Hot Summer Day

A fourteen-year-old Ethan sat on a shady bench, sucking on what in his mind was the most refreshing popsicle he had ever had. The summer had been hot, but today in particular seemed especially oppressive. The popsicle was certainly helping quite a bit, but what he really wanted was to get back to his grandparents and the comfort of the airconditioner, however...

"Fuck this is good!" Charlie slurps, her popsicle-eating technique awkwardly loud. "Isn't this so much better than being inside?"

Ethan casts a glance over at her, trying not to balk. She had basically **** him to come into town with her, dragging him the whole way to get popsicles. At least she paid for it. Charlie was an outside kid, Ethan had come to understand over the years, and the idea of spending an afternoon inside too her was the epitome of a waste.

Sighing, realizing he had yet to answer her, Ethan grumbles "It's fine."

"Told ya," Charlie bumps her shoulder into Ethan's slightly, the action one she did from time to time, when they found the occasion to sit next to each other. Sucking at his popsicle slightly, Ethan reflects that he had only really noticed it recently, and she only seemed to do it when they were alone. Which was also, Ethan considered, something that seemed to come up more and more.

Loud slurping breaks the train of thought, Ethan's attention turning to the source of the noise. Charlie was back at it. She was sucking the popsicle with quite a bit of enthusiasm, basically shoving the whole thing into her mouth repeatedly. The technique was effective, surely, but something about it felt... Off.

It almost looked like she was sucking a-

Ethan shook his head, trying to shake away the thought, yet still kept his eyes on the dusky girl next to him.

Really looking at her now, Ethan notes small beads of sweat running down her well-tanned neck and shoulders, which were largely exposed given her choice to wear a tank top today. Eyes wander, Ethan can plainly see her bra poking out slightly from under it, serving as a gentle reminder that Charlie was, in fact, a girl.

A growing girl.

Starting for a bit too long, Charlie must have felt his gaze. Turning her head and facing him. Removing the popsicle with an audible 'pop', she gives him a quizzical look. "What?"

"Uh..." Ethan suddenly feels his shin ache, remembering receiving a swift kick to it from Charlie not all that long ago. "Nothing, I was just..." he shrugs. "Zoning out."

Charlie's lips purse, her expression inscrutable. "Zoning out?"

"Yeah." Ethan resumes his work on his popsicle, trying to fain innocence.

A very tiny twitch in Charlie's expression heralds the coming of something, but before it can manifest, Charlie starts to look past Ethan. "Ah, fuck...."

Following her gaze, Ethan starts to turn, but Charlie hisses at him, stopping his neck in his tracks.

"Don't look. It's Sam."

"Sam?" Ethan asked, having heard the name before, but not quite able to match it to a face. He starts to turn again, but Charlie sputters out another hiss. "What?"

"Don't look!" Her tone his sharp, but quiet, becoming hushed.

"Why?"

"Becau- Oh shit."

"Huh?" Faintly, the sound of steps catches Ethan's ear.

Whomever Sam is, they seem to be very close. Charlie mouths 'Don't look', not saying it a loud.

The footsteps are very close now, and the sound of an unfamilar voice reaches Ethan's ear.

"Charlie, hey!"