Okay, there's Tish. Don't freak out. She just wants to talk. Don't freak out. She isn't going to suddenly hate you. Unless she does. What if she does?

My vision starts to blur. No, don't freak out. I feel light-headed. Am I supposed to feel light-headed?

"Hey, Story Boy," Tish's voice cuts through the dull throbbing that is beginning to cloud my thoughts; "what's wrong with you?" My vision clears, the throbbing disappears. I manage a smile.

"Uh, sorry. Just a bit nervous." I walk over to her, where she's perched in the same spot I found her yesterday. "What's up with you and sitting on top of covered slides?"

"The power, man. The power." She slides over and pats the spot next to her. "Don't you remember when we were kids?"

"We'd climb up here when my parents weren't looking," I grin.

"So much power, on top of the slide. We were on top of the world." Tish nudges me, staring straight ahead, now that I'm up on the slide next to her. "Ya know what else is special about this slide?"

"Hmm... I- I can't think of anything," I reply, my eyebrows furrowing in deep thought. I know there's something special about it. Oh, wait a second. "Wait, this is where you told me about your parents getting, er, divorced."

Tish drags her hand across her face. "Well, thanks for bringing up those great memories, Tag." I wince. Oops. "You're great at this. No, you idiot." She looks straight into my eyes. "This is where we became friends."

Oh, Yeah. That. Oops. Crap, probably should've remembered that. Uh.

"Um, yeah, I knew that! We were here... after school, and then-"

"It was for the county fair, Tag. Don't even try."

Memories flood in. I remember being walked over to the playground by my older sister. I remember seeing a girl climbing up on top of a slide and clutching her knees to her chest. I remember how, when my sister told me to stay where she could see me and then walked over to chat with some of her friends from school, I walked straight to the girl on the slide.

"You had gotten Spiderman painted onto your face," she grins. " Even though you were ten years old. You were convinced he was the best superhero ever."

"He is!" I exclaim, throwing my hands out and almost losing my balance on the slide. Once I've recovered, I continue. "He can shoot webs and he has an awesome outfit. How is that not the best superhero ever?"

"Psh, Superman is better." Tish punches me in the arm.

"Hey, you said that when we first met. It doesn't make it any truer," I shrug.

"You know, I had another hero after that day," she looks down.

"Hannah Montana?" I kid, nudging her arm.

And there goes the hand across the face again. Man, I should be a professional facepalm-causer.

"You. Are. An idiot, Tag."

"Nah, you know you love me."

"That's what I'm trying to say" Tish gets out.

I barely manage a small "oh." Well, 'guess I don't have to worry about her hating me.

"All those years with my parents, and the bullying, and so many other things; but you stayed the same. You always met me on top of the slide; you always listened. You were always there for me." Tish looks up at me instead of the oh-so-interesting picnic table she'd been staring at. "You are the hero of my story, Tag."

Oh.
O-oh. What do I say to that? Um. SCREW IT! JESTER MODE ACTIVATE.

"I, uh, still think Spiderman is better."

And for that, I get shoved off the slide onto the ground, where I land with a grunt. So, no Jester Mode, then?

"Kiss her, bro," I hear whispered from beside me. What the heck? Someone shuffles away. What in the world just..?

"Hurry up and get back up here, Tag," the voice of Tish calls from above me. I push myself back up, still wondering what that voice was. Woah, what if it was the Author himself?

"Was it really necessary to push me off the slide, Tish?" I groan. Seriously, though. Rude, much?

"Yup. Very, very necessary," she nods sincerely.

"You are going to be an abusive girlfriend, aren't you?"

Wait. Wut. What did I just say? W-what did I just... My eyes widen.

"Did you just say I was going to be your girlfriend?"

"I-I-I, uh, er, derp" I splutter out. I cringe internally, waiting to be turned down. This is what happens when I speak- well, think - too soon. I hate my life.

"Hmm..." Tish furrows her eyebrows. "Good. That reminds me, though. That dance is too far away."

"I- uh- what just happened?"

Tish sighs in exasperation. "Wow, bro. For someone named after a literary term, you can't speak English very well. You called me your girlfriend; I agreed. Got it?" She rolls her eyes.

"I think... Maybe you should explain it to me another way." Oh, hey. Am I planning to kiss her? Wow, this is new. Huh.

She smirks and looks at me from the corner of her eye. "How do you suggest?"

"I dunno," I sigh, putting my arm around her waist. Woah, where'd I learn how to do that? "Maybe like this."

And it's pretty much the best kiss on a covered slide ever.

|_/>-<\_|

I mean, it would've been, if Max hadn't jumped out from where he was hiding behind some of the playground equipment and started squealing like a fangirl over... Well, her favorite ship kissing. Um, oops.

"OH MY GOSH, YES! TAGGANY IS CANON! Took y'all long enough, really. Like, seriously. I mean, Tag, you've had a crush on her since her thirteenth birthday party, at least."

Wow, thanks, Max. Now I'm blushing furiously, which doesn't even make sense. I was just kissing her, so why am I embarrassed about that?

"I- I don't- shut up, Max."

"Hey," he throws up his hands in a defensive position, "all I'm saying is... Don't ever plan on going into acting." He grins, then turns to Tish, whom my arm is still wrapped around. I hastily move it back to my side. "Wow, Tag, is it just me or does she look a tad bit angry?"

Oh, crap. She does seem... What's the word? Oh, right. Murderous.

"M-M-Max?"

"Uh, you may want to start running now, bud," I urge, while trying to calm down my furious girlfriend. Hmm, I like that word now. A lot.

"You know, Tag, you've never sounded so wise. I'm just gonna go home now, and make a #Taggany t-shirt."

Welp, that does it. And so begins the great chase across Stroy. Gosh darn it.