by Caity H.
I turned to him, my eyes hard. “If I recall correctly, you initiated that kiss. Not me. The fact it got back to your mother isn’t my fault. You didn’t have to kiss me. There were plenty of other girls who would’ve kissed you.”
“Yeah, but why would I want to kiss a girl I didn’t know?” he asked.
“Maybe so you wouldn’t have to deal with your mothers trying to put you together down the road,” I muttered, standing.
“I’m a boy. I don’t think that far into the future,” he told me. I smirked. That much was true. He sighed, turning to look at me.
“What?”
“You know, they probably think we’re really into each other,” he admitted.
“Do you have a point coming up any time soon or can I leave?” I asked, feeling the rapid beat of my heart. I hope he can’t hear it.
He grinned. “I do have a point. I’m just not sure what it is.”
Taking a deep breath, I smiled. “Are you trying to tell me that you’re actually in love with me? Because that’s what I’m hearing. You seem to be pointing out how our moms were right.”
He shrugged. “Maybe they were. I mean, obviously I’m a sexy beast so you’re bound to be attracted to me.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to stop any emotion from spreading across my features. “You’ve got that going for you.”
“And I’m stalking you, so I must be attracted to you on some level,” he murmured, his eyes flickering away.
My breath seemed to stop short when my brain caught up with how close Lex and I were. When did he lean closer? Or did I do that? “I’d like to think I’m not hideous.”
He grinned, brushing hair away from my eyes. “You’re not.”
“Complimenting me huh?” I questioned, watching his tongue run across his lips. “You totally like me.”
“Is that excitement I hear in your voice?” he noted.
“No. You like me remember?” My heart beat faster. “Not the other way around,” I replied.
“Of course, I forgot.” His hand slid to the back of my neck. “Well, we both know how impulsive I am. If I’m the one who likes you, you better expect the unexpected.”
“But by expecting the unexpected it defeats the purpose,” I pointed out.
He shook his head. “Just shut up-”
A burst of bravery shot through my veins. “I believe the next part of that sentence is ‘and kiss me’.”
He grinned. “Don’t have to ask me twice.”
My eyes closed on their own accord as his lips captured mine. He angled his head, deepening the kiss. Our lips melded together; touching and exploring. His other hand moved to my waist, pulling our bodies closer together. I gasped softly when his lips left mine, traveling down my neck, brushing across my shoulder. He moved my body away from the window, pushing me against the wall. His body pressed against mine, his warmth enveloping my senses. I couldn’t believe this was happening again. Butterflies flitted into my stomach, dancing around my insides. His lips moved back to mine.
Time seemed to slow down when we finally pulled away to breathe. His eyes were alive, and his face flushed. I imagined I looked similar to him. He leaned his head against mine, stroking my face gently. I leaned into his touch.
He looked like he was about to kiss me again when his phone started going off. He jolted, pulling back. The warmth he offered left, and I held in my shiver. Lex pulled his phone out and cringed.
“What’s wrong?” my voice was soft.
“I have to go.” He started toward the ladder.
“What?” Déjà vu. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m sorry.” My hopes lifted somewhat. “This was a mistake.” And there went the hope. He started to climb down the ladder without saying anything else.
“You’re a jerk, and I’m an idiot,” I muttered under my breath, blinking back tears. “Everything we’ve done together has been a mistake.” I glanced out the window and saw him talking on the phone as he walked toward his house. He was smiling, speaking animatedly to whoever was on the other side of the phone. My gut instinct, and the look on his face, told me it was Cassy.
My eyes stung, but I refused to let my tears fall on his account. My heart was done breaking over him. I hope. When I got inside the house, I went to my room and called Bethany.
“Hey, what’s up?” she answered cheerily.
I bit my lip, trying to focus my emotions elsewhere. “Can I come over?”
“What happened?” she asked knowingly.
“I’ll tell you when I get there,” I murmured, pressing my palms against my eyes.
“Okay. See you soon,” she said softly before hanging up.
