LV | Red Dress

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'We can't!
'Mid-years start tomorrow.

'I need to study.'

Rowan is sitting
under the rowan tree,

textbook in hand.

No Bible.

'I went for your church picnic.
'You promised.'

Her expressionless
expression
looks panicky

for a moment.

The rowan tree
by the school's back gate

is bald

even though it's April.

I take her hand,
pull her up.

'Go play soccer,'
she suggests helplessly.

I take her textbook from her.

'We can study there
'if you want to.'

Without hesitation,
'Of course I want to!'

Good girls are so annoying.

We're in Orchard Road
but Rowan's embarrassing me

taking pictures
of everything she sees
like a tourist.

'Have you
'never been here before?'

Her coal-black eyes
are fixed
to her cellphone.

'I've never had to come here.'

'You're missing out.'

I walk away
and don't check to see
if she's following me.

We're wearing
school uniforms

so it's even more
embarrassing.

She runs

to catch up

to me.

She: Where are we going?
Me: Shopping.
She: What?!
Me: My rules today.

We're stopped at a traffic light,
surrounded on all sides by people.

I lean close to her ear.

She flinches.

'I heard you.
'I'm just... making sure.'

I stick my hands
in my pockets.

'Never had a boy go shopping
'with you?'

Her expressionless eyes
meet mine.

'I don't have anything to buy here.'

We cross the road.

'Me neither,'
I reply.

She tilts her head,
trying to figure me out.

[Read the full story at novelconbini.com!]