Words: grind, crave, princess, wake.

They were twelve, somewhere in the middle of that month-long stretch when Colin had caught up and they could pretend they were the same age. Bright didn't know why it bugged him so much, but Colin never seemed to care.

Amy was outside, jumping through the sprinkler, while they changed it Bright's room before joining her. That was when Colin caught him.

"Dude, you've got a boner."

"Do not." Bright yanked his shorts up, but it didn't help much.

"You're not gonna do anything?" Colin asked.

"Not right now, man."

Sitting down was uncomfortable and bending over to get his flip flops from under the bed was even worse. Then Colin sat down next to him, put a hand on his knee, and things started to get better.

"Lay back."

Colin spoke so quietly, Bright did what he was told, afraid to open his eyes and wake from the dream. He felt warm and his skin tingled like he always felt after jumping through the sprinkler. He was tense and started grinding his teeth. He couldn't wait much longer; Colin's hand worked fast. Bright opened his mouth, wanting to say Colin's name, wanting to hear Colin say his own. The name was there, like a hunger craving in the pit of his stomach. Instead, he just came.

Colin was looking down at him when Bright opened his eyes. "Hurry up. Princess Amy is waiting."

He was gone and a moment later, Bright heard Amy's squeals from outside. The way Colin teased her, Bright knew what it meant. He didn't have to think about things like that when jumping through a sprinkler on a warm summer day.

06/11/03

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