Page 58 - Contrast2012

George closes his eyes. It was a conflicting memory, one he
would rather forget, but couldn't bear to lose. "We went swimming:'
George lets the words escape him.

"Actually, we went swimming drunk:' Linda corrects him,
laughing as she starts to tie her long blonde hair into a ponytail. "We
were out there for at least an hour swimming in the lake, and we even
left before you and Mark."

Mark turns toward him, giving him a secret smile, a smile in
a photograph you might find at the bottom of a memorabilia box. It's a
smile locked away, dusty, but still full of yearning. George thinks about
pulling it out and brushing away the dust, but he can't.

George lets his eyes wander back to the bubbles floating to
the top of the water cooler, popping at the surface. Since he only had
four beers that night, he remembers everything as clearly as the words,
"HONESTY IS GOLD" written in bold on the poster in the break
room.

After Linda and Ethan had left, he and Mark were alone in
the water that night. Treading water around each other, they talked for
hours about everything, letting their floating feet inch closer to each
other. George remembered telling Mark dreams and secrets kept since
college, since high school, since childhood. He felt comfortable. It
wasn't just the secluded trees or the alcohol inhis body. It was natural.
It was like an innocent game of Truth or Dare behind the slide on the
playground.

Finally, their feet touched and Mark smiled. George, without
thinking, let his hands tread closer to Mark's bare chest. Then Mark
grabbed a hold of George's hand gently, pulling him towards him.

Too scared, George turned from him and started to swim
to the shore of the lake, to safety, to the towel and dress clothes from
the conference waiting for him, drooped on the branch of a dark tree.
Before he could swim far enough away, Mark grabbed hold of George
again, pulling him into his arms. And George let him. It was a place to
wash away and be clean.

"What did you guys even do that night?" Ethan says, waking
George up. "You both didn't get back to the hotel for hours."

Mark looks at George with a worried face.

56 I contrast