by Elen Chase
"Ginger…." Dan’s arms held him tighter, and he kissed Liam’s head tenderly. "I… I don't know how to respond to this…."
"It's fine," Liam sobbed. "I always knew it wasn’t mutual, but you made me feel loved anyway…. I'm happy you're my first love, Dan."
"You're a first for me too. You're the first one I asked out myself. The first one I chased instead of just going with the flow of the moment. I've been wanting you since the day I caught you smelling my jacket and crying."
Liam’s heart felt like it was exploding.
So, I was special for you, too.
"Never forget me," Liam said. Being forgotten was one of the things that scared him the most.
"How could I forget you?"
"Don’t replace me with another man too soon. Why don’t you date a girl next?"
Dan let out a short laugh. "I don’t want another relationship now, but we’ll see. And you, don’t sleep around. Your health always comes first."
"Yessir."
Dan released the hug and put his hands on Liam’s shoulders. "I have a request for you, Liam."
Like always, Liam’s heart would jump whenever he said his name.
"What is it? A goodbye kiss?"
"Not a goodbye kiss. I'll pretend we're not breaking up for the next five minutes, so it will be just another kiss."
This sounds familiar.
Liam smiled, from the bottom of his heart, and said, "You want a five-minute kiss? You're demanding."
Right back at you, Dan.
Their lips touched in a breathtaking kiss, in which Liam put all his feelings for him, and in which he felt from Dan’s side a deep, honest affection that maybe, had things been less complicated, could have become love.
For years, since that moment, Liam wished that Dan could be happy, somewhere in that city. Happy like he had made him when he saved his life.
Epilogue
three years later
He should totally get a new pair of gloves. Liam tucked his frozen hands in the pockets of his coat as he walked across the Uptown shopping district. At that time of the evening, almost all the stores were closed, except for restaurants, pubs, and bars.
This is not a date.
He hoped he wasn’t too late. Getting those tickets had taken him more time than he thought, but he wanted to be sure his birthday present was going to be the best his friend got this year.
Yep. Friends. Totally not a date.
When he arrived at their usual restaurant, he took a look inside from the window, searching for their table, and then he let out a sigh of relief. He wasn’t there yet, so hopefully Liam would have enough time to talk with the owner and make sure they got the cake he had ordered from the bakery.
“Looking for someone?”
“Whaa!” he squeaked, jumping a step back and slipping on the wet floor of the restaurant porch.
Peter grabbed his wrist and sustained him, passing an arm around his waist so that he wouldn’t fall. They ended up with their faces only inches apart. Liam felt his cheeks burning. Peter looked good with his short and messy blonde hair and stubble. Compared to when they were in school together, he had grown taller and built up some muscles too. If Liam had to be honest, he had turned out pretty hot.
This is totally because I was falling. Not blushing. Go back to your normal color, stupid face.
“Hey, sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” Peter said with a big, honest smile. That boy was so oblivious. And in that case, it was a good thing for Liam, who was having some issues in controlling his stupid heartbeat. His eyes lingered definitely for too long on Peter’s mouth, remembering the one and only time they kissed earlier that year at Liam’s last homecoming. Liam had been going through an awful breakup; his asshole ex was going to the dance with his new boyfriend, and Peter had been an amazing friend to him, listening to his problems, keeping him company, and finally asking him to go to the dance with him. In that perfect picture, the kiss had been a mistake that they both agreed on. Peter, in fact, never mentioned it again. Liam, on the contrary, couldn’t stop thinking about it which made him feel ridiculous and quite pathetic.
“Why… why are you here?” Liam managed to say in the end when Peter finally let go of him.
“Why? Well, we have a date.”
Don’t call it a date!
“No, I mean, what are you doing outside the restaurant?”
“Smoking.”
“Oh. Yeah. Right.” Liam averted his eyes.
Peter leaned forward to meet his gaze again. “And waiting for you. Especially waiting for you.”
