Meet Me at Taylor Park (10 page)

Katie said nothing, but she felt privileged. It was the kind of story reserved only for intimate others.

The snow had stopped outside. They could barely hear the roaring wind now.

He reached for a tissue on his desk, and dabbed his face. “I don’t normally cry.

Especially in front of girls.”

She patted his chest. “It’s OK. It’s really OK.”

To her, it really was. It made her feel closer to him. And it made him seem more human, somehow. She used to think that he was strong all the time. He was the one who held her when her samples were rejected. He was the one who took her to Taylor Park to make her feel better. He was the one who showed her the trampoline to make her forget about the contest. Now, she was happy she had the chance to be the one to comfort him.

Brandon got off her shoulders and lay back down beside her. “Now you tell me a secret.”

“You know pretty much everything.”

“Tell me more about fashion design. Why do you want to pursue it?”

She shrugged. “I’ve always loved clothes and making things. So I thought, ‘why not combine the two?’”

“How many dresses have you made?”

“Seven, but I don’t think they’re any good.”

“Why not?” He propped his head up with one arm, turning to her.

She let out a deep breath. “I don’t know. I submitted one to another competition, but it was rejected. My dad got me an application for an internship at this designer’s New York City. Maybe I’ll get in.”

Suddenly, she sat up on the bed. “Sometimes, I think I have no talent.”

Brandon sat up behind her. “How would you know you have no talent? You haven’t produced your own clothes yet.”

She turned her head toward him. “I keep getting rejected.”

“Those judges wouldn’t know a good dress if it hit them in the face.”

She peered at Brandon in the dark. He looked angry, but not at her.

He came up behind her and enveloped her in his arms. “Don’t doubt yourself. I’m not a pro, but I’ve seen your dresses. You have talent. And I won’t let anyone say you don’t.”

She turned around until she was facing him. Her emotional attraction to him was at a boiling point.

She darted in and kissed him on the lips ravenously. He was taken aback, but he quickly regained his poise and kissed her right back.

He began to take off his shirt.

She cupped both hands on his bare shoulders. “Wait. What are you doing?”

“We could do whatever we want. We don’t have to go all the way.”

Katie played with her hair. “I haven’t…I’m a…”

Brandon put a finger to her soft lips. “Me too,” he whispered. “It’s OK.”

He took off his shirt. Katie gawked. He had a lean, pale, lanky body, not muscular, but toned. Staring Brandon’s naked upper body, she felt uninhibited. She took off her sweater, and she was left in just a T-shirt.

Katie looked over at Brandon. She didn’t know what they were going to do. She was both nervous and curious at the same time.

She hugged herself, rubbing her arms up and down. “It’s cold in here.”

Brandon lifted the blankets and got into bed. He patted the space beside him. “Then get into bed. It’s warm in here.”

Although it wasn’t Katie that was naked in the upper body, she still felt completely exposed, totally vulnerable to even the slightest disturbance.

Even with her reservations, she climbed in bed beside him. The sheets were cool and refreshing on her skin. She snuggled closer to Brandon. He smelled of cold and snow.

She had never been intimate with a boy before, and she imagined that the atmosphere would be awkward, but it was not. It felt right.

He turned to her, and whispered, “What do you like? I’ll do anything.” He stroked her bare arm with one finger, while looking at her lovingly.

She had never been looked at in that way before. She liked it. “Just hold me,” she said softly. “Just hold me.”

He smiled. “I can do that.” He put his arms around her shoulders. It might have been snowing outside, but being all snug and cozy in their little cocoon, they wouldn’t have known.

Brandon turned until he was staring her in the face. “I’m so happy you’re here with me.”

Katie nodded. “Me too.”

He looked at her with a strange expression on his face. Something that she had never seen before. It looked like he wanted to tell her something, but was hesitating.

He cleared his throat. “Do you think this is as good as it gets?”

She smiled. “Yeah.”

“Then I want us to be like this forever.”

She looked at him. From outside the window, the orange streetlight cast a soft hue on

Brandon. His shaggy hair was tousled, as though he had just woken up. His eyes were soft and relaxed.

She kissed him on the cheek, and then said, “You’re so silly. Nothing really lasts forever.”

As she looked at him, she could detect a hint of worry in his eyes. To make him feel better, she kissed him again, and then lay down next to him.

She did not look him in the face, but she could sense some unease in him as he lay there, breathing steadily beside her.

Outside, the flurries started again, caressing the windows with bright white snow.

*

Chapter 8

That spring turned out to be beautiful. It was sunny and warm and the trees were in full bloom.

One gorgeous Saturday, Brandon was studying at Katie’s house. The two of them were lounging on Katie’s bed. Brandon was leafing through his biology textbook haphazardly, paying more attention to the girl in the room, than to the memorization of the twelve cranial nerves of the central nervous system.

Katie shifted in her position. “Shouldn’t you be studying?”

Brandon reached out and stroked her face. “I am studying.” He continued to look at her.

Katie chuckled, shaking her head.

Then, she stood up and headed toward her sewing machine. She picked up a scarlet red dress, and headed toward the window. Late afternoon spring sunlight filtered through the window, hitting her hair and making it shine.

Brandon was admiring her hair when she turned around, scowling. “I can’t seem to fix this dress.”

“I wish I knew how to make dresses,” he said.

She took the dress and sat down in front of her sewing machine. She turned it on and began to alter it.

The roaring of the machine interrupted the chirp of the robins outside.

