The TREE
Their Tree It was their tree even before they knew they would be together. It stood on a patch of ragged grass on the junction of his road and the road that led to hers. There she would wait, her heart beating fast in her chest in anticipation of seeing him. He would always be late, and she would watch him, satchel beating time on his back as he ran to meet her. His smile matching hers as they walked to school side by side not touching although she would feel the heat from his body and smell the soap clean scent of him as they walked. It was their tree on not quite dusk evenings when all but a few had been called to bed and only they and the older boys were still out. In summer, the branches weighed heavy with clover shaped leaves that formed a green waterfall behind which they were hidden and alone. Then, leant against its trunk oblivious to the roughness of the bark, they would kiss, eyes closed, l...