I quickly packed a backpack, throwing in the needed clothes and toiletries, and then I headed out. I left a note for Mom so she would know I hadn’t been kidnapped or murdered.
When I got to Bethany’s house, she was waiting at the door. A light blue dress danced around her, the wind playing with the material. Her arms were crossed and she frowned. “Do I get to hear what happened now?”
Nodding, I followed her upstairs to her room where I told her everything that had happened. I felt so stupid afterwards. Only an idiot would let Lex mess with their heart, let alone hand it to him.
“That guy is getting on my last nerve!” she growled.
“H-how can I love him?” I pulled my hair from my face, twisting it into a bun.
“You can't help it,” she told me.
“I have to get over him,” I muttered, wiping at my eyes. Tears were lingering on the edge, almost ready to spill.
“You will.” She hugged a pink pillow to her chest. Her brown bedspread was lumpy in the middle, proof of her quick attempt to clean up before I got there.
“How?” Even after all the crap he put me through, I still cared about him. I still wanted to be with him, for him to want me back. The love I felt for him wasn’t going to disappear overnight.
“We're going to the mall tomorrow, and we're going boy shopping,” she told me, nodding her head. She was determined.
“Boy shopping?” I coughed out a laugh. Somehow I didn’t think going shopping for boy stuff was going to help at all.
She grinned from ear to ear. “We're going to find you a new boy.”
Chapter Five – Boy Shopping
“How about that one?” Bethany asked, pointing to the boy who was holding bags for his mother.
“No, I don't think that's a good idea. He looks a little young.” I laughed, taking in the boy’s Mario Kart t-shirt.
“Oh come on, he's so cute!” She argued, looping her arm through mine.
“He's seven,” I said, dragging her away. The mall was full of people, everyone out and about. I never understood how so many people had the money and time to go to the mall so often. It wasn’t like the mall was ever empty, or barely crowded. There were always people inside the shops, and walking around with a billion bags.
“Fine, but he's still cute,” she mumbled, sighing. “Oh, let’s go in here. I need to get a new dress for my grandparent’s anniversary.” She moved into one of the numerous stores. Her light pink skirt sashayed around her legs. The white blouse was tucked in, and she wore a brown belt that matched her ankle boots. Her hair was in a high pony tail, bangs brushing her eyebrows. She looked like she’d just walked off a photo shoot.
I felt so frumpy in comparison. White cut off shorts, a purple tank with bright blue stripes, and a pair of leopard print flats. Some of my hair was clipped back, and my glasses were propped on my nose. I was not going to win any hearts dressed so casually. Bethany on the other hand…
“Hurry up,” she called over her shoulder, already looking at different dresses. Sighing, I walked in the store and moved to stand next to her. “How about this one?” she pulled out a knee length dress, with ruffles around the V-neck. The dark ebony color would wash out her skin tone.
“No, you need something lighter.”
She put the dress back on the hanger. “I know. Mayb
e I could borrow something. Do you still have that orange dress, with the yellow stitching?” she asked.
“I was going to give it to you as a birthday present, but if you need it now that’s fine. I’m sure I’ll be able to find something else,” I said, sighing at the end. She loved that dress, and I never wore it. It seemed like the perfect present. Now I would have to find something else.
“What?!” she gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth. “Really?” she squeaked. I nodded and cringed when she squealed again. “You’re the best friend ever. Seriously.”
“I know.” I shrugged carelessly. “Are we done shopping for a dress now?” I questioned.
“Yeah, let’s go. Now I really need to find you a new boy.” She pulled me out of the store and back into the crowd of people.
“Or you could buy me ice cream,” I offered. “I think I’d like that more anyways.”
She grinned, raising any eyebrow slightly. “How about frozen yogurt?”
I drew my eyebrows together. Something had to be wrong with the frozen yogurt. Why else would she look so mischievous about it? “Sure.”
