Sixteen
She wiped her hair with her thin pale fingers to keep the frizzies down. Her new blue jean coat was a little loose but she liked being able to pull it around her in the chill of the night. In the lobby, the doorman, wearing a brown coat with the number 3920 on his lapel, rocked in his chair monotonously. She thought about knocking on the glass to get his attention, but instead picked up the rotary phone to let him know she was at the door. The old wooden door with small stained glass on the perimeter buzzed and she pushed it open into the dimly lit lobby. The doorman slowly glanced over, and got up to bring her up to the 7th floor. The elevator smelled like department store cologne and old wood. The metal door closed loudly and the jolt pulled them up to the 7th floor. She smiled shyly at the doorman and readjusted her coat again. The door opened and he was standing there in his new polo shirt crisp from the cleaners, circular glasses, and rosy lips- the ones she remembered staring at in World History class freshman year. They exchanged hurried hellos and had a hug that at first felt awkward but then felt sublime- she didn’t want it to end.
The house was old and had the character of an antique English estate with carved out bookshelves and intricate woodworking in every corner. A picture of a half-naked woman hugging a tree caught her eye as she walked down the hallway to his room. She brushed his side as they approached the entryway. His room was small but tidy with a tight knit teal carpet. She looked down at her sandals and curled her toes, a nervous habit she’d had since she could remember. She commented on the Stand By Me film poster in the corner and they laughed together as they imitated Mr. Duffy who would always sing the Lollipop song and stick his finger in his mouth to make the pop sound. It was always a weird moment in their Lit class but they enjoyed his eccentric humor.
He opened the window to the fire escape in the room. It had two locks on the top, and he struggled slightly to lift it all the way up. She looked at the back of his neck and how his dark hair fell behind his ears and felt a tingling in her stomach. They climbed through the window and sat next to each other on the metal staircase which made indents on the back of her legs. She put her fingers through the grate and rubbed the back of the metal. They looked out onto the lake- only a small sliver visible through the buildings. The night stars clustered in the sky above the water and the street lights glowed on their faces. He leaned forward and clasped his hands together over his knees as they stared out on the city streets. They talked for over an hour but also sat together for moments of quiet observing the night. He put his hand next to hers on the metal staircase and she tapped her feet anxiously. He looked over at her and touched the back of her jean jacket. She glanced away and smiled like a child about to get a piece of chocolate.
They were sixteen.