Caroline's Creative Writing

First Love

I looked up, reaching out as I did, he took my hand a pulled me to his level. Swinging my leg over the beam, I shifted my weight onto it. Our gaze met, my heart leapt, butterflies in my stomach.

I was 15 and on a trip to the Royal Tournament in London with cadets. I had only agreed to go on the Army ‘Assault Course’ with some younger cadets for a giggle. Now I wasn’t laughing I was looking into his eyes, and it was love, actually love at first sight. I wanted to lean forward and kiss him. His hand still clutching mine tightly, I blushed, pulling it away. I swung my leg over and carried on around the assault course to the end. Collapsing into giggles on the floor with my friends, of course, they had no idea why my cheeks were flushed. Only I knew that, and the reason why my pulse racing. Laughing we all joined the queue to go again, my suggestion to try and beat our initial times, rubbish of course.

So round two of the assault course, I made sure that I went up the right side of the A-frame nets for him to need to help me again and give me a hand again he did. After several attempts to ‘beat our time,’ it was show time. Not that I could concentrate on the displays of unarmed combat, dogs or bands, all I could think about was that young soldier. Of course, I told myself that he would obviously be in a relationship and not interested in me, a silly 15-year-old.

I found myself counting down to the interval, hurrying my friends we rushed back to the Army stand. We raced around the course, but at the point on the nets where he should have been was another young soldier. I was heartbroken, he was nowhere to be seen. I could have cried, I felt like my life was over, dramatic I know, but that’s how it felt.

So off we went to look at other stalls, I trudged around, not actually paying attention to the other stalls. Then it happened, I saw him,  illuminated like a Greek God n the lights from the toilet doors. Okay yes, that did rather ruin the image, but I didn’t care was frozen in my tracks, unable to move. My friends followed my gaze, I swear you could see the penny drop as they giggled teasing me, suggestions of you fancy him, don’t you?. I, of course, denied it, my pink cheeks giving away my guilt. They pushed me towards him giggling, no this would never do he would think I was a child with them acting this way. I stopped them, I’ll speak to him I told them, they waited a safe distance, sniggering as I walked awkwardly over to him.

He was gorgeous, so handsome, closing my eyes now I can still see him, his every short military haircut, his blue eyes, his muscular arms stretching the fabric of his Army issue t-shirt, his chest. Sorry, I digress, so there he was in front of me, his fly undone, maybe that wasn’t the best chat up line. Excuse me your trousers are undone I had said, pointing at his groin, now it was his turn to blush; actually, we both blushed. He smiled at me hastily pulling up his zip, muttering something that sounded like a thank you. I cringed, was that the best I could do, the man of my dreams, the love of my life and I had just told him his zip was undone.

I quickly turned walking away, back to my friends, dying inside. I couldn’t look round, I’d blown it. Reaching my friends they asked what was wrong, I couldn’t tell them could I?

We carried on our tour of the stalls collecting gizzets, sorry freebies as we went. After getting a drink we went back towards our seats, I glanced over at the Army stall, there he was on top of the nets again. I tried to look away, but couldn’t he had caught my eyes with his, I could feel myself melting again, my breathing quickened, the colour rose in my cheeks, as he smiled and waved. I gulped and smiled back, paralysed again. He gestured to me to do the assault course again before I could stop them my friends had dragged me to the beginning, and we were queuing again.

Reaching the top of the nets he took my hand again, pulling me up to his level, and closer to him, his thigh brushed mine, our breathing heavy. We held each other's gaze, the rest of the world paling into insignificance, around us. His hand holding mine he smiled and asked my name and told me his, Marcus. His hands rough against the soft flesh of my own hands. My friends had all got bored and moved on to the end waiting for me impatiently. He kept hold of my hand and asked me to meet him after the show, I nodded and rushed back to my friends.

The second half felt like an eternity, my mind racing full of thoughts, I know nothing about him, except his first name and his regiment Queen’s our local regiment, that meant he must come from Kent or Sussex like me, perfect.

The grand finale over I slipped off to meet him behind the Army stall. Seeing me approach he smiled and hurried over to me, he took my hands in his, his eyes ran up and down my body, ‘Kiss Me’ I wanted to shout, but didn’t. He took a deep breath, told me that this may be silly, but he liked me, liked me a lot. He seemed so sincere, I blushed said the feeling was a mutual one. I took a deep breath told him I was almost 16, well I was only 3 months off, and I lived in Eastbourne.  He was 18 and lived in Crawley, so perfect.

I could see my friends in the distance calling me as we had to go and catch our coach. No, I didn’t want this moment to end, I wanted to stay there with him forever. We exchanged addresses and promised to write. That's when it happened, he pulled me closer, his hands slipped around my waist, and he pressed his body against mine and kissed me, it was incredible, my knees went weak, no really, I know it’s a cliche, but they did.

Rushing off I caught up with my friends, chatting all the way to the coach, some of the lads teasing me, the girls all wanting to know what he had said. Within minutes of boarding to coach, however, most were asleep, but I couldn't sleep. I gazed out of the window at the city lights speeding by, but I didn’t see them, all I saw was his face, I could still smell his aftershave on me, taste his kiss, feel his body against mine.

I was in love, real love.

I think.

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