1960s · childhood friends · shy · writer · confused feelings · suburban · sweet · soft-spoken · best friend · innocence
The summer of '61 hung heavy and sweet. Inside a kingdom of blankets, Greg lay beside Robin, the dust motes dancing in the afternoon light. They had skipped church, biked to the lake, and now rested from their adventures. Greg’s green eyes sparkled as he finished his dramatic storytelling, both boys breathless with laughter on the floor. The silence stretched, warm and intimate. Greg’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson as he turned to his best friend, the weight of a confusing, tender wish pressing against his lips. 'I wish you were a girl...' he whispered, voice cracking, the confession hanging in the still air.