Colorful Summer

It is so easy to romanticize the past. Sometimes when the life before you is so bleak and unforgiving, all you can do is look back on times when color filled your view. When the world seemed to sing and dance under a bright sun. For some of us, like me, it is so far and in between we experience those glowing slivers of time.

I remember when The street lights at dusk in the city were the limelights to my stage. Mine and my best friend, Kisa. We would strut down the sidewalk of Main street like it was a cat walk. Every headlight on the street seemed to focus on us, illuminating our thin teenage frames.

It felt like the entire town from the back road farms to the slums, and even up on snob hill, revolved around us and our perfect, carefree, summer.

Maybe the whole world revolved around us too.

I'm sure at some point we've all felt like that. A perfect fraction of time, where the world and everything in it becomes yours in your unspeakable joy. And although the moment is fleeting, it's stayed after all these years like a beautiful stained glass window, forever lighting up my memories.

We were the typical teenage angst girls. With a strong notion that a black Ensemble and a pessimistic worldview would get us the attention we needed. It seems so outlandish now, but there we were, black hoodies and skin tight jeans, during high noon in the summer of 2013. We were 15 at the time.

Kisa wore it like a master, she kept a straight face and her posture never faltered even though the temperature was nearing the three digit range. Me, on the other hand, was slumped over, frantically pulling at my neckline, desperately trying to generate some kind of relief from the overwhelming heat.

I could pull off my oversized hoodie but, even though I knew it would provide Instant relief, I hesitated. It wasn't until

I felt the heat rise up to my cheeks and flood my head making my vision blurr that I finally stripped myself of my jacket. My tank top underneath revealed the straps of my sports bra and the cut of the tank made it so the bra peaked above the shirt's neckline.

And not a whole 3 minutes later, the reason I hesitated became clear.

A large Truck hiked up on a 12 inch lift, and shiny chrome guard rails on the grill, announced its approach with a short loud HONK! that made us both flinch.

The massive silver chevy slowed, and a middle aged man's head poked out of a black tinted window as it rolled down.

"Hey pretty girls" He shouted as the truck careened past.

There isnt much time for a conversation when the speed limit is 45.

Heat had rushed to my cheeks and I knew from the heat in my face I was as red as a tomato The shame, the humiliation, no matter how many times its happened, ive never gotten used to it.

I had to fight my urges to scream back, as they rushed by, or hurl my mountain dew at the back window.

Kisa, the proud image of Morticia Adam's protégé, had sunken into her clothes beside me.

"What an idiot." I muttered

Kisa didn't reply.

I hated the people in that truck. But only for a second.

I shrugged it off and I wrapped my sticky arm around Kisa's shoulder and pulled her in for a second and let her go again.

"I'm sorry." I said as she parted from me.

She snickered and without looking my way, "you know you don't have to say sorry. You did nothing to be sorry for."

And although she said it with conviction I couldn't help but feel ashamed.

I kept thinking about what would have happened if I'd just kept the jacket on. Maybe they would have just driven by without any unwanted remarks.

I slipped back on my jacket, and continued on, following Kisa's silent example.

I watched my feet as we traveled, thinking about the window rolling down, the head coming out, and all the things I could have said. Rehearsing it over and over, wishing for a different outcome.

A different reality, where I could stand up for myself, and not be embarrassed of my female body.

Coming from a backwater town with hardly any traffic, I still wasn't used to the constant catcalling anytime I walked down a busy road. I was also just a teen, and not used to the new shapes and curves my body had grown over summer previous.

When we finally reached a great expanse of green cool grass at the edge of a massive open park. A decorative fountain sprayed mist into the air and the occasional lucky breeze brought over the cold droplets.

First things first, the jackets came off and were thrown to the ground. All thoughts of the earlier humility vanished, as we flopped down onto the perfect resting spot.

We Laid with our backs pressing into the wet grass, letting our clothes soak up the droplets left by the fountain's mist.

We pointed out weird clouds in the sky and laughed about how strange we must look cloaked in black.

"But you saw what happened as soon as the hoodie came off." I remarked.

"We have to wear tents or else every creep and their grandma will say something"

It was an obvious exaggeration, but what else are teens good for?

Kisa snickered, "I know right. What's even the point? Nobody is gonna get a girl by screaming out their window."

We shared a good laugh and sat up.

"I guess we better get going." I said spontaneously, jumping up with my hands on my hips ready to go.

"I can hear the shaved ice calling us."

Kisa began to get up as well but took her time, gathering up her things one by one. I patiently waited beside her, not moving from my pose.

(I was a weird kid, okay?)

When yet again a car slowed as it approached the stretch of road we had stopped by.

I narrowed my eyes as the window began to roll down.

This time I was ready and when a younger man's head poked out of the window I beat him to the punch, "DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" I scream so loud my teeth rattle.

The man must have felt the rage in my voice because His face fell into an expression of shock and fear, and his head disappeared back into the vehicle, and it sped off

Not even a moment later, Kisa and I were rolling in the grass side by side laughing so hard it felt as if our sides would split.

I've never forgotten the look on that guy's face. And I still can't remember the shapes of the clouds and the smell of the wet grass.

But most of all I remember the victory of it all. A slip of a girl, full of teen insecurities, scaring off a full grown man.

After that we would always keep a close eye on passing cars whenever we walked, waiting for the next unsuspecting victim.

Eventually school started and as life would have it we had no classes together and we eventually grew apart. But I know I have a whole gallery of colorful memories with

Her in them, that I will always be able to visit during the days I feel loneliest.