He tells me to block out the world, focus on where I'm looking. Stare them down, but don't think about it.
He's showing me how to keep a straight face, because he knows I can never hide a smile.
He talks slowly, holding my arm. "Just look them in the eye, and think nothing of what you see or what they're saying. Focus on your perferal vision."
I can't do it. I can't not smile when he's standing this close, locking my gaze. I nod my head like I really am paying attention to my perferal, but those green eyes got me.
The light is on him, making them glow a sea green, the flecks of brown in them look darker. His long eyelashes get tangled whenever he blinks, which is a lot.
His hand slides down my arm to my hand and he leans in, closer, closer. "You're it!" He squeezes my hand one last time before dashing off down the hall and shutting his door behind him.
I smile and turn out of his living room, searching for a victim to tag. Ah, victory, I found his little brother hiding in the closet behind the vaccum. I yell "No tag backs!" and wait 'til he's on the other end of the house before going off to find Mr. Perferal Vision.
I open and close his door quietly. It's dark, I can't even see my hand in front of my face, but I hear him. I know that pair of lungs and that beating heart. "Boo." He whispers from behind me. He's so quiet, the way he moves. I turn and giggle and we bonk noses. Closer than we thought. His hands find mine and I lean my forehead against his.
"You better not be it," I can hear the smile in his voice.
"What if I am?" I tilt my head to the side and smile, even though he can't see it. He laughs and I feel him shrug.
He hears the footsteps before I do, and tells me to shush while he pulls us into the closet to hide from his little brother. I'm cramped up against his snowboard and he's peeking out of the crack watching his brother search his room. His brother thinks we aren't here.
The rule is you can't turn on any lights, because it gives away hiding spots, but what six year old is going to obey that?
He groans because his brother saw him. "I told you! You have to leave the lights off!" He opens the door only enough to show himself. He's still hiding me.
"I got scared!" His brother pouts up to him, using his cute-little-kid voice.
"Ugh, alright, you've got ten seconds to go hide," He's such a softie to kids, something I have always loved about him. His brother squeals and bolts out the door and down the hall.
I'm still in the closet, and he turned off the light again and shut the door. It's ten o'clock at night and there is absolutely no light in the room. I'm scared he left me standing here like an idiot. I can't see anything. I have my head poking out of the closet, trying to adjust my eyes when, Bam!
I feel his breath on my cheek, arms around my back, and best of all, his lips against mine. Finally.