“Great!” Bethany cheered, moving easily through the crowd. She was so petite that she was able to move around without much trouble. Most other people, myself included, had to wait for a clear pathway before continuing.
Since she couldn’t be bothered to wait for me, I lost Bethany in the hustle of the crowd. Thankfully, I knew the only frozen yogurt place was in the food court, and the food court wasn’t far from where I was. When I got there, I was instantly hit with the smell of fried foods and overworked people. I wrinkled my nose in distaste and looked around for Bethany.
Plastic tables were arranged in lines in the center of the very large, open area. People were spread around the area, taking up nearly every inch of room. It was like my entire high school, and then some, were piling into the food court for lunch. Teens laughed and talked, a few elderly couples shared dinners, and the occasional security officer leered at the girls passing by them. I made a note to walk far around those guards.
I looked around again, searching for Bethany in this mass of bodies hoping she hadn't deserted me in the mall, of all places. "Where are you," I murmured, squinting as I looked around.
"You're so racist."
I jumped, turning to face Bethany who stood there, a new shopping bag dangling from her arm. "How am I racist?"
"So I’m Chinese. That doesn’t mean you can stand there squinting at me for like five minutes. That's not exactly polite," she mumbled, a tone of sarcasm on the edge of her voice. "Whatever. Let's go. Frozen yogurt already has a line a mile long." I moved quicker this time so as not to lose her in the crowd. "I found some cute earrings." She shook the newest addition to her pile of bags.
"You left me to buy earrings?" I frowned. "I thought you loved me more than material possessions."
"They were on sale. I love you, but come on. Sometimes I just can't help it," she admitted, stopping as we reached the line. Families, teens, and kids stood in a huge line in front of us. We would never make it to the front, at least not before I gained gray hair and stronger glasses. "By the way, since we're here, there is a really cute guy who works up at the counter," she mentioned.
And her true reasoning comes out.
"I see." My eyes traveled past the horde of humans in front of me, looking for the boy she spoke of.
"He's got black hair, nice smile, and he's helping that woman with twelve kids," she told me, waving her hand in the direction of the front. My eyes caught onto the woman with four kids, and moved past her to the guy helping them.
He had hair as dark as the night sky, chocolate eyes shining back at one of the kids blabbering on to him about something. The uniform he wore was all white, with the logo of frozen yogurt on the pocket. The light pink stood out against the white. A paper hat, like one worn in old time candy shops, was pushed down on his head. The uniform formed to his body as he moved, reaching around one of his co-workers to get something. He smiled once more as he handed the little girl a plastic hot pink spoon. The mom thanked him and moved on with her kids in tow.
"You're staring," Bethany remarked, elbowing me.
"You pointed him out, I'm simply making sure he's worth noticing," I explained, grinning.
"And?" she prodded.
I shrugged. "He's not bad." Lie. He was definitely attractive. Tall, dark, and handsome fit him perfectly.
“Not bad? He's the best looking guy we've seen all day!” She grumbled as quietly as possible.
“What about the last guy?” I shrunk beneath her glare. “Okay, little boy. He was cute," I argued.
“Get real, Olivia," she sighed. "You better make me proud and flirt with this boy when we finally get to the front. Think about what you're going to say now."
"Bethany," I groaned. "He probably gets hit on all the time. There's literally a group of girls standing over there gawking at him." She turned and saw the group of pre-teen girls swooning as they watched him from a distance. "We were never like that, right?" I cringed.
"No, of course not," she dismissed the idea.
"Good."
"But you're still flirting with him, or so help me I will do something you won't like," she threatened. Out of spite, I decided not to flirt with him. Plus, if I tried to flirt, I would embarrass myself and go home feeling even worse. What was the worst Bethany could do? She wouldn’t pull any stunts that resembled something Lex would do.
After a while, we finally came to the front of the line. He smiled brightly at us. "Hello, ladies. What can I get you?" Bethany jabbed me with her elbow, making me jump. The boy bit back a laugh.
“Olivia, you go first. Tell the boy what you want," she said, purposefully using my name.