Brandon watched as she feverishly altered the dress. When she was done, she held it up to the light. The dress looked like a dog mangled it.

She made this face. Her mouth was a straight line. Her nose was scrunched up. Her eyes were confused.

Katie chucked the dress into the trash bin. She buried her head in her hands. Brandon sat there on the bed, just watching her. He didn’t know whether he should let her be or go over and comfort her.

She finally looked up. She was not crying, but her face was defeated, oozing a certain surrendered melancholy.

“I give up,” she said, throwing her hands in the air.

Brandon looked at her, furrowing his brows. “What do you mean?”

She sighed. “I’ve been at this for five years. Not a single sample accepted by a contest.”

She went over to her desk and picked up a crumpled piece of paper. Brandon approached and inspected it. It was a rejection letter from the Budding Designer Contest.

Dear Young Designer, while we liked your sample, we must pass on it. All the best.

He put a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what to say.

Fortunately, she talked first.

“It’s not like I’m asking to be a designer with an international line right away.” She looked up at him, her eyes unfocused. “I know there’s hard work involved and I’m prepared to put in the hours. It’s just that I wish these damn contests would accept one of my samples.”

She stared out the window.

Brandon stood there with his hand on her shoulder.

She let out a breath. “So I guess that’s it. I’ll just have to find another passion, one that isn’t so hard to break into.”

He stood in front of her, facing her and blocking out the sun. Her face in the shadow looked even more defeated.

Brandon asked, “Why did you want to go into fashion design in the first place?”

“I don’t even remember.” She stared vacantly at Brandon’s chest.

“Come on,” he coaxed. “Why did you decide on it?”

She started playing with her hair, twirling a strand around one finger. “When I was little,

I used to watch a lot of Disney movies. I loved the dresses on the Disney princesses. My mom would make them for me to wear.”

Brandon saw a flare in her eyes, a certain fire re-ignited.

She headed to her closet. After rummaging through it, she pulled out a small top and pants, both made of baby blue silk. She held them up and smiled. “My mom’s made this for me years ago. I was a princess for Halloween. I felt so beautiful.”

She had this dreamy smile on her face. “I remember saying to myself, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if I could make girls feel beautiful too?’”

The smile stayed on her face.

Brandon came up to her and hugged her. “I’ll be your prince.”

Katie laughed.

Brandon scrunched his face. “What’s so funny? I meant it.”

Laughing, she pinched his cheek. “I know. That’s so sweet.”

Brandon moved in closer. “Just don’t forget that passion. Never forget why you’re doing something.”

She felt the passion back in her, as though someone had added more kindling to the fading embers of her fire.

She looked at Brandon. The pre-dusk sun bathed him in its golden rays.

He smiled at her.

She thought he looked like a divine being.

*

The next day was Sunday. Katie and Brandon were lounging on the trampoline at Taylor

Park, just watching the clouds go by. It was a particularly sunny day, and the rays beamed down on the couple.

Katie rummaged in her pocket and took out a piece of paper. “I received another rejection in the mail. Another contest. Another rejection.”

He squeezed her hand. “Maybe you don’t have to go right away. I’m not saying give up, but maybe you could go to New York next year.”

Katie turned around, facing him. Her expression was playful. “So what should we do instead? Play house?” She grinned at him.

He took her hand and together, they lay down on the trampoline.

“Yeah,” he said, smiling back at her. “Why not? I can imagine myself being married to you.”

She chuckled. “Are you sure? I’m a very messy person to live with. I’m gonna leave my makeup all over the place. Mascara everywhere.”

Brandon put his fingers on her cheek. “I don’t mind that. We could move out together, get a small apartment in the city.”

She huddled closer to him, putting her head next to his shoulder. “But I want to get out of here, get out of the suburbs, and get out of Vancouver.”

“It’s not so bad here.”

“I’ve been here my whole life. I just need a change. There are no fashion opportunities here.” Katie sat up suddenly, and pointed to her surroundings. “It’s the same damn trees, same damn highway, same damn park.”

She sighed.

Brandon said nothing, but he had on a long face.

Katie shifted. “Alright, let’s say that we did do it. Do you want to work and I cook dinner or do you want to cook?”

“How about we take turns?” Brandon perked up again.

“Alright.” Katie felt a smile coming onto her face.

“How about kids?” Brandon asked. “How many do you want? I want a girl. I’ve already picked out names. Jeremy if it’s a boy. But I don’t know if it’s a girl.”

Katie laughed. “Sure.”

He reached for her body, moving it closer to his. “So this is it, then? We’re gonna do it?”

She looked at him. He was smiling, shining in the sunlight. She reached over and one hand on his chest. “I can’t promise you anything.”

He looked confused, but he tried to hide it.

She wanted to do it too, but she knew that he wanted it more. He looked so hopeful just basking in the sunset. She had her doubts, but she did not want to ruin their moment.

He then looked over at her. Katie did not know why, but she had the feeling that he was going to say something really sweet, something that would make her feel special.

“I’m so glad you’re in my life. Do you know how many girls I went through to get to you?”

She gave him a puzzled look.

Flustered, he stammered, “Oh, I, uh, I didn’t meant that. I just meant that I’m been looking for someone like you.”

“I know what you meant,” she said, grinning. Katie was glad that he dropped the living together issue.

He stopped smiling and was all serious. “That’s why we have to take care of each other. No one else is going to do it for us.”