When Lightning Strikes

Noah's eyes stopped on his watch for the twenty-seventh time, his mind wondering if it was too late to cancel. Not that he actually wanted to...

Usually, the pendulum clock his grandfather had given him filled the silence with a loud, rhythmic tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock. But in that moment, all Noah could hear was his own uneven, stuttering heartbeat.

It was the heart of July, and the weather forecast had warned everyone to be prepared for a thunderstorm. But it had been a week – no thunder, no lightning, not a single drop of rain. The past few days had been so hot and humid that it felt as if the whole world had been dipped in lukewarm water and never fully dried. And even now, at quarter to ten, the temperature didn't feel much different from noon.

Noah had been successful at suppressing the memories of high school for the past few years, but they came back after making plans with Julie – more vividly than ever before.

As he got dressed, the laughter and whispers of a gym full of his classmates and Rebecca’s words, from years ago, echoed in his ears.

"Pfha... ha... ha... ha... You really thought... Ha... ha,"

He shook his head as if that was going to shake the memory out of him.

Noah looked at himself in the mirror but failed to see the man he was. He still saw that skinny sixteen-year-old boy with braces and hunched shoulders staring back at him. He could almost feel the tears that had welled up when Rebecca’s voice had crushed him.

He took a couple of deep breaths, forcing himself to calm.

There wasn't a single minute to waste anymore. He grabbed the rose he'd bought earlier, dried off its stem, and ran downstairs taking two steps at a time, and darted out of the front door.

Noah had invited Julie to the Sunset Cinema. A small movie theater, whose sales dropped for obvious reasons every year in summer, came up with an idea to do an outdoor showing of old classics every Saturday at sunset at a local park.

The weather was actually quite nice. Granted, it was still hot and humid, but the sky was cloudy, and a gentle breeze stirred the air from time to time. The clouds hung low, evoking the feeling of being in a childhood blanket fort.

Noah turned the corner and noticed Julie sitting on the edge of the fountain. He quickly checked the time, fearing he might be late. The clock hands, along with the lighter spot in the clouds where the sun was hiding, told him it hadn't yet set, confirming he still had a couple of minutes to spare – she was just early.

Julie had her back to Noah, slowly running her fingertips back and forth through the water. Her dark hair was in a high updo, almost at the very top of her head. It was a swirly, slightly messy bun, with a couple of braids intertwined and a few wavy locks hanging loose. The pale yellow sundress with thin shoulder straps she had on contrasted beautifully with her tanned skin. She wore simple white sneakers and an analog watch – which caught Noah’s attention immediately – along with a thin golden necklace.

"Hi, Julie," said Noah quietly, smitten with the sight of her.

She looked up, and her light grey eyes sparkled. There was a barely noticeable blush on her cheeks when she looked at Noah and the rose in his hand. Then again, it might just as easily have been a sun-kiss from earlier, since the afternoon had been hot and sunny.

"Hi, Noah," she said in her velvety voice as she got up.

"I, uh... got this is for you,"

"That’s for you," they said at the same time – Noah handing Julie the rose and Julie reaching out with a plastic cup of juice for him.

"I figured we were both dying from the heat, and a little refreshment seemed like a good idea," she said with a smile, taking a sip from her almost-empty iced coffee.

Julie noticed Noah glancing at her cup and then at the one she had given him and smirked slightly, one eyebrow raised. Before he could say anything, she buried her nose in the rose and inhaled deeply.

"I noticed you sipping grapefruit juice at the bookstore the other day, so I figured this was a safer choice than coffee."

"Thank you," he said, still unable to take his eyes off her. Julie had this glow about her – she was the kind of girl who lit up from head to toe by just smelling the rose.

"It's almost sunset. Should we get going?" asked Julie, reaching out her hand.

Just like that, she took Noah’s hand in hers. Like it wasn’t a gesture that required at least an hour of preparation, a couple of skipped heartbeats, and embarrassingly sweaty palms. She simply took his hand and started walking. Well, Noah did the skipped heartbeat part anyway – can’t lose all the tradition, you know.

"So, is bringing a rose your signature move on dates?" Julie teased, smelling the flower in her hand again.

"Yeah, thanks," Rebecca said quickly, throwing the rose into her locker and banging the door shut. "Let’s go now."

Noah felt the blood rush to his cheeks, and he cursed his pale skin which never left anything to hide.

