Shortly Before The End

The bed is in shadow. He turns from it and looks at Lizzie by the window. She's brought him upstairs on a pretext and he wonders how her mother could have let it happen. She seems to lower her head into her shoulders a little, which slightly alarms him, then playfully scrunches up her face at him. Kicking off her sandals she briefly runs her thumbs under the shoulder straps of her dress, and lets it drop to her waist. Then she tip-toes fast towards him, and he plays his part in her drama by winking at the scrunched-up face. He puts out his hands to meet her bare and thin arms, then seeing the outline of her young bust springing towards him, he switches on a look of melodramatic surprise which he fancies conceals any growing anxiety he might be feeling. As they clash together, she thrusts her palms against his, pushes him back on to the bed and leaps on top. He's surprised to find her panting a little. Straightway she has raised herself on her arms and presses her hips against his. Now, with sparkling eyes, she waits for everything that her imagination has been leading her to expect. The boy, blushing furiously for he has already been in love with her for many months, gazes up at her, takes her jaw in his hand, and smiles uncomfortably. She raises herself on her knees and looks down at his flat crotch. They both do.