Free One with the Wind by Jane Livingston Page A

simply because I wanted to get laid.” She leaned forward. “I did so because there was nothing I wouldn’t do to see you.”
                “That’s crazy.”
                “Well, I’m crazy in love with you. I always have been,” she said.
                It was the first time love had been mentioned in their relationship. As close as they were through high school, neither one of them dared bringing up the topic. Perhaps it was uncertainty, perhaps it was fear but neither of them wanted to test it.
    Josie raised her head and looked at Nick. “I love you Nick. I can’t imagine loving anyone else.”
                Nick rocked in his chair and grinned. “Are you hungry? I think there are some places open in town. There is this great New York pizza place.”
                Josie smiled and dressed quickly. They headed outside to campus where the snow was falling harder. Large snowflakes fell from the endlessly dark sky. Josie stuck out her tongue, closed her eyes, and waited for a snowflake to land in her mouth.
                Nick seized the opportunity and gently kissed her tongue. Josie cupped his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. He pulled away and brushed the hair from her eyes. “I love you too.”
                They walked arm in arm through the falling snow toward the edge of town. A few neon lights of State College broke through the darkness. They were relieved to find the New York pizza place open, however the employees appeared annoyed to have customers.
                It didn’t deter Nick. He walked right up to the counter and ordered. “We’ll have a large,” he glanced at Josie, “sausage, pepperoni pizza to go.”
                “Sausage, pepperoni, I thought you didn’t eat that crap,” she said.
                He grinned. “Yeah, but you do.”
                Nick and Josie took a seat at a hard plastic booth and waited. “Maybe you should try a major in environmental studies like me since you care about polar bears, or maybe politics,” said Josie.
                He laughed. “No. I’d make a horrible politician.” Reclining in his seat, he pondered. “No, I can’t be that specific when I see so much; that’s the problem. So many problems, so many issues, how is it possible to choose one as a life’s ambition. I can’t do it.”
                Josie held his hands. “There’s got to be something.”
                Nick gazed through the square frame of the pizzeria’s glass door and watched the snow fall. His eyes lit up as an idea came to mind.  He leaned forward and sighed. “Huh, no.”
                “What? Tell me,” Josie encouraged.
                “You know what would be a real cool major? Filmmaking. Wouldn’t that be cool to travel around the world, shooting a movie, at some exotic location?”
                “Why would you say no to that? It sounds perfect,” said Josie.
                He laughed. “Me, a filmmaker? Nah, that’s for the A.V. nerds.”
                “Why not? You’re smart, creative.” She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. “I can see you now accepting your Academy Award for best director.”
                “Hell no, I’m not doing any Hollywood crap. Documentaries would be real cool.” He grinned. “I can film animals having sex, you know, the mating rituals of the big cats.”
                Jose lowered her chin on her palm and sighed. “Animal porn?”
                “Everyone has a dream, Jo. Don’t mock mine,” he teased.
                “At least I can be relieved it’s not human porn.”
                Nick winked and muttered, “Huh, now that’s an idea! You can be my star.”
                “Ah, no,” she said flatly.
                He sat upright.