A Tuesday Confession

The morning air was crisp with a cool breeze. The sun was just barely peeking over the trees as you walked down the street. Today was the day. Today was the day you would finally tell her how you felt. You had woken up early that day in preparation. You had hyped yourself up in the mirror as you brushed your hair back, paying extra attention to the baby hairs in the front. After having laid them stylishly with gel and a toothbrush, you tied the rest up into a strategically placed puff atop your head. You sped through the rest of your morning duties and skipped breakfast just so you had an extra 10 minutes on the walk to her house to formulate your speech.

But by the time you got to her house, you had almost forgotten why you came. Sitting in a whitewashed wicker chair on her porch, Bunny waited patiently. Her name was actually Lola, but you had taken to calling her Bunny since Kindergarten and now it sounded weird to call her anything else. She’s faced away from you, brown hair falling off her shoulder in a shimmering cascade. You crept up the porch steps as quietly as you could, trying to avoid all the creaky spots. When you finally reached the back of her chair. You delicately placed your hands over her eyes.

She jumps slightly at your touch. “Guess who it is?” Immediately, she relaxes and places her hands over yours. “Is it…Satan?”

You stifle a giggle, trying to keep serious. Doing your best to deepen your voice you respond, “Indeed, it is I. Lucifer, Harbinger of Death and Destroyer of Man.”

Not missing a beat Bunny replies, “What business do you have with me, O Great Demon Lord?”

“I have come for your soul!” you say, fully laughing now. Grabbing onto your hands, Bunny swings you around into her lap, cackling along with you. Your eyes meet and for a split second, everything is quiet. Then you both break into hysterical giggles. The two of you stay like that for a while, wheezing and gasping for air clutching your sides all the while.

“Good morning, Nora,” Bunny says after you’ve both settled down. You sit up in her lap, aware of how close the two of you are but reluctant to put space between you by getting up. “Good morning, Bunny.”

She lifts her wrist to check her watch. Seeing the time she looks back at you. “Shall we get going?” she asks.

You get up brushes the wrinkles out of jeans and straightening your shirt. Offering your arm and in a terrible British  you say, “Only if you permit me to be your escort m’ lady.”

She smiled a goofy grin as she hefts her backpack into her shoulder. Looping her arm with your own she replies in the same horrid accent, “It would be my pleasure.”

And the two of you set off towards school.

~ ~ ~

Two blocks later your steps fall into synchronization with Bunny. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot. The subtle rhythm stepped out by your footfalls soothing your nerves. The sun had risen a bit more and begun making its slow ascent into the sky. The clouds became painted shades of pink, yellow, orange, and the occasional purple.

You hear Bunny take a deep breath next to you, exhaling slowly. “It’s so beautiful this morning”

Your cheeks warm with a blush. “It sure is. Beautiful.” You heard your voice break on the last word and cursed your vocal cords for betraying you.

Bunny seemed to have heard, for she looked over at you with mild concern in her eyes, “You feeling alright this morning? You look kind of pale.”

“Do I?” You touch your face as if that will somehow answer your question. “Yeah. You good?”

‘Just say it,’ you silently reminded yourself. You knew you'd regret it if you didn't. You took a deep breath in and looked Bunny straight in the eye.

“Listen Bunny. I have something to tell you but I don’t want to tell you here. It has to be someplace special.” You said it so quickly that you weren’t sure if she heard everything you said. But the look on her face said otherwise.

“Meet after school at The Spot. I’ll tell you there.” With that, you picked up your pace and finished the walk to school, without Bunny by your side.

~ ~ ~

The school day came and passed. All the while your heart remained firmly in your throat. Lunch with Bunny was silent. Whenever she looked at you, you looked away. Painful as it was to do, you knew it had to be done. Otherwise, she’d ask questions and you—being unable to resist her in any way—would spill like a can of beans. The end of the day finally came. Your stomach had wound itself into a tight knot and your palms were slick with sweat. Never the less, you pushed the discomfort aside and made your way to The Spot. Exiting through the main gate and skirting around the perimeter of the school, you come to the edge of a small forest.

Crossing the tree line, you make your way towards the center eventually coming to a clearing. A single tree stands in the middle of its trunk of medium width bearing many tall branches full of vibrant green leaves. The sun here filters through the canopy, dappling anything below in beautiful golden light. You and Bunny had been coming here for years, even before this was your school. You set your backpack down by the tree trunk and waited. Some time passed before you heard a rustling in the foliage ahead of you. Your head snapped in that direction. Anxiety flooding you, you stand up and begin fussing over your clothes. A second later Bunny emerged from the trees.

She looked out of breath and had twigs stuck in her hair. Despite your previous apprehension it all seemed to melt away at the sight of Bunny’s flustered face. You snickered into your hand as quietly as you could. Bunny noticed and puffed her cheeks in anger. This only made you snicker harder.

“Don’t you laugh at me!” Bunny exclaimed. You did your best to stifle your upcoming laugh. “I’m sorry, BunBun. But you would think after all the years we’ve been coming here you’d know the way.”

Somehow Bunny’s cheeks managed to inflate, even more, taking on a pink tinge. You broke out into laughter, toppling onto the ground. This only irritated Bunny further. She plopped down next to you, waiting for your laugh attack to subside. When it eventually did, you looked in her direction and found that she was looking back. “So, what did you want to tell me, Nora?”

You swallowed hard. Easing yourself out of your seated position, you laid back into the grass looking up. You heard the grass shift next to you and knew that Bunny had followed suit. You took a deep breath in and let it out slowly.

“Bunny…I love you.” You said. You hear Bunny inhale to reply but quickly cut her off. “I don’t mean in the same way that we always tell each other. This is different. When I’m around you, I get nervous and palms kinda sweat. But at the same time, I get really happy. You make me feel safe and calm. Like I can really be myself around you and not be judged for it. I don’t know if you feel the same for me but if you don’t that’s fine. I just wanted to get this off my chest. But if by some miracle you share the same affections,” you place your hand between the of you, palm up, “then hold my hand.”

There was silence long while. No one moved. You concentrated on the leaves and clouds above you. It seemed as if everything was moving in slow motion. Finally, Bunny spoke. “Nora…I love you too.” And in one blissful and completely euphoric motion. Bunny slipped her hand into yours, lacing your fingers in hers. The perfect Tuesday had been achieved.