by Anne Eliot
This is why she’d called Dustin to come over.
She’d decided she needed to have some sort of insurance against her flailing, kissing past so she wouldn’t make an idiot out of herself in front of the entire world again.
She had to practice first. Get some exposure.
And she meant to beg Dustin to help her.
Vere giggled nervously at the thought. She giggled again. Who else could she ask or trust enough with this? Hopefully he would agree. He knew everything about her. He would totally understand her request. No one made her feel safer, or put her so at ease with strange, complicated guy issues.
And that’s exactly what kissing was.
Strange, and complicated.
With Dustin, this topic would seem simple.
Vere sighed at the madness of it all and walked into her bedroom. She sat on the edge of her bed, listening for the doorbell. She swallowed another nervous giggle as she looked at her hands.
She prayed down to her toes that she would get through one kiss without sending her poor, BGF to the emergency room.
36: just one peck
Dustin
“Kiss you? You want me to kiss you?” Dustin pulled off his glasses and all but choked on the green apple bite now lodged in the back of his throat. He coughed and paced the entire length of the Roth basement family room, working to dislodge the chunk of apple. When it broke free, he kept his face completely straight and turned to face Vere. “I thought you said this was something important.”
He was grateful for the apple’s crisp, tart juice because his entire mouth had gone sand-dry. He said nothing further, kept chewing, poker face on overdrive, and waited for her to continue.
Why in the hell did I agree to come over here?
She’d seemed so earnest on the phone.
She’d said please, and I can’t resist her when she says that.
And damn, but I wanted to see her. So badly. That’s why.
He’d fallen for the, ‘I just need a little help, it won’t take long’, line. He’d sworn to stay away from Vere but here he was. Undoing all of the hard work he’d done to try and get over her.
Vere’s cheeks were bright red. He could tell she knew it was an utterly insane request, but her gaze held earnest and hopeful.
Too damn hopeful.
Hell no, little friend. I can’t play with you anymore.
“It is important. Kissing is really important. I’m a proven failure at it. I just want to be sure I have it under control before tonight.”
Dustin tried to remain calm. He took another giant bite of apple. He had to keep this light. She couldn’t be serious. “I should have known something was up when you shooed Charlie out of here. Don’t you feel bad lying to your own brother?”
Vere blinked at him as though startled. “I did not lie. I told him we were going to go over some pointers on how to get through this party. That is true. The part about how I didn’t want him staring at me and making me feel all embarrassed is also true. So, I didn’t lie. I need pointers, kissing pointers, and party pointers big time. And besides, he needs to get ready for his Saturday scrimmage.”
“I’ve been to a ton of parties, I am happy to give pointers about that, but you’ve blown a fuse with the kissing request. Let it go. If you want some coaching on the obvious stuff we can do that, but only that, okay?”
“Obvious stuff. Okay.” She breathed out, nodding comically. Obviously beyond nervous. “Like what do you mean?”
“First. Don’t get drunk. Don’t smoke anything.”
“Duh. What are you, my dad? That’s easy. I don’t drink. We aren’t even twenty-one. I seriously doubt anyone will be drinking at the Hodjwick house. And who smokes cigarettes any more? So gross.”
Dustin shook his head. “You are so backwards. I wasn’t talking about cigarettes, and if you truly believe no one will be drinking at a high school party on a Saturday night then you are too much of a baby to even leave your own house.”
“Okay. You don’t have to be so cranky,” she shrugged. “Well, at least I hope there won’t be drinking. How’s that?”
“Clueless. Naïve, like you,” he answered. He’d feel one thousand times better if he could just convince her not to go to this party. It was worth a shot, so he continued, “If you don’t want to be drunk, avoid all beverages that taste and look like fruit juice or that are too good to be real. They could be spiked. The fact that you don’t even know this stuff makes me recommend again, that you don’t go.”
Vere folded her arms across her chest. Her cheeks had switched color a bit and glowed a lighter pink.
