Redamancy

She let out a small gasp before leaning out of her seat and tapping her fingers against my denim-clad knee. “Pull over here,” she whispered, a grin forming across her wine-stained lips.

“Here?” I asked, not trying to hide the confusion in my voice as I eased my truck to a stop on the side of the road, just in front of the sign announcing we were near Bannerman Park. Keeping my foot down on the brake, I flicked the windshield wipers to a faster setting as the rain was beginning to fall harder and faster. I turned to look at the girl sitting in the passenger seat – her brown eyes focusing on something unseen to me outside the truck – and said, “you know that this place is no where near my house, right, Darcy?”

But she didn't respond. Instead, she ignored my question, turning to me and wrapping her hand around my bicep. “Come on,” she murmured, squeezing my arm gently.

“Where exactly are we going?” I couldn't help but chuckle. There was nothing around us, absolutely nothing. No shops, no restaurants, no buildings whatsoever. We faced a long stretch of pavement surrounded by the green grass of the park. “There's nothing out here.”

“Exactly,” she said squealing, kissing my cheek and giving my arm another quick squeeze before unbuckling her seat belt and pulling of the leather jacket that I had given to her to wear when I had picked her up – just moments before – at her sister's wedding reception. “Are you coming?”

Before I could give her an answer, Darcy was already bounding out of my truck into the July rain that was pouring from the heavens. She walked slowly through the grass, allowing the rain to caress every inch of her body. Then she lifted her arms to the darkened sky and began to twirl – her long dark hair spinning around her. Darcy had barely been exposed to the rain for thirty seconds and already she was completely soaked. Her black hair was stuck to her chest and back, while the previously flowing skirt of her bridesmaid dress clung to her tanned legs.

Having no other choice, I turned off my truck and hopped out into the rain. Running across the grass, I wrapped my arms around Darcy's waist, catching her mid-spin.

“You are one of the weird ones, Miss Leveque,” I whispered in her ear. And she turned to face me, a wicked grin on her face, her eyes sparkling.

Darcy wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled her body close to my own. She nestled her face into my neck. “Dance with me,” she murmured, her warm breath on my neck a welcome surprise in the cold rain. Pressing my lips to her hair, I wrapped my own arms tightly around her body and begin to softly hum the song that we first danced to, all those years ago; the song that very quickly became 'our song', and I felt her body relax against mine as she swayed in my arms.

This was the girl who had chosen me. This was the girl who had allowed me to love her and in turn, had allowed herself to love me back.

And so we danced. Right there, in the park, as the rain poured from the sky. She in a pale blue dress and me in a white t-shirt and jeans.

And so she danced. In the arms of a boy who worshiped her. In the arms of a boy who loved her.

In a rainstorm.

In a dress.

She was always doing crazy things like that.