"Well... you’re the first real date I’ve had since... in a long time, so I guess I do," he said, taking a sip of his juice, trying not to think about the previous time he had brought a rose on a date.

He hadn't planned to buy one today, but his grandfather had made him promise that he would. He'd said a gentelman always brings flowers for his date and Noah liked the idea... it was just that the last time hadn't gone so well.

"It’s so beautiful, thank you again."

As they turned the corner, a crowd approached, carrying popcorn and drink cups. Noah and Julie exchanged a glance and quickened the pace. From a distance, a guy carrying two foldable chairs, shouted toward the gate. "I’m sorry, guys. We had to cancel tonight's showing because of the weather forecast. A storm's coming, and we have to pack up. We’ll try again next week," said the guy as he continued stacking the folding chairs into a van.

"Do you want to reschedule?" asked Noah, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.

"No way! Let’s go for a walk, at least until the big, terrifying storm comes," Julie gently pulled Noah by the arm.

"So, how long have you been working at the bookstore?"

"Actually, my aunt owns it. We used to visit her every summer with my mom and dad and I used to beg to go with her whenever she went to the store. I remember playing in the shop while my aunt worked, and as I got older, she gave me a few responsibilities as well." Her gaze drifted somewhere far, and she smiled when telling the story of her aunt and the bookstore.

"And now? Are you visiting for the summer again?" Noah asked. He really tried, but the fear of her answer echoed through the question.

"Actually, I graduated in June, and I work remotely, so I don’t really have anywhere I need to go, and I thought I'd spend some more time with my aunt so she wouldn't be so lonely..." She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, trying to read his expression.

"What about you? Have you always lived here? Did you go to school here?"

"Yes and no," he said hesitantly. She slowed her step to look at him, trying to read what was left unsaid.

"I’m not from here originally, but my grandparents live in a village just outside the town. I spent all my summers and Christmases there, and after... umm... after my parents died, I moved here to live with them, and I finished the last two years of high school here."

"I’m so sorry about your parents... Do you want to talk about them? But we don’t have to, if you're not comfortable with it."

"It's okay, but perhaps next time?" said Naoh with a quiet smile.

Julie came to a full stop and hugged Noah out of nowhere. She wrapped her arms around him so suddenly that he had no time to react. His arms stuck at his sides, he was locked in her embrace.

Noah had never seen a girl like her. Julie surprised him at every turn. She didn’t seem to care much what others might think. She was grounded and free and never made a big deal out of anything. And now, there she was – in the middle of a park, hugging him, pressing her cheek to his chest, so close that he could smell her shampoo. It smelled of coconut and sunrise.

The lanterns in the park turned on, making the surroundings even cozier than before.

A sudden breeze rustled through the leaves above their heads, bringing unexpected lightness. They looked up at the treetops thinking of the storm. It wasn’t here yet, but something was changing.

Suddenly, they heard music nearby. Julie looked around, trying to pinpoint where it was coming from.

"Is that live music?" she asked, excitedly.

Noah, still trying to locate the source, nodded. "I think it is. Sounds like a swing band."

"That is so cool! Where's it coming from?" She grabbed his hand again and started walking in the direction of the music. As they got closer, she let go, bouncing to the rhythm and tossing their empty cups into a bin by the road mid-dance.

"I watched a YouTube tutorial once on swing dance. I think I still remember something."

She was like a fairy – flitting up and down, gliding side to side – trying to keep pace with the rhythm of the song. The golden lantern light made her look like she’d stepped out of a fairytale. Her dancing, paired with the gentle breeze, made her dress sway, and Noah could swear at certain angles it looked like she was surrounded by pixie dust. Leaning against a tree by the trail, he felt his heart beating almost as loud as the band was playing – and just as off-rhythm as Julie's dancing. His smile widened with each off-beat step Julie took.

"Oh no, I think I was supposed to step back somewhere at some point..." she laughed, resting her hands on her knees, leaning forward to catch her breath.

Noah felt like his heart was about to jump out of his chest, but he ignored that and walked up to Julie, pointing down at his feet.

"Okay, so this is called East Coast Swing," he said. "You start with your right foot, step behind your left one, and step back onto your left foot – that's called a rock-step. Then you do a triple step to your right. Small steps – side, together, side – right, left, right. And then back again with the same triple step – left, right, left. And then you start over with the rock-step." He demonstrated the whole thing as he explained.

Noah asked Rebecca for a dance, trying to put his arm on her waist to lead her to the dance floor, just as he had been taught.

