How to Convince a Boy to Kiss You

by Tara Eglington

  ‘You don’t think she’ll call Scott and talk to him about Facebook, do you?’ Cass’s eyes went wide. ‘Or worse, a Tiffany ring?’

  I had a vision of Jelena marching an embarrassed-looking Scott into Tiffany and forcing him to leave with a little blue box for the sake of the campaign. I wasn’t going to share it with Cass, however. Exhausted as she was, the image would be enough to give her another sleepless night.

  ‘No, of course not,’ I said in my most convincing voice. ‘She’s our best friend. She knows you’ve vetoed the idea, so she won’t take it any further.’

  Cass still looked uneasy. ‘Scott sent me a text earlier asking what I was up to. When I said we were at breakfast, look at what he messaged back.’ She handed me her phone.

  U guys aren’t picking baby names r u? ;-) I read.

  ‘Cass, he’s totally joking!’ I said, handing her back the phone.

  ‘That’s what I thought! And then I joked that we were choosing booties and he never replied.’

  ‘He’s probably doing guy stuff,’ I said. ‘It’s Saturday. Maybe he’s gone for breakfast with his friends? Or he’s playing sport or something. Plus, he’s a guy; he probably thinks booties are high-heeled boots and we’re indulging in retail therapy!’

  Cass didn’t seem to register my words. She hit herself on the forehead, wincing as her oversized ring audibly clonked against her head. ‘Why did I say that? He was trying to make the situation less awkward and I totally reversed his efforts!’

  We reached my place and headed up the driveway so Cass could pick up her overnight bag. She looked up at Hayden’s window, which overlooked my driveway.

  ‘I can’t believe Hayden’s trapped up there. It’s like a male version of “Rapunzel”.’

  ‘I hate that his parents think badly of him for last night,’ I said, staring up at the window too. ‘Though I dread to imagine what they think of me now, after Tyler blurted out in front of them that the party was for the launch of my program. I mean, I know it’s true and I’m glad he tried to get the heat off Hayden, but they’re probably thinking “motherless teen leading our son astray”.’

  ‘Aurora, you know that’s not in any way true.’ Cass put a hand on my shoulder and forced me to look at her. ‘Mr and Mrs Paris took care of you when you were young. They know your dad — and the real story with your mum. They’re not judging you. They were just upset last night when they found out their house had been taken over by hundreds of teenagers.’

  I nodded and gave Cass a smile.

  ‘And Hayden’s definitely not mad at you,’ she continued as we headed to my front door. I opened it and grabbed her overnight bag from the hall. ‘I looked at his face when he said goodbye to you last night, and it wasn’t cross at all, just sad.’

  ‘I hate that I made him feel like that,’ I said.

  ‘Do something sweet for him,’ Cassie suggested as she gave me a hug goodbye. ‘Maybe you could make him a card? You could leave it at the front door. That way he’ll have something nice to look at while he’s grounded.’

  I waved as she headed down the drive, then looked over at Hayden’s window again, wondering what he was up to. I could hear the drone of a vacuum cleaner from inside. Mr and Mrs Paris had probably put him on further clean-up duties. Part of me wanted to knock on their front door with a mop as penance. Then again, only just over a week ago, I’d damaged their son’s face. Now I’d damaged their property. Any offer of help would probably be seen as a potential liability.

  My phone buzzed in my handbag. I took it out and read the text message.

  Sorry, Princess. Quickly letting you know Mum and Dad are taking the phone off me for rest of wknd. Facebook gone too :-( Will work on Chemistry Calculator, don’t worry! Be thinking of you too :-)

  My heart gave a little twinge. Here Hayden was, incarcerated and forced to do manual labour, and he was still offering to spend the weekend creating the tool that would help me combine and cross-reference all the data from the questionnaires last night. Although he’d made out that it was a simple thing to create on a computer, I suspected it wasn’t. We’d planned to hang out at my place this weekend to work on it together. I’d really been looking forward to it and had even bought ingredients for cookies so we’d have something yummy to eat while brainstorming. I’d had this vision of us laughing together over cookies and hot chocolate as we uploaded the information from the questionnaires into the computer program.