Dustin could tell it was from anger this time, not a blush. “Oh I’m going, buster. So, maybe I am naïve. Fine. It’s my first party. I have to learn somehow. I’d rather you just tell me so I don’t make any lame, humiliating, mistakes. What else is on your obvious list?”
Dustin’s mind spun. At least this conversation seemed to make her forget the fact that she’d just requested he kiss her. Worse, she’d asked him to kiss her in the same tone that she would ask to borrow a pen!
Her words rocketed around his skull so loudly he lost his train of thought, playing them over: I was wondering if you would kiss me. You know? Just one time for practice—before I kiss someone real.
What in the hell had she meant by that—someone real? Really?
Dustin scoured his thoughts for a few more obvious party rules, and hoped she couldn’t detect that he was about to freak out.
“Hmm,” he fronted. “You should never leave a drink unattended. Take it with you to the bathroom. If you forget, then pitch what’s left, and start a new one. I mean it. Do that every single time. Also, along that same topic, make sure you always get your own drinks. Never, never, accept a drink from someone you don’t completely trust, and even then—get your own drinks.”
“Wow. Paranoid much? Maybe these rules are just for the big city.” Vere scrunched up her nose. She distractedly pulled two hair bands out of her pocket and wound her unbound hair up into her bun.
He hadn’t seen the bun all week. Thursday and Friday, when he’d been avoiding her, he’d noticed she’d worn her hair down every second. Probably for Curtis.
Dustin shook his head, amazed that she could still feel so comfortable around him when he could hardly look at her without his skin wanting to catch fire. “You really should be watching more nightly news. Everything I’m telling you applies more to the suburbs and small towns than to the cities. This stuff is basic. How can you not know it?”
“I don’t know. Just tell me all of it, and please don’t forget the why, part. You know I have to know why.”
Her right hand floated up in that unconscious manner he loved as she did a final check of her bun.
God, how I’ve missed her face. Her voice....The damn, cute bun.
Dustin had thought creating an entire week of distance between them would have curbed some of his feelings for her, but it hadn’t. His craving for hanging around Vere seemed to have doubled. He stared at the soft line of her neck and watched as the freshly cut wisps of hair danced around her brow.
He vowed to keep his voice steady and sarcastic. No need for her to know her power over him.“You keep your drink with you because, infant, it’s pretty easy to slip drugs or anything at all into someone’s drink. It happens all the time. The girls get super drunk, catatonic, whatever, depending on the drug of choice, and well...you know the rest.”
Vere raised her eyebrows up high. “Okay. Got it. Keep my drink with me. Check. Anything else on that level that I should know?”
He took another bite of his apple, chewing it while he contemplated what to say to her next.
“Never follow a guy upstairs to where the bedrooms are located unless you are fully prepared to test out the beds, or see other people testing the beds.”
“As if I would.”
“You might. The cajoling guy lines sound like this: ‘Hey it’s so noisy down here, let’s go find a room where we
can talk’.”
“Really? That’s a line? I guess I would be tempted if a guy I liked said that to me.”
Dustin laughed. “You especially would fall for that one, Miss Chatty. Guys know girls love to talk. Teenage guys who have had a couple of beers at a party, even the sober ones, don’t really ever want to talk. Get it? Ever.”
“Jeez. I get it.”
“It’s not only the upstairs rooms that are dangerous. Stay out of dens, laundry rooms, back porches and parked cars. Okay?”
“Okay. Got it. Stay in the crowd, avoid all quiet rooms, clutch my drink, and don’t trust anyone.” Vere giggled.
The sound of her sweet laugh made his heart race uncontrollably. He couldn’t help but throw her a small smile. He pictured her in a giant sweatshirt and baggy shorts, clutching a can of soda and shooting frightened daggers at everyone in the room. All the while, she’d be wondering why half of the football team seemed to be dizzy and acting funny.