“Sorry I’m late.”
Peter smiled and shook his head. “Don’t worry. Should we go in?”
“Sure.” Liam nodded and quickly checked his pockets to be sure the envelope with the tickets was still there… and it wasn’t.
Fuck. Did it fall? Where the hell is it?
“What is this?”
Considering Liam’s usual luck, Peter was obviously the one who found it on the floor close to the window. He took a deep breath and exhaled. His first surprise was ruined, but at least he still had the cake.
“It’s yours,” he said. “Your birthday present. I must have dropped it before.”
Peter looked at him with an honestly surprised look on his face and then focused on the white envelope with a sweet smile. “You remembered my birthday…. Thanks, Liam. Can I open it?”
“Well, I hoped to give it to you inside, but if you want to—” He hadn’t even finished the sentence and Peter was already opening it, happy like a little kid. Liam couldn’t hold back a smile.
When Peter took in his hands the two tickets to his favorite band’s concert, Liam almost saw his eyes sparkling. In a second, he pulled him close in a super tight hug and lifted him up. “Liam, this is amazing!!”
“Woah, woah, put me down!”
“We’re going to see the Hookers!” he shouted, laughing wildly.
Liam’s eyes casually met the ones of a couple entering the restaurant that shot them a shocked glance.
“It’s a band’s name!” he exclaimed, feeling so embarrassed he wanted to disappear.
Peter finally put him down, placing his hands on his shoulders and remaining still with a blissed smile on his face.
“So, I understand you want to go with me,” Liam said. “You don’t owe me anything, so if you want to take someone else—”
“There is no one else in the world that I’d rather go with.”
Wow. Liam tried to convince himself that hunger was the reason behind the butterflies he was feeling in his stomach. “Okay, let’s go in, now. I’m starving,” he said, clearing his throat.
They entered the restaurant and got to their table.
“You know, I’m glad you gave me your present outside. I hate people staring at me in public places.”
Luckily, he didn’t notice the other customers entering the restaurant before— Wait a minute.
“What does it mean that you hate it?”
“Like when people propose in public and stuff; all those strangers that look at you, applaud, congratulate you…. It sort of makes me cringe.”
“Oh.” Liam went still, while inside he was actually panicking. “Peter, why don’t we go somewhere else?”
“What? Why?”
“I’m not so hungry and the portions here are too big….”
“You said you were starving. Like, 5 minutes ago.”
“Yes, right. But I’m starving for pizza. I want to eat pizza.”
“I think they make pizza here, let me look at the menu,” Peter said, and, as he reached for the menu, Liam stole it from him.
“You know what? Pizza is overrated. I want to eat cup noodles.”
“Liam, you’re not making any sense.”
“But I—”
Peter placed his hand on Liam’s. “You’re panicking. What’s going on? Did I do something that upset you?”
Liam nervously shook his head and, lowering his voice,
he said. “There’s a cake.”
“A cake?”
“For you, in the kitchen. I’m sorry, I didn’t know you hate this sort of thing.”
“Oh, Liam. Well, if it’s just a cake—”
“They’ll lower the lights and bring it here. All the staff.”
Peter just remained silent.
“And they’re gonna sing you a birthday song.”
Peter remained silent for a moment, thinking deeply. Finally, he nodded his head and said, “Let’s get out of here.”
◆◆◆
Walking home from the restaurant, the two of them were still laughing about what had happened.
“At least we got the cake,” Peter said. “And we’re going to see the Hookers!”
“Of course we got the cake, considering how much I paid for it. And a piece of advice: if you don’t want people staring at you, stop screaming that.”
Peter giggled and came closer, before casually taking Liam’s hand in his. “Still no gloves? You must be freezing.”
Liam’s heart wouldn’t stay still.
Who was he trying to fool? There was only one thing that could make him feel so stupidly warm in that cold November night. He was tormented. Should he tell him the truth and risk ruining their friendship again?