  I sighed and took one last look at Hayden’s window before heading into the house. Maybe Cass was right — I should do something sweet for Hayden, literally. I could bake some cookies and package them up for him! It was a small gesture, but at least making them would keep me from moping. This was exactly what pre-lip-lashing Aurora would have done.

  I pulled out the ingredients and switched on the radio, then began measuring out the sugar. An upbeat tune came on and I made myself hum along. I needed to stop wallowing and seeing myself as a victim of circumstances and instead start believing that my life and its direction were entirely within my control. Like this weekend — instead of moping about things going badly with Hayden, I could actively focus on improving the situation. I could bake the cookies and write a note to let him know just how much I appreciated everything that he did on my behalf, including lending his house for the night. Instead of being resentful towards Jelena because of her interference and insensitivity, I had to make her aware of where my boundary lines were, so she knew not to cross them. And rather than stressing over the disaster surrounding the Find a Prince/Princess Program™’s debut, I could work on hammering out the steps needed to escort the couples down the road to Happily Ever After. No more Little Miss Meek. Hayden, my friends and the program needed my positivity and confidence to thrive.

  I cheerfully combined all the ingredients into the batter, shaped the cookies into love hearts and popped them into the oven. Just as I finished washing up, the timer went off. I pulled the cookies out of the oven and decided to take a nap while they cooled. Then I’d wrap them up nicely and put them at Hayden’s front door so he’d have a sweet surprise on a Saturday afternoon.

  I sank onto my bed; the cool sheets felt heavenly after the heat of the kitchen. Bebe padded over from the windowsill and settled down next to me. I felt myself drifting off as I stroked her fur, the rumble of her purr melting into my dreams.

  I didn’t register a thing until something heavy landed on the bed. I opened my eyes and made out Snookums’s yellow eyes in the darkness. He’d leapt onto the bed. Now he pushed his nose into my arm, letting out an impatient meow in his ‘where’s dinner?’ tone.

  Wait a minute — Snookums never got fed till sevenish. I sat up, shocked at how dark it was, and looked at my bedside clock. It was 7.30 pm. I’d been asleep for hours!

  I headed straight downstairs to serve up the cats’ food. The house was dark. I switched on the hall light, wandered into the kitchen and saw a note.

  Igneous is having a bad time of it tonight. Taking the quartz crystals around, then we’re heading to a therapeutic Vinyasa class. Be back later this evening. Dad xx

  The cookies were still on the cooling racks, untouched. The NAD had obviously stayed firm against temptation, even though the smell of the chocolate chips had permeated the entire downstairs floor. Maybe that was why he’d fled to Igneous’s. If Dad fell victim to cravings there, Igneous probably only had goji berries and coconut paste on hand.

  I looked outside. It was really dark; the moon was only a tiny sliver in the sky. How was I going to deliver the cookies now? Before, my plan had been to leave them on the doorstep. One of the Parises had been bound to pop outside at some point and see them. Now, if the family had settled down for the evening, there’d be no reason for anyone to go out the front door. The cookies would sit outside all night. Even if they didn’t get devoured by bugs or wildlife, they wouldn’t be discovered until tomorrow. I didn’t want Hayden to be downcast for another twelve to fifteen hours. I wanted him to know that I was thi
nking of him and eagerly awaiting seeing him on Monday. He had to get the cookies tonight. But how?

  Three hours later I was stealthily climbing over the fence into Hayden’s yard. That was a long time to get some cookies packaged up, I know, but I’d got caught up choosing tracks for his mix CD. It had taken time to select a blend of upbeat, you’ll-have-better-days songs as well as romantic (but not too mushy) ballads that would hopefully make him think of me. And I’d drafted a number of notes before finally writing my best one carefully on my loveliest turquoise stationery. Choosing an all-black camouflage outfit (black tank top and black leather-look leggings) had also taken a while. My range of black items was rather limited — I preferred reds, pinks and blues. Anyway, I figured that the later I showed up, the less likely it was that Hayden’s parents would be downstairs and hear me in their front yard.

  Hayden’s room was, thankfully, the only one that faced the front of the property, overlooking his basketball court. Mr and Mrs Paris had the master bedroom that overlooked the pool out the back.

