She looked radiant. Her normally pale skin had a hint of sun-kissed pink to it, and she was glowing from the heat. She had her hair pulled up in a messy bun, and dark tendrils of hair were hanging around her cheeks while a few clung to her neck. Her tank top showed off her tattoos, and the short shorts she was wearing displayed the legs that I loved so much and her skull candy tat. She plopped down in her chair, and I realized I’d placed her too far away. Grabbing the chair arm, I dragged her closer to me. She let out a little yip, but settled into her seat and flung her silky smooth legs across my lap. She sucked in a breath of air when I let the condensation of my beer drip onto her thigh and drew lazy swirls with my fingers through the droplets on her skin.
“Whatcha thinkin’ about over there, big guy?” Her greenish brown eyes looked at me with desire.
“I’m thinking that when this show is over, I’m taking you inside and getting you naked so I can wash all the sweat off your body. Might even use my tongue for the job,” I winked.
She gasped but didn’t say anything in response. It didn’t take too long before bright lights started filling the sky. Downtown Houston always set off a big show every year and there was music that accompanied it, but we couldn’t hear it all the way out here in the ‘burbs. The neighborhood remained fairly quiet, and I knew most of the people were probably in town at the park just like my dad was. There were a few that had done the same thing we did and were chilled out on their front lawns.
When the first firework went off, it lit up a bright yellow. My eyes were on the sky but I noticed my heart started beating a little faster than normal. Several more fireworks shot off and it was about the same pace. Hmm… that was strange. Five minutes passed. Kat was cuddled up on my shoulder with her legs still resting on me. I’d chugged my whole beer, and I had started to sweat a bit more than I had been earlier. Kat was probably the reason I was warmer, being that she was lying on me, but I wasn’t about to ask her to move.
As more fireworks went off in the sky, the momentum started picking up. Vibrant blues, whites, reds, and purples lit up in a quick paced synchronization. Ten minutes in and I was now dripping with sweat. My heart was hammering in my chest and I felt like my body was on edge. My girl was completely oblivious to what was happening inside me, and I wanted to keep her that way. My hands were clenched into fists at her side. With each boom, the sound rumbled in my chest, making me feel like a guitar string too tightly wound. At any second I was about to snap.
The display reached its grand finale. Explosions of lights of all different shapes and colors blew up within milliseconds of each other. The booms that echoed through the air reverberated in my chest. My body was thrumming, and I felt like if I didn’t get up and do something with myself right now, I was going to go postal.
Giving Kat’s legs a gentle shove, I stood up and started walking into the house. I heard her calling after me, but I couldn’t answer her. My head was somewhere else. As soon as I got in the kitchen, I pulled open the fridge, popped the top on a fresh beer and chugged it down. It was halfway gone when Kat showed up in the doorway.
“Timber, what’s going on? You’re white as a ghost.”
How does one explain that a simple firework made me clammy and ready to fight something? How does one explain that just the sound of one popping made me want to lock myself in a dark room and never come out? I didn’t know where my head was at and I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to decide. So, instead of answering her, I gulped down the rest of my beer and went for another. Two beers down in less than five minutes. I was going to have a good buzz.
A firecracker went off outside. My body tensed and I turned in the direction of the sound. My entire being was on high alert despite the alcohol blazing through my blood. Another sound right next to me caused me to startle.
“Mother fucking piece of shit!” I yelled. As I turned, I knocked a bottle off the counter and it shattered all over the floor. Kat took a timid step towards me.
“Don’t move.” My voice was deep and it came across more threatening than I’d meant. I knew I wouldn’t hurt her, but I wasn’t sure where I could hold my tongue.
“I can help you clean up. Just let me get the broom and I’ll take care of this.” Before she could even lift her foot, my voice splintered across the room.
“I said don’t fucking move, Kat!” I was so close and on the verge of losing control. I needed her to give me a minute, or else I couldn’t promise that we wouldn’t both walk away with new scars. I didn’t want to say something more to her that I didn’t mean. My hands shook as I gathered the larger pieces of glass and tossed them in the trash. Kat was still standing where I’d told her to stop. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she was staring at the ground, completely huddled into herself. I made quick work of the smaller pieces by sweeping them up with a broom. Walking towards her, I noticed her step backwards. When her eyes met mine, I was shocked to see fear shoot across them. She masked it quickly, but it wasn’t quick enough.