Sand and swapping Germs
The walk across the grass
to Ella
takes a minute
but feels like forever
knowing she’s watching
and I’m not sure what to say.
A few metres away,
I stumble
and accidentally kick sand onto her legs.
She laughs instead of swearing.
I reach down
to brush the grit from her tights.
‘This is how you treat a girl
who shares gelato with you,’ she says.
‘Jonah kicks sand,’ I splutter
as if that’s an excuse.
I manage to sit beside her
without falling over.
Ella smiles and accepts
the bottle I offer,
taking a short sip
without wiping the rim first.
‘I know what you’re thinking, Jonah,’ Ella says.
I look to the lake to hide my embarrassment.
‘It’s okay,’ she adds, handing me the beer.
‘There are better ways of swapping germs.’
I nearly choke on the bottle.