Floating.

     Okay. First playoff game of the season. Halftime has got to be perfect. You don't want to be the one to screw it all up, do you? The field is Astro turf, and you've never performed on Astro turf before. It's gonna be slippery, and you're gonna be freezing. But you CANNOT fall. No pressure though. No pressure.
     No pressure. Ha. Oh well. I still had hours until I had to dance at halftime. Drill team is so much more difficult than it looks. We don't get near enough respect for what we do. The directors are crazy, the practice hours are insane, and we work through so much pain. We work way too hard for our mere five minutes of glory. But the applause from the crowd is so worth it.
     No time to think now though. I have got to get myself made up and dressed for this game. At least I have my phone. The only connection to the most important person in my life at the moment. The only one that can make me smile through tears and feel like I'm beautiful. The only one that can make me feel safe at any time. My boy. Michael.
     Michael.♥ said: Are you at the school?
     You said: Yea.
     Michael.♥ said: Where are you?
     You said: Walking back to the Language hall bathroom to finish getting ready.
     Michael.♥ said: I'm gonna meet you.
     You said: Why?
     Michael.♥ said: Because I want to see you.
     Exactly what I needed. I hadn't seen him all day. We hadn't done anything yet, but things are so different with him than any other guy I had ever been with. He's so different. He has a past. He isn't a virgin. He isn't a stranger to drugs. But he's getting better. I'm a virgin. I've never been high. I've never been drunk. I've never even kissed a boy. So different. But if you're going to make a relationship work, you've got to accept someone and their whole past for what they are.
     Minutes passed and I forgot what he had said. I walked out of the bathroom looking at my phone. I thought about singing, but refused the thought. Thank God for that. Because out of the corner of my eye, I saw something. I turned my head to get a full view and saw it: the only one that can make me smile through tears and feel like I'm beautiful. The only one that can make me feel safe at any time. My boy. Michael. Being my weak self, I walk over to him. He holds a hand out and pulls me into his arms. My favorite place in the world. We pull out of the hug, but stay close. His hands on my waist, my arms laced around his neck. Just the two of us alone in the hallway, our only problem being time.
     "You look so cute in your outfit." God, that smile. He's so cute.
     "Uh, no, I don't." There goes my self-confidence again. Or rather lack thereof.
     "Yes you do." His smile entranced me. His voice was so soft in that moment. He's perfect.
     Silence. We didn't need to say anything. He made a decision and put it into action. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against mine. I had waited for that far longer than he knew. We still said nothing. Just smiled. Thank God that he was in band and I in drill team. That was the only reason this could happen. He stared into my brown eyes, and I into his green. That was all I needed. Nothing else. Then he spoke, his voice even softer than before. I can hear it in my head as I type, and I feel myself smile.
     "You have pretty eyes." I could've died at that.
     "No, I really don't." Again with the lack of self-confidence. I still couldn't help but smile as I said it.
     "Yes, you really do." He smiled back at me. And we stood there for a moment in silent smiles. His hands still on my waist, my arms still laced around his neck, our foreheads still pressed together softly. I looked up into his eyes and he looked down into mine. Just smiling. Silence. Perfection.
     Then he moved.
     Tilted his head slightly to his right.
     Moved in until we were touching once again.
     And then I was floating.
     I knew I was blushing. I didn't want him to see. I pulled myself in to hug him. I hid my face. I waited for myself to return to the ground. Other things began to exist again, the ground included. I pulled away and met his gaze. We were smiling.
     We stood there, his hands on my waist and my arms laced around his neck. It was perfect.
     We didn't say anything. Until I remembered that I had a limited amount of time to ready myself for the game.
     "I have to go." I paused to breathe. "But I really don't want to."
     I don't remember what he said. I was still catching myself. I wish I could remember, but I just can't.
     I do remember this though.
     He leaned in to me again. One last kiss before we walked to our places. One more time to float away from the ground.
     I looked back up at him and saw his perfect smile. I don't remember if we said anything; I was too high. High from his lips.
     I think of it now, and I feel butterflies. I feel happy. I can't think of a single reason not to be happy, aside from the fact that he can't be here with me right now.
     That he can't make me float again.