the fifth or maybe the sixth stop.”

“You had big plans, didn't you?” She asked apologetically.

“Don’t worry. Just spontaneous ideas. There's much to see when you're not from here.”

Kimberly felt her eyes closing and forced them open again. A game she could only loose, and soon sleep finally took her away from her dreamlike spring night.

She woke up again when Robert gently touched her shoulder and spoke to her. But his words would remain unknown to her, devoured by the land of dreams. He gently helped Kim out of the car, and slowly her thoughts began to gather again.

“This is school. You did bring me back? We haven’t been to the second stop!” She complained.

“Sorry. You should go to bed and get a good night's sleep. We'll have plenty of opportunities later.”

She looked around awkwardly.

“You shouldn’t be sorry. I should.”

“I have nothing to regret about this night.”

She took of his gloves and gave them to him. Robert threw them onto passenger seat, the seat that had been hers, and closed the car door.

“I’ll look for you at school on Monday, okay? Let’s meet in front of the cafeteria, okay?”

“Okay. I’ll walk you to the door. You’ll have to sneak in, right?”

“No problem, Eve and I have made preparations.”

They took the few steps that remained before their paths would diverge. Kim turned to Robert and fidgeted nervously with the top button of her jacket. He quickly leaned in. Not for a kiss, but for a hug. A heartfelt hug. Longer than would be normal for friends.

And after whispered farewells he vanished into the night. Kim was back in her room. Back under her bedsheet, far away from everything else. Far away from him.