| High On Life (Vertigo)- Aquilae Stilus 1999 Today was a good day. New Reeboks, a chance to wear her letter jacket, and not even a twinge when he walked by with the blonde chick on his arm. Good day. He was the first guy she ever sat behind and spent ten minutes just wanting to touch the curls on the nape of his neck. If that wasn't the real thing, what was? The day she saw him kiss the blonde goodbye resulted in a two-hour crying jag, some great poems, and a headache. If she'd known it would end with this loose body-sigh, maybe he would have been worth it. The brisk wind stung color into her cheeks, turning marble to strawberries and cream. Her mouth quirked, that hint of a smirk when nothing remained to cry about over a Dr. Pepper and a journal. Crap. Now when do I write my poetry? A bubble rose up her throat and came out in a laugh. Of all the things to worry about... She admired the way her new cushioned soles bounced, squeak-squeaked on the pavement. Toes covered once by a mere layer of cotton and canvas sighed in coziness. No more puddle catastrophes. She grinned. "No more Payless for me." One quick hop gave emphasis. I gots new shoes, look at me! Tilting her head back, the air tickled up her nose, rearranging her eyelashes, and she waited to see if she would bump into the horizon. One more step. Two. Still nothing. Maybe it would creep up when she didn't look. A sensible gray washed the sky, magnetic, drawing her upward. Spreading her arms, she whirled around, until a clunk and plop of backpack and derriere sounded on the pavement. Funny. It didn't even hurt. Felt kind of like that time she dangled from the monkey bars in second grade and hung and hung and hung, swinging, unable to grasp the bars to pull herself up, but too scared to fall. Then swing and slip and down. With a painful dismount and those two seconds of vertigo. Worth it. She decided a walk felt good, with the squish of cold grass and numb earlobes and breath that came in and out and didn't stop for blondes of angst or cute little neck curls. Vibrant, spangling her nerves and making her feel each step, each breath, each heartbeat. What words did she sing in her head? Good day. A breeze, a smile, and two seconds of vertigo. Worth it. |