Boy, she calls someone

The auburn fringe that was her bangs dangled in front of her eyes in a way that he found pleasing most of the time. She was aware.

The reflection of her red skirt on the water attracted the minnows swirling in the lake just below her bare feet.

She seemed off to him today. Save for her hair, everything else about her seemed different; he didn't like this.

They soon left the dock and walked down the dirt road back to town.

"How 'bout we stop by Sweeney's for a cone?" He asked hopefully.

"Ice cream sounds good." She said sedately.

Inside the malt shoppe they sat on opposite sides of a red vinyl booth.

He stared at her over the brim of his parfait glass, slurping his milkshake. He watched her take a lick of vanilla ice cream and then blinked, opening his eyes just in time to see her take that first bite of cone.

Well, at least she is eating her ice cream, he thought. That is a good sign.

She looked up from her cone and saw him observing her. He smiled. She was going to smile back, but just then a piece of her red hair got caught in her white ice cream, and when she reached to remove the strand, she dropped her cone on the floor.

What was wrong with her?

After their snack they went to the arcade. He played a game of pinball while she leaned against the side of the machine, dreamily holding her head up with the back of her dainty hand. He broke the record and she smiled at him.

Now it was her turn, and he was watching from behind, peering over her shoulder.

What was going on? She didn't even get the bonus ball. She always got the bonus ball. Hell, she usually got the multi-ball most times.

He reluctantly walked her home after a few more games, as dusk was fast approaching.

Standing on her front porch, she kissed him softly on the cheek and then paused, slightly tilting her head up so her lips were just below his ear. She whispered, "Today, my hair was just a mess."

He walked down the road again, this time alone, towards home.