I stared up at the menu. “I don't know," I trailed off, pursing my lips like I was thinking really hard about what I wanted.
“You were looking up at the counter for fifteen minutes. How do you still not know?" she questioned. I shrugged. She rolled her eyes. "You're going to hold the line up. And there are a lot of people who want to get their frozen yogurt."
“You could order you know,” I informed her. She frowned at me. I returned the gesture by sticking my tongue out at her.
"I don't mean to rush you, but we do have a lot of people to get to," the boy said, the polite smile still lighting up his face. If only it was that easy for me to be attractive.
"Sorry," Bethany mumbled, glancing once more at me. She quickly gave him her order, and he gave the details to someone else who started putting it together for her.
He glanced at me, raising an eyebrow expectantly. "Do you know what you want?" Bethany gave me a pointed look before turning back to him.
Oh no.
"She wants your number."
I gasped, staring at her with wide eyes and a slack jaw. The frozen yogurt guy smirked, glancing at me. I didn't dare look back at him. My cheeks were flaming bright red. My own best friend betrayed me.
She smiled sweetly at me. "What? You kept talking about how cute he was." she shrugged, her eyes finding his face again. "She's shy." I felt like slapping her.
"Ah," he said, like he was unsure what else to say. Not that I blamed him.
"He's still waiting for your order," she reminded me with a wink. Begrudgingly, I ordered my frozen yogurt and moved out of the way.
Bethany paid for the yogurts. "Stay here and get our yogurt. I'm going to go find us some seats," she said and walked away.
I backed up, standing at the end of the counter where our orders would arrive. I glanced up, and saw that the boy Bethany had declared my infatuation for was putting my frozen treat together. He caught me staring. I looked away embarrassed.
He laughed. “You know, you don't have to be embarrassed about it.” I really had no idea how to respond to that. "I've got friends who do the same thing.”
"Yeah, friends," I laughed nervously. He grinned again, his dimples visible. He really was cute. He set the dishes on the coun
ter.
“Thanks,” I said softly, stepping up to grab the frozen treats.
“You're welcome. Come back sometime, Olivia,” he said, sending a wink my way. The blush crept back into my cheeks as I turned away, biting my lip to keep the smile from appearing.
Bethany waved me over to the table she’d secured near the edge of the food courts. When I reached her, she frowned. “What?”
“You forgot spoons,” she noted. Glancing down, I felt like smacking myself in the face. Of course I forgot spoons and would now have to go back and get some.
“I’ll be right back.” I set the frozen yogurt cups down and walked back to the shop to get spoons. The boy saw me coming, and like a psychic, handed me two spoons as I made it to the counter. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” He winked. I was going to turn into a tomato before I got home at this rate when it came to blushing.
While we ate our frozen yogurt, we people watched. Bethany gave guys ratings as they passed by. So far no one had rated above an eight. I personally thought it was degrading to be rated, but I had been subject to the last one picked when I was younger, so it was a sore spot.
“Oh, he’s a ten!” she chimed, dipping her spoon in her remaining frozen yogurt. I raised an eyebrow and looked for the person she’d just rated. The guy from the yogurt stand came into view, his paper hat in hand.
“That’s the first ten all afternoon. Why do you like him so much?” I moved my eyes back to her. She wore a small smile, her eyes still watching him. “Bethany?”
She shook her head, returning her attention to me. “There’s just something about him. He seems like a likeable guy, and you need someone like that.”
“You could use that, too,” I mumbled, taking another bite of my melting yogurt.
“Hold the phone, is that what I think it is?” Bethany’s brown gaze widened and a smile lit up her face.
“What?” I hated not knowing what she was talking about. She pointed and I twisted the frozen yogurt cup around in my hand. I gaped.
“Ten gave you his number.”
I was in shock. This kind of thing never happened to me. She giggled, finishing her frozen yogurt. “Ten has a name. Ryan,” I murmured, reading the messy hand writing.