  I took the quietest steps possible across the basketball court, until I stood just below Hayden’s window. Thinking about it, there had been a serious flaw in my original plan to leave the cookies at the door. Hayden was grounded, so it was unlikely his parents would hand them over to him. If he wasn’t allowed Facebook, then he probably wasn’t allowed cookies either. If I wanted to cheer Hayden up now, I had to ensure that he, and only he, received the cookies.

  The cookies themselves had now become part of a rather hefty care package, which I’d loaded into a decorative basket. I’d found some thin yet sturdy cord in the garage, which I planned to toss up to Hayden so he could heave the basket up to his room. But first I had to get his attention.

  I reached down and grabbed a tiny stone from the border surrounding the flower garden. I held my breath, listening for any sound. The house was completely silent and there were no lights showing. I waited a second, then threw the pebble at Hayden’s window. It made the slightest of clinks against the glass. I froze and listened again. The only sound was the thundering of my heart.

  I picked up a slightly bigger stone. This one landed with a satisfying tap. I beamed, waiting for Hayden to come out onto his balcony. Silence.

  ‘Carpe diem!’ I whispered as I picked up a larger stone and flung it at the window. It hit with a massive crack. I gasped and flung my hands over my head, convinced the glass would splinter. I wondered if the bushes at the side of the house were high enough to conceal me if Hayden’s dad came running into the front yard on intruder alert.

  Thankfully the only sound I heard was Hayden’s balcony door sliding open.

  ‘Aurora?’ he whispered. Thank god it was him, not Mr Paris senior.

  ‘Yes,’ I replied, unsure of what to say.

  ‘Am I dreaming or is there a twenty-cent-coin-sized dent in my bedroom window?’ Hayden’s voice was wry.

  ‘Surprise?’ I tried sheepishly.

  He let out a muffled laugh. ‘Okay, just don’t fling anything else,’ he warned as he slid the door completely open. ‘I’m coming outside.’

  He stepped onto the balcony and looked at the glass, then whistled. ‘There’s a fair bit of damage here.’

  I groaned.

  ‘The dent is rather appropriate though,’ he went on. Despite the dark, I could see his teeth gleaming as he smiled. ‘Considering you never fail to hit me hard. First it was my heart, now my window …’

  I grinned. It was nice to know he still cared. ‘It was meant with the best of intentions,’ I whispered.

  ‘Oh, really?’ He leant over the balcony, just above me. ‘I hope you mean that, seeing as there’s a heart and a piece of glass in bad shape now. Both are pretty fragile, you know. You have to be careful what you toss at them.’

  ‘I know,’ I said, turning serious. ‘Things haven’t been all that great of late, I’m totally aware of that.’

  ‘Princess —’

  ‘I wanted to do something to say that I’m sorry for all the mishaps,’ I cut in, holding up the basket. ‘I mean, I never meant for any of them to happen — like your lip, and the awkward date at the outdoor movie, and the party debacle.’

  ‘You don’t think I’m still cut up about the lip, do you?’ he whispered.

  I winced at his words. ‘That’s it though — your lip is literally still cut up. And last night, I honestly didn’t know that Jelena had told you I was expecting you to host the party as proof of your dedication to me. I feel really bad — no, I feel awful —’

  ‘Right, that’s it.’ Hayden sounded incredibly unhappy.

  I looked up to see him swing himself over the balcony railing, which was about four metres up in the air.

  ‘What are you doing?!’ I whisper-shrieked.

  ‘I’m not letting you do this.’

  Hayden let his body drop down so he was hanging by both hands from the bottom rail. OMG, was he taking desperate measures because he thought I was upset with him? I couldn’t have pushed him to this point, surely? Though he had been under a lot of stress lately …

  ‘Hayden, no!! You won’t let me do what? Whatever it is, I won’t do it, I promise. Just climb back up —’

  I clamped my hand over my mouth to stifle a scream as Hayden let go of the rail and dropped through the air.

  He landed next to me with a graceful thump. My heart felt like it had fallen several metres too.

  He took my face in his hands. ‘I’m not letting you blame yourself for everything.’