"What are you doing? Let’s dance like normal people," she said, pulling away from him. She stood facing him, swaying from side to side.

Julie stared at him in silence, stunned. With a budding smile on her lips, she took a step closer and reached for his waiting hand.

"Where do I put my left hand?" she asked.

"Rest it on my shoulder or on my back, just behind my shoulder, however you feel more comfortable." He smiled back at her, adjusting their joined hands in front of them.

"Right foot behind the left... yes... and triple step... then back the same way. Well done!"

A couple of practice rounds later, Julie tugged Noah toward the music and straight onto the dance floor. This was the first time Noah felt truly confident and didn’t hesitate before stepping forward. He followed Julie to the dance floor, quickly corrected their form, and then mouthed, "Five, six, seven, eight."

They moved together so naturally, as if they had done this hundreds of times before. It felt like the other’s moves – hands, shoulders, waist, breath, and even heartbeats – were familiar and at home. Julie’s eyes were frightened, asking for directions when Noah turned her in front of him under his arm.

"Don’t worry, all the steps are the same; only the direction changes. Just like we practiced," smiled Noah and held out his other hand in case Julie needed it. The song ended, and Noah bowed slightly, smiling at the girl in front of him. She looked into his eyes in a way he couldn't quite understand, as if she saw straight into his soul.

"Where did you learn to dance like this?" she asked, panting and swiping her hand across her forehead.

"My grandparents used to be ballroom dancers when they were young, and later on, they taught swing dance at the community center. I used to go with them to their classes every chance I got. Grandpa always said that dancing is a skill like fixing a bike – you might not need it every day, but when you do, it’s a lifesaver."

"I like your grandpa!" she said, laughing out loud. "I bet you're a lot like him," she added with a smile.

"Alright, people, this is our last song for tonight," announced the lead singer of the band.

"One more dance?" Noah bowed, and reached out his hand surprised at where that kind of courage had come from.

"I’d love to!" said Julie with a wide smile and an exaggerated curtsy.

They twisted and turned from one end of the floor to the other, Noah sometimes mouthing, "Right, left, right," for Julie when she happened to miss a step. He twirled her under his arm as the saxophone held the final note of the song. Julie almost lost her balance, but Noah caught her with ease. They laughed as the music faded out.

Two hearts beat loudly within inches of each other, palms pressed together, fingers interlaced, eyes locked, faces so close they could feel each other’s shivering breath.

The slow dance had just ended, and Rebecca had even placed her hands on Noah’s shoulder. She was now getting suspiciously close, and Noah had seen enough movies to know what this meant. His heart pounded and palms sweated as he leaned in closer – when suddenly Rebecca burst out laughing. "Pfha...ha...ha...ha... You really thought.... Ha..ha." The gym full of classmates were all staring at them, whispering, laughing, and pointing fingers. Noah felt the tears welling up and his throat prickling. He ran out of the school, promising never to go back.

Noah looked into the eyes of a beautiful girl in front of him, and the bitter, familiar prickling feeling in his throat returned. Julie tilted her face up, her lips just an inch from Noah’s. She didn’t know the reason, but the panic in his eyes was loud.

Noah exhaled slowly, almost certain the people around them were staring again and about to burst into laughter, when suddenly Julie raised her hands and placed her palms on his cheeks. She had never seen anyone try so hard not to break. Afraid of doing the wrong thing, she just held his face, looking into his eyes – nothing more, nothing less.

Noah felt his heart in his throat, but the prickling sensation slowly began to dissolve and was replaced by a gentle, butterfly-like flutter in his stomach. No one was paying them any attention, and the most gorgeous girl he'd evenr seen was standing in front of him, her hands still on his cheeks. His heart was still pounding, but it had slowed. He closed his eyes, and with this newfound courage, erased the fragile inch between them, brushing his lips against hers in a kiss as tender and light as a breath.

The moment their lips touched, the lightning flashed above their heads, turning the black night sky bright white and purple. Then, as if someone had tipped over a bucket of water, the sky opened up and rain poured down, the deafening roar of thunder accompanying the cloudburst. They were soaked within seconds.

Their faces tilted up to the sky, they started laughing, wrapped in each other’s arms. Noah linked his arms around Julie’s back, pulling her closer. She rose on her tiptoes, sliding her hands onto his strong shoulders and around the back of his neck. Their soaked clothes clung to their bodies, and the wind ruffled their hair as he kissed her again – with the storm around them, in them, and between them.