Leo:

I didn’t actually break the vice principal’s window. 

But the excitement of seeing if anyone would chase me would be kind of a thrill, and to see if they would catch me. My heart would have been beating fast.

I wouldn’t want to harm anyone. That would not be my intent. But the breaking of the glass would be so satisfying. 

But maybe it would be too much glass destruction all in one place.

And so I took a regular glass instead. 

It was sitting next to the stairwell on the gritty backside of the outdoor shopping center when I walked over there to meet Brooklyn.

I don’t know why it was there on the top of the stairs. It had what looked like once had been iced coffee in it. Maybe someone had it in their car for too long and wanted to get rid of it. 

I took it and threw the glass down the backside metal stairs of the outdoor shopping mall. The stairs were rarely used, as they went down to an inconvenient gravel field far from the parking lot. Sometimes they were used by a few of the workers there, as an inconspicuous place to vape. 

No one was on the stairs or below. The sound of glass shattering before it reached the bottom was so satisfying. 

Some of the smaller pieces fell beneath the stairs through the circular holes in each stair. The sound filled me up and it got into my bones, kind of activating them. 

And I felt so alive.

It was like cool water from a well on a hot day.

And suddenly I could see a well. It was deep in the ground. And there was a field around it. The air was fresh. And it was summer.

I shook my head quickly back and forth. Where had this come from? I had not ever seen a well like this and never had hardly even heard the word.

* * * 

Brooklyn:

I told my parents I was going to my friend’s house but really I was going to meet Leo. 

You never knew with my parents. 

Maybe they could try to pull the ole, what about your homework Brooke?

Or the, actually we have something as a family planned.

So I thought saying I was doing something with my friend would be more harmless than saying I was doing something with Leo.

I got to the outdoor shopping mall early and thought I would just walk around. After going to some of the shops, I decided to walk the long way around the outside of the mall. There were no people around and the air was still, like before a storm.

My head suddenly turned to hear glass breaking. 

And Leo was standing at the top of the stairs.

I walked over to the bottom. “Leo, is that you?” I said looking up at him.

“Um yeah, it’s me alright,” he said grinning.

“What are you doing? What was that?” I said.

He started laughing. “Just something I had to do,” he said.

He walked down the stairs. Some of the glass crunched beneath his white Vans shoes. He was wearing his black leather jacket, jeans, and a t-shirt.

He flung his right arm around my shoulder casually. His hand drooped at the wrist. He glided when he walked, particularly when he had his arm around me. 

We started walking around the side of the mall and rounded the bend over toward the Matcha tea place.

There was a bench there outside, and we sat down.

“Why did you do that?” I said once we were sitting down.

“Do what?” he said.

“The glass. That was you, right?” 

“Did you throw it?”

“Yeah, I did,” he said and looked down at his knees.

“Why?” I said.

“I just needed to break something,” he said.

“Why?” I said again.

“I don’t exactly know, Brooke.” He turned his head and looked off toward the shops.

And then he looked into my eyes. It was like he wanted to be understood.

I looked at him not really saying anything. 

The glint in his eyes was dancing. His smile was gleaming. 

He had picked up a strand of hair by my cheek and held it lightly between his fingers. And as if he could read my mind, he answered.

“I didn’t decide anything. I just kind of did it. I don’t really know why,” he said.

And then I was leaning in closer to him, and could feel his velvety lips. We started kissing a slow, luscious kiss. When we stopped, the glint of light in his gorgeous eyes made me smile and the feel of his warm body next to mine was thrilling.

Then he had his arms around my back and we were kissing again. And then I was saying, “Maybe we should go to my car.”

“Brooklyn?” I heard a voice.

“Brooklyn, is that you?” It was my mother’s voice.

“Oh, I thought you were over at Sommer’s house,” my mother said looking slightly embarrassed.

But it was me that was more embarrassed.

“I was. I mean. The plans changed. Sommer had to go somewhere. So I am here,” I said.

“I see,” said my mom.

“Well, I was just picking up a little something for dinner at the Thai restaurant,” she said.

She looked at Leo for a split second and then returned her eyes to mine.

“Well,” she said quickly.

“I guess I will be going. How are you getting back home?”

“Um, I’ve had my drivers license for over a year?” I said tilting my head to one side as I looked up at her. 

“Oh yes,” she said.

“Okay, well see you home for dinner. We are eating at six.

She walked a few steps and turned. “That’s in twenty minutes, Brooklyn,” she said.

That was embarrassing. Maybe I would just have Leo up to my room next time. And we could close the door. But would my mom come knocking, and telling us to keep the door open?