  I was trembling, not just from the sudden stress of his fall but also due to the proximity of his face to mine.

  ‘Did you have to threaten your own life to say that? This is exactly what I’m talking about. I don’t want you thinking you have to do crazy things to impress me or keep me happy. That includes leaping off the balcony.’

  ‘Princess, I don’t do anything I don’t want to,’ Hayden breathed. He kissed my forehead, keeping his lips there for a full minute. ‘You need to realise that.’

  I didn’t want to speak. I just put my arms around him. This was the first time I’d been completely in his arms since I’d discovered he was my secret admirer. Every tense muscle instantly unwound, the heat of his body melting away the stress in seconds, leaving me feeling like I’d had an hour-long massage.

  ‘And I’m not unhappy,’ Hayden murmured in my ear. ‘Not one iota. I have you. I can’t possibly be unhappy, even if I am grounded and likely to face questioning over the dented window tomorrow.’

  ‘I’ll tell them it was me,’ I said, pulling away to look him in the eye. ‘As I said, I don’t want you getting the blame for something that’s my doing. I’ll come round tomorrow and explain —’

  Hayden put a finger over my lips. ‘No. I’ll tell them it was a chubby bird that misnavigated. Actually, make that a clumsy bird. More believable.’

  I laughed, batting him on the chest playfully. ‘Thanks! Are you going to be able to keep a straight face?’

  ‘I’ll practise in the mirror,’ Hayden said, laughing with me. ‘You know I like any excuse to stand in front of it. But I’m not the only one looking immensely appealing tonight.’ He took in my leather-like tights and gave me a thumbs-up. ‘Very Bond girl. I’d say your mission is a success — Bond has been successfully rescued from his captors. If only temporarily.’

  ‘I wanted to lift your spirits,’ I said, and held up the basket. ‘I know you have to stay inside till Monday, but hopefully this will keep you happy till then.’

  Hayden looked at the almost embarrassingly full basket. I’d even raided the NAD’s room for a vanilla-scented candle, so Hayden would be reminded of my perfume when he burnt it and hopefully think of me.

  ‘A book, CDs, a candle, cookies …’ Hayden shook his head. ‘Wow!’ He squeezed my hand in his. ‘But you realise this won’t do the trick entirely?’

  ‘What do you mean?’ I looked at the basket. What else could he need? I’d even popped in some caramel-infused black tea to
go with the cookies.

  ‘There’s only one thing that’s going to ensure I’m completely and utterly on cloud nine all weekend,’ Hayden said solemnly. ‘A kiss.’

  My heart lurched and I felt my hands get instantly clammy with fear. ‘No, I —’ I almost said, ‘I don’t want to mess it up again,’ but went with, ‘I don’t want to rip up your lip again now it’s healing.’

  ‘Haven’t you heard …?’ Hayden whispered. His mouth was suddenly so close to mine. He kissed just to the right of my lips. ‘Kisses make everything better. They mend things. I don’t know about the window, but I know that the tiniest touch of your lips makes my heart forget about anything painful. Even after what happened last time I can’t stop thinking about it.’

  ‘Hayden, we can’t —’

  ‘Aurora.’ The way he said my name was like a sigh. ‘Let me kiss you. Please.’

  The word was like a magic key on a locked room. I lost all resistance. I closed my eyes, forgetting the calamity of the last time I’d attempted this. I felt Hayden’s breath tickle my lips slightly and my knees shook in anticipation. The inexpressibly intense feeling of his lips against mine was only milliseconds away.

  Suddenly, even though my eyes were closed, I felt a stunningly bright light shining in my face.

  ‘Oh no.’ Hayden pulled away from me. ‘Dad.’

  ‘I thought your parents were asleep!’ I cried as the headlights of the Parises’ car came closer. I put a hand up to shield my eyes and glimpsed Mr Paris in the driver’s seat. His lips thinned as he took in our illicit rendezvous.

  ‘Mum is,’ Hayden said. ‘Dad had a dinner with friends. I wasn’t expecting him back yet.’

  I wanted to put my head in my hands out of shame. Instead I looked down and saw my feet had trampled the violets in Mr Paris’s well-kept flower bed. The window, the garden — devastation followed wherever I went.