When he looked at her, really looked, he knew the confident beauty in front of him did not match the Vere he was thinking about one bit. She wore a fresh white blouse open at the neck. The classic style showed off her delicate collarbones, and he couldn’t take his eyes off the gentle pulse beating at the base of her throat.
A lace topped cami all but winked at him near where she’d stopped buttoning the blouse near the top. It winked again as though to show off how perfectly it was accenting the curve of her oh so perfect...
Hell! Dude. Stop yourself. She’s doing you in, right here. Right now. She’s going to have to fight the guys off her tonight. Other guys. THE lucky, bastard, suck-ass, OTHER guy! Shit.
But he couldn’t seem to look away until he admired the rest of her. Her short, black skirt looked hot—lightly flared every time she moved. Some see-through fabric at the hem showed off her long, slim legs. She’d worn her brand new black flats that matched too. The entire outfit was adorable. Not too dressy, but it said she was definitely going somewhere special.
The look had also been chosen by him.
To help her. He shook his head, trying to clear it.
To help her.
Stick to the task. Be this girl’s friend. It’s what she wants...
“You look great, Vere,” he said, heart finally sincere. “You’re simply beautiful,” he added before he could catch himself.
She blushed fire red, and he quickly tried to recover with what he hoped was a bored looking shrug, “I mean, you were beautiful before. I guess I’m saying that I love how you put the outfit together. And tonight...all should work out fine. It’s going to be what you want. Perfect. I’m sure of it.”
“It’s all because of you,” she said, her cheeks faded to that adorable pink tint that always tightened his chest. “The homecoming dress is over the top, by the way. Don’t know how I’m going to wear it next weekend with a straight face.”
“What do you mean?” Dustin was slightly offended. “The dress is gorgeous.”
“Gorgeous yes, but it’s almost too nice, too elegant for me. I don’t know how I will ever pull it off.”
“Give me a break. There’s nothing you can’t pull off. Nothing,” his voice cracked.
“Thanks,” she said, her gaze met his, full of sincerity and love.
But he could tell, it was the lame-ass, sucking, ‘best friend’ kind of love.
Damn you, girl. Don’t look at me that way!
“Um. You know I couldn’t have made it this far without you,” she added. “Not even close.”
“Mhmm.” He covered a heart-heavy sigh by bitting into his apple again. Turning it and munching it as if he were starving, and this apple might be the most important thing in the world to him right now.
He glanced down at his plaid shirt and crap canvas pants, not missing the irony of his own lame outfit and current bad attitude, next to Vere’s shining perfection.
He would give anything to go to that party. To try to mess the whole night up. How he hated the thought of Curtis, even touching her.
And tonight, it seemed as if Vere was going to let him do way more than that.
Dustin finished off his apple and tossed the core across the room into a corner can. “Basket!” He grinned, but his cheeks killed from the effort. He upped it to the fake-retainer-super-smile. Only, he felt a bit stupid when she didn’t giggle like she normally did.
He realized he hadn’t put his retainer back in yet.
He fished in his pocket for the damn thing, grabbed his glasses off the side table as he continued, “Anyhow, good luck. I’m late and...stuff,” he lied. “Gotta get ready for going...uh...to my own places.”
He made his way toward the stairs, shaking his head at his lameness.
“No wait. What about the kissing thing.” Vere’s voice sounded so desperate. “You said you’d help.”
He was not going to look at her face. “You can handle that on your own. Like I said, I’m out.”
“That’s just it. I can’t. I can’t handle it and you know it. Just one peck, please. I have to know if I’m going to freak. What if I can’t do it? What if when the time comes I mess it all up? I have to know.”
He should have kept walking.
He should have bolted up those tan, carpeted stairs like his feet were on fire. Instead, he froze and truly considered her first, and last request.
If he agreed, he would be an absolute ass.
And an idiot. That much was obvious.
But he’d been an ass before, and an idiot ever since he let himself fall in love with this amazing girl.
Why stop the stupid-train now?
