Fake Summer Boyfriend

For a split second I thought something was wrong, then realized it was me. I had inadvertently cornered her, caging her in against the tile wall.

Immediately I jumped to the side, then held out my hand on the surface of the water. She took it, but her eyes were still tense.

“Hayden,” I said as softly as possible, “I’m sorry, but can I ask...at some point in your past, did a big guy invade your personal space?”

Her eyes snapped shut as she nodded. “There were two of them.”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” I said, stroking her palm with my thumb. “But it might help.”

“It was all so fast,” she said, with her eyes still closed. “I went to see a band with my friend, and was alone for two minutes, standing with my back against the wall. Then those guys…” She shuddered, but I squeezed her hand to help her continue.

“They were so huge it was like they were everywhere,” she whispered in a tiny, halting voice. “I knew in that second that they could have done anything to me. Just picked me up and walked out. There would have been nothing I could do.”

“Then what happened?”

“My friend came back and yelled at them, but I was already shaking.”

“You can’t stand the thought of not being in control,” I said gently. “I completely understand that. Which is why it’s bothering you even more to have someone following you all the time.”

Her eyes opened, as a single tear fell down her cheek.

“I would never want to frighten you, gorgeous,” I said slowly. “I want to keep you safe, and never make you feel cornered. Trapped.”

“I don’t think you could,” she said hesitantly.

“But it’s natural to still have the fear,” I explained. “When a very primal fear is triggered, the same stimulus can create echoes for years.”

Hayden blinked hard as she looked up at me. “So I guess you being a big guy is the same stimulus?”

I nodded. “But maybe we can break the cycle. I hope so.”

“How do we do that?”

Taking her hands, I put them on my shoulders. “Push m e hard, and yell for me to get back.”

She smirked, eyes twinkling. “I’m not going to yell at you.”

“Ow. Please.” I clutched my side dramatically. “That spot that hurts whenever you’re upset…it’s flaring up a bit.”

Hayden’s beautiful laugh sounded like she was starting to relax again. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Yes. I am. But do as I say anyway. Please.”

Standing perfectly still in front of her, I waited. Hayden took a breath, then shoved the front of my shoulders, not even hard enough to make me wobble. “Get back."

“Again. Ten times louder.”

I was impressed that she actually took a step closer, and used her body weight a bit this time as she pushed me. “Get back!”

“Again. Remember, no guy wants to deal with an obnoxious girl. Be a pain in the ass.”

After taking a moment to collect herself, Hayden jumped through the water, shoving me so hard I actually took a small step backwards as she yelled, “Get back.”

“Damn, well done,” I grinned.

Then I froze. “I really want to throw my arms around you and spin you through the water,” I said. “Permission to twirl and squish you?”

Hayden nodded, then squealed as I grabbed her, dipping to scoop under her legs so that I carried her in my arms a foot above the water.