Page 62 of The Secret to Belonging

he tucks a lock of hair behind your ear

who do you rival?

no one, you say

i am always eclipsed

then he bends down

and you smell soap

and your heart stops

and he kisses you

so gently

and you taste beer

on his lips

soft lips and warm

then he stops

and looks at you

okay? he says

the same word

in both languages

his eyes are somber

earnest

okay, you smile

and

reach for him

the second time he kisses you

you lose your balance

you start to fall backward and know

you are going to land on your ass in a snowbank

and he’s going to laugh at you

and tell his friends at the club, speaking Norwegian

so fast and full of slang that even if you were there

you wouldn’t be able to follow