His heart rate sped up. He took off his ball cap and dropped his retainer and glasses into it. His gut twisted with doubt. Worry. Excitement.
She asked me for this. SHE ASKED ME...
Hell, she’s begging me. And it’s her first kiss.
Considering the situation...is that such a bad thing to want to be a part of? To simply want to BE Vere Roth’s first kiss?
And oh, how I want it. Her.
He knew Vere well enough to understand she’d get all sappy about her first kiss. Maybe not today but eventually.
A first kiss was something everyone remembered.
Something priceless.
She’d think about it. Pull out the memory and realize he was connected to her heart for all time.
Even if he didn’t deserve this kiss—even if it was a kiss stolen out from under another guy—he didn’t care anymore. He knew he’d have this one, special, forever-kiss between him and Vere. And since he wasn’t going to get anything else, it would have to be enough.
A memory for him too. One that nothing, and no one could ever take away.
It felt wrong, but so damn, right.
He vowed to make this kiss as good as it gets.
37: messing everything up: a++
VERE
Dustin set his stuff on the small table next to the couch near to where she’d been standing.
Vere blushed furiously when he appeared to be studying her as though he waited for her to change her mind.
Darn. So much for keeping my cool. I am begging an extremely attractive guy to kiss me, after all. A blush or two is not out of order, even if we are best friends.
And I’m not changing my mind! He can make any face he wants to try to discourage me. I need this kiss.
“Wow. Your hair. It’s almost blond again,” she said. His hair had grown out some, and with the dark brown rapidly fading away it was the exact color of a lion’s mane. A stunning effect combined with his laser-beam eyes.
“Yeah. I—haven’t had the chance to darken it again.” He shot her sort of a pained look and crossed his arms. “Let’s don’t talk about silly stuff. Let’s just do this. How would you like me to set up the kiss?”
“Uh—on the lips is good? You know...just a standard kiss.” She shrugged.
Jeez. This is more awkward than I’d imagined.
Is he hiding a smile? If he laughs right now, I wil
l die.
“Duh. I figured that.”
“Ugh. What do you mean, then? See? I can’t do this. I’m a total mess.”
He frowned and shook his head. “I mean we’ll have to set the stage. How would you like it to be? Sitting, standing, inside, outside? Have you pictured how this is going to go?”
Vere blinked. “Do people think it through? I thought it was just supposed to happen.”
“Guys tend to pre-plan a good first kiss. It makes it easier. Some basic kiss moments are easy to predict. Like, after the date in the car. Or, the classic teen TV show ending: behind the football bleachers. Or, the famous old-school one: kissing the girl at the front door just before the dad turns on the light. You know.”
“You’ve done that? Planned it? Kissed girls on a porch?”
“Well, not me. I’ve never actually had the need to plan one. Usually, I’m just approached, or attacked. Whatever you want to call it. But I can imagine that if I were on the girlfriend track, my first kiss would require serious planning. I’d want it to be completely unforgettable.”
“Oh. That’s nice. It’s nice to know guys are so...nice.”
“Don’t say that.” He glowered, his gaze unreadable and dark.
“Nice. Nice. Nice. It’s so fun to taunt you.” Vere smiled as he made another face. She just had to laugh, and so did he, finally.
Her blushing had stopped. They’d returned to their normal banter, giving her courage to move forward. “Okay. Well, since you’re the guy, and you say guys plan it, then, let’s just go through a typical scenario?”
“Yeah. Yeah. I think I’ve got it, but at least choose the pretend timing of it all—so I can make the rest up.”
Vere paced nervously behind the length of the couch facing their basement entertainment center. She was having a difficult time looking up at him, because he seemed really tall all of a sudden. “Okay. I can give you a starting point. Let’s just say this will be an ‘end of the date’ type kiss. I like the idea that it will be dark. You decide from there. In the pretend car, or on the pretend front porch." Her cheeks were burning as she went on, "But, again, always dark. So when I turn a bunch of colors he won’t notice so much.”