Amanda

Amanda is waiting for a starry night, so many stars the sky turns to day. She looks for a quiet, scratchy road with dust and crickets, to make her feel big and small. She needs the darkness to breathe. It's how she remembers love. Summer. And cold drinks, a black-bubbled Pepsi. And a boy and a girl in a field making wishes under the canopy of lights. She's hoping that this is the one. This kiss, the quiet act of skinning herself, of turning into air or sand or a weightless, shaken blanket. This bareness that says to someone, come on in. I’ve missed you all my life. What is that essence? Beachy hair, tan toes. Beauty. This is the best it's ever going to be..right now…this moment where they meet and turn away from the rest of the world.  You will love me the most right now, he says and she believes him and laces her fingers. Lean back and whisper to skin, cooing dust, and Amanda, you don’t know it yet, but that wetness is your body crying because it's finally found something to love. Hold on. Do you have this? Amanda, is this what you’ve been looking for?