Screw it. I guess I’ll spend tonight crying.
“I didn’t buy a new pair on purpose,” he confessed, holding Peter’s hand tighter.
“And why would you do that?”
“Because this way I could pretend I forgot to buy them, and when we walked home together, you would hold my hand to keep it warm.”
Peter stopped walking and held Liam’s stare, now with a serious look on his face.
“Liam, if it’s a joke, it’s not funny.”
He doesn’t want me, does he?
“I’m sorry, Pete, forget I said that. I… I don’t want to make things weird again.”
“Again? What do you mean ‘again’?”
“Like when we were in middle school. Sometimes I look at you and want to tell you all about these stupid, awkward things I feel, and suddenly I’m thirteen again, confessing to my best friend that I’m gay and disappointing him, so I stop myself. I don’t want to ruin what we have, not now that you’re my best friend again. I know that’s what you want too.”
Peter just stood in front of him with a blank face. “Liam… did anybody ever tell you that you assume too many things?”
“I do what?”
“When we were thirteen, you assumed immediately that I was disappointed in you. I wasn’t disappointed: at the time I was in denial, Liam, because I liked you. That’s the only reason things got weird between us. I’m still ashamed of it, and I’ll never forgive myself, but you gave me another chance to be a better friend to you. You have no idea how lucky I feel that you want me in your life again. But I thought friendship was all you wanted from me, and there was no way I’d repeat my mistakes and tell you I wanted more. Now what you’re saying is that you, like, feel something for me? And you’re assuming I don’t without even asking me?”
“I’m not just assuming it! You… you never mentioned our kiss again.”
“The kiss, Liam? You didn’t mention it either, except when you told me it had been a mistake! What was I supposed to do?”
Liam’s mouth fell open, his heartbeat increasing. He had a point.
“I’m an idiot,” he murmured.
Peter took a deep breath and cupped Liam’s cheeks with his hands, lifting his head up.
“Liam Carter, you’re an idiot. And I’m in love with you.”
Liam’s vision blurred, and warm tears ran on his face.
“This is so unfair…. I should have been braver and confessed my feelings to you first. Pete, I love you. It’s the first time I feel like this since—”
“Since your perfect first love?”
Liam just smiled. “Pete, I have something else I must confess to you.”
“What is it? This is already the best birthday of my life, so I’m positive nothing can ruin it now.”
Liam chuckled. “I must confess you that I’ve been wanting to kiss you again for months now.”
“Me too. We should take care of that.”
The end.
A(NOTHER) MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR
Thank you for reading “A five-minute kiss”. I really hope you enjoyed Liam’s story, and it would mean the world to me if you could leave an honest review!
If you want to know more about Dan’s past and future, you might want to check out my debut novel “Back in the rain”; a MM mystery taking place three years after the events of “A five-minute kiss”.
For info, questions and free reads, follow me at elenchase.com or find me on social media: Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr. I love talking to readers, so reach out to me at any time!
Lots of love,
Elen
OTHER WORKS BY ELEN CHASE
BACK IN THE RAIN
Unable to get over his girlfriend’s supposed suicide, Andrew spends his days in the deepest apathy. When he finally realizes that he can’t just give up, he runs to the graveyard and swears to her grave that he will uncover the truth.
As he stands in the pouring rain, a familiar voice calls his name.
Dan once was his best friend. After seven years without seeing each other, Andrew should be angry at Dan for leaving him when he needed him the most. He shouldn’t trust him when he offers to help.
But he does.
A story about two young men that, getting close to a terrible truth, find hope in a relationship that could either save them, or destroy them completely.
START READING
THE ROAD HOME
(Harry's story)
The road home is a MM New Adult novel set in the same universe as “Back in the rain” and “A five-minute kiss“. Divided into two sections, it’s a story about finding the courage to change your life.
The book is currently a work-in-progress and it will come out by the end of the year.