Page 9 of Saving Little Clark

"Alex? Brody?" I called out, spinning in a circle. But all I could see was an endless sea of greenery, the cheerful sounds of the festival long faded away. I was alone, in the middle of a huge wooded park, with no idea how to get back to my friends or the parking lot.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I sank to the ground, my back against a towering oak tree. I felt so foolish, so childish for letting myself get carried away.

My hand drifted to my pocket, feeling for the secret stash I always carried with me for moments like these. I pulled out a colorful binky. I hated that I needed it, but I couldn't deny the instant wave of calm that washed over me as I slipped it between my lips, the familiar weight and texture soothing my frayed nerves.

I closed my eyes, letting my mind drift back to simpler times. Specifically, to the day I met Alex in our freshman graphic design class. I had been a wreck that first week of college, overwhelmed and out of my depth. But Alex had taken one lookat me - all gangly limbs and nervous energy - and decided we were going to be best friends.

"You've got a good eye," he had told me, peering over my shoulder at the logo I was sketching. "Rough around the edges, but that's what I like about it. Stick with me, kid, and we'll take this place by storm."

And just like that, I had an ally, a partner in crime to navigate the treacherous waters of college with. Alex never once judged me for my quirks or anxieties - not even when he discovered my stack of pull-ups and sippy cups tucked away in my closet.

I could still remember the look on his face when he found them - not disgust or mockery, but something softer, almost tender. "Hey, no shame in needing a little comfort now and then," he said, tossing me a pack of dinosaur-printed training pants. "I still sleep with my ratty old teddy bear from kindergarten. We've all got our things."

He never minded discovering my Little side, like drinking out of sippy cups or snuggling with a stuffed animal at night. He accepted me for who I was, quirks and all. Even when the whispers started spreading around campus about the “closeted Little”, Alex shut that shit down with swiftness and ferocity.

"Anyone who has a problem with my boy Clark can take it up with me," he declared once in the cafeteria, glaring around the room. "And trust me, you do not want to see my angry kitten impersonation. I've been practicing."

I smiled around my binky now at the memory, a soft chuckle escaping my throat. Regressing to my Little state, I wanted nothing more than for Alex to appear and scoop me up inone of his trademark bear hugs, promising me everything would be alright.

A distant shout pierced through the haze of my daydream.

"Clark! Where are you, buddy?"

I jolted back to reality, hiding the binky in my pocket.

"Over here!" I called out, my voice cracking slightly. I cleared my throat and tried again. "By the big oak tree!"

A beat of silence, then the crashing of foliage and pounding of footsteps growing closer. I pushed myself to my feet just as Alex and Brody burst into the small clearing, their faces etched with concern.

"Jesus Christ, Clark, you scared the shit out of us!" Alex exclaimed, pulling me into a fierce hug. "We thought you'd been kidnapped by pirates or something."

Despite my embarrassment at being found in such a state, I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of his statement. "Alex, we're the pirates, remember?"

Brody was now approaching me with slow, measured steps, as if trying not to spook a frightened animal. "Hey," he said softly, his brow furrowed with gentle concern. "Are you alright? You look like you've been through the wringer."

I realized my face was still streaked with tears, my eyes red and puffy from crying. Mortified, I quickly swiped at my cheeks with the back of my hand, trying to erase the evidence of my childish breakdown.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I mumbled, avoiding his gaze. "Just got a little turned around, that's all. Stupid of me, really."

"It's not stupid at all," Brody assured me, pulling a brightly colored handkerchief from his pocket. "Here, why don't you dry your eyes with this? It's much softer than your sleeve."

I hesitated for a moment, torn between the desire to maintain some shred of dignity and the urge to accept his thoughtful gesture. In the end, I reached for the handkerchief, my fingers accidentally brushing against his in the process.

A jolt of electricity shot through me at the contact. Brody's skin was warm and slightly calloused. I wondered what those hands would feel like on other parts of my body.

"You know," Brody said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I've been known to get lost a time or two myself. Once, I accidentally wandered into the women's bathroom at a bar because I was too busy texting to pay attention to the signs."

I let out a surprised laugh, some of the tension easing from my shoulders. "Oh yeah? How'd that work out for you?"

He grinned, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Let's just say I got a lot of strange looks and one very indecent proposal. Apparently, drunk girls really like a man who's confident enough to barge into their restroom uninvited."

"I can only imagine," I chuckled, shaking my head. "Well, I'm glad I'm not the only directionally challenged one here. Makes me feel a little less pathetic."

"Hey, you're not pathetic at all," Brody said firmly, holding my gaze. "You just got a little overwhelmed, that's all. It happens to the best of us. And listen, if you want, I can stick close by for the rest of the treasure hunt. You know, just in case you need a hand or a friendly face."

My heart skipped a beat at his offer, equal parts thrilled and terrified by the prospect of spending more time in hisintoxicating presence. "Oh, you don't have to do that," I said, even as a traitorous part of me screamedyes please. "I don't want to be a burden."

"You could never be a burden," Brody insisted, taking a step closer. His proximity made my skin tingle with anticipation. "I'd be more than happy to be your personal bodyguard. Or navigator. Or whatever else you need me to be."

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