You and I grew up together. As the oldest kids in each of our respective families, we meshed from an early age. Four kids in my family, three in yours. We lived just a few towns apart and our parents meshed our families together into one big group that would share cook-outs, travel, family events and vacations.
From a young age It was our job to watch all the other kids and make sure no one died as the parents would abandon us for a nice restaurant or night out on the town. We were the free babysitters on which all the adults placed the responsibility of your two younger siblings and my three. I was the oldest boy, you the oldest girl. We never really had a choice. We were left to our own devices most of the time. We stayed out of trouble so there was never a question. The system worked.
As the years went by, this established a fairly regular schedule of time spent together in close proximity. Even as teenagers we had this down to a science. The kids all looked up to us because we were the oldest and the coolest of the group. If we said something, it was taken as law.
I always felt a close connection to you. We were compatible and never fought. We would get into trouble but then find ways to cover our tracks and go undetected. You were a year younger than me. Very pretty, always in great shape. You were a cross country runner at your school and multiple podium finishes under your belt. You were shy, quiet, and stayed out of trouble. Unless you were with me. With me you were an whole different personality.
When we were not in charge of the hoard of children, we would go out running together in our free time. We would laugh and rough house and try to push each other off the dirt trails. It was all fun and games till that last mile. Suddenly your competitive streak would come out and your strong legs would go into overdrive. You would bomb down the paths with no mercy. I'd try to make a break for it and you would follow me with every step. I would get a jump on you and would hear your breath and footsteps right behind me. You would fight me for every last step reaching the gate within a half second of each other, collapsing on the ground unable to breathe. We both got into the pain and suffering of our competitions.
I recall this one day in our mid-teens we had this very close race to the gate. I could see it about a hundred yards out when you took off like a shot. You were running angry and refused to give into me. I chased you down relentlessly like a wolf chasing a rabbit. I was not going to let you win, and you were not going to let me pass you. We were neck and neck as we approached the gate and both threw ourselves over the line, tumbling onto the ground. I rolled and landed on my back in the dirt and gravel. You tumbled and rolled and landed right next to me. You placed your head and your messy braids down on my chest looking up at the sky, trying to find the oxygen in the air. You lay there on top of me for the longest time. I placed my arm around your neck as we lay on the ground together. Neither of us moved for what felt like forever. I had recovered long ago but didn't dare move away from you. We never discussed this but both of us knew there was something magnetic between us.
One night during one of our annual group family summer vacations at a lakeside rental cottage, not long after you turned eighteen and I turned nineteen, we were playing our typical babysitter roles with all of the kids piled into a single bedroom. There were two sets of bunk beds, a pull out couch, and a double bed. The kids had built this massive blanket fort, dragging all of the pillows and cushions from the living room and den into the bedroom. All of the blankets were taken from the hall closet and strewn up from one end of the room to the other. We setup a string of Christmas lights inside of the gigantic fort. You were on the double bed, so I setup my air mattress on the other side of your bed. We watched movies with the kids before giving everyone ice cream and sending them to bed. You and I stayed in the room while we waited for everyone to eventually fell asleep.
As soon as we were certain that everyone was out, we quietly snuck out of the room. The parents were partying it up in the kitchen with loud music and a poker game. I changed into swim trunks and you put on a yellow bikini, grabbed towels and quietly tip toed outside and down to the glassy waters of the still lake. The dark waters reflected the stars and moon overhead. Nobody knew that we were out here. I threw you in the water by the shore a few times as you laughed and giggled, trying to jump on my back and choke me with your arms. I would throw you over my shoulder as we wrestled in the water. This is the first time this entire trip that we had an opportunity to swim alone, together.
We swam through the darkness and the black water out to the float in the middle of the lake and climbed up onto it, lying next to each other, looking at the stars and the rising moon. I could feel your arm touching my own. Neither of us said anything. We just lay there listening to the sounds of the lake and woods around us. And then, in an act of courage that neither of us were expecting, you rolled your body onto me, placing a leg over mine, your exposed skin touching my own. You looked at me in the darkness and planted a single and solitary kiss directly on my lips. The most innocent of actions. You looked at me and smiled and I smiled back. You lay your head on my chest and I put my arms around you. I could have died right then and there and my life would have been complete.
It started to get cold out on the float, even with our bodies touching. I was shivering and I could feel goose bumps on your back. I suggested that maybe it was time to go inside. You nodded and stood up, offering me a hand to help me up. I took your hand, pulling myself up next to you and then immediately pushing you directly off the float and into the water. I dove in the water laughing and we swam back toward the dim lights of the house at the shore.
We exited the water and found our towels on the overturned rowboat. The dry cloth were warm and comfortable. We quietly made our way up the stone path back to the house, opening the screen door and sneaking past the kitchen and upstairs before anyone knew we were even missing. We took turns changing out of our suits in the upstairs bathroom before tip-toeing into the kids room to go to bed. I changed into boxers and a t-shirt. You put on your favorite oversized shirt and pajama shorts. I navigated around the massive fort and climbed in my sleeping bag on the far side of your bed and awaited for you to return.
That kiss ran through my mind over and over. I was getting so turned on just thinking about it but knew I should try to think about something else. All thoughts led back to you. I heard your footsteps as you entered the room and my heart raced. You made your way to the other side of your bed and I heard you pull your covers back and get in. I didn't know what I should do. I wanted to touch you with ever cell in my body yet I didn't dare reach up onto the bed to find you. I waited for what seemed like an eternity. I was about to give up and go to sleep when I felt your hand reach down and touch my chest. Were you sleeping? I placed my hand on yours and slowly allowed my fingers to travel up your bare arm. I looked up and saw your beautiful face looking down at me, your head laying on the bed.
The air mattress was secluded on the far side of the bed, away from the view of everyone else in the room. I pulled your wrist gently and you slid off your bed and onto the air mattress with me, landing with a THUD. We both tried not to laugh because it was a lot louder than either of us expected. You landed right on top of me in my sleeping bag. You found the zipper and unzipped the bag just enough for you to crawl in with me and zip it back up.
