Wonderwall

by Soars, M. H.

  Owen’s friend turns to me, “Are all your family dinners this exciting?”

  ☂ ☂ ☂

  During dinner, there are no more comments or jokes about my red face. Mom only gives me a knowing smile. Later, after Kimmy, Owen, and Derek—that was Owen’s roommate’s name—are gone, and everyone is settled for the night, Mom comes into my room. She sits on the edge of my bed and looks intently at me. I pretend I’m too engrossed in my book to notice her stare.

  “So, do you wanna tell me something, honey?”

  I keep my gaze glued to The Iliad. “Yeah, this is a rare case where the movie was actually better than the book.”

  “Liv, you know what I’m talking about.”

  I close the book with a loud thud and replace it with a pillow. I need some kind of protection because I know Karen Dawson has every intention to talk about the birds and the bees with me tonight. I’m mortified already.

  “Not really.”

  “Oh come on, Liv. It can’t be that horrific to talk to me about your first kiss.” There’s pure elation in her gaze—Mom is a hopeless romantic.

  I look down and trace the swirling pattern on my pillow with the tip of my finger. “You already know. I kissed a boy. Big freaking deal.”

  “It is a big deal, hon. So tell me, who was the lucky one?”

  I don’t wanna tell her it was Sebastian, but Mom will keep pestering me until I confess everything. She’s relentless when she wants information. So I do confess.

  To my surprise, she squeaks in delight. “I knew it!” She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “Is he a good kisser?”

  I pull away. “Mom! Come on.”

  She raises both hands. “Okay, okay. I won’t ask for more details. But now that you’ve crossed this milestone, we need to get serious for a moment.”

  Oh, yeah. Here we go.

  “Mom, I know how babies are made already,” I grumble and curl my fingers over the pillow.

  “Of course you do. But you’re young, and it’s so easy to get caught in the heat of the moment at your age. That’s why the number of teen pregnancies is so high. And we’re talking about Sebastian here, the boy who you’ve had a crush on for years. As much as I would like to believe that you’ll be sensible enough to wait a couple of years, as a parent, I can’t take that risk. I’ve already scheduled an appointment with Dr. Zimmerman tomorrow. You’re going on the pill.”

  I don’t ask her how she knew I liked Sebastian. Mom is like a hawk, she misses nothing and knows exactly what each of her kids is up to. I hide my face between my hands. “I don’t even know if Sebastian and I are dating.”

  Mom pulls my hands off my face and forces me to look at her. “I see the way that boy looks at you, and there’s nothing platonic about his gaze.”

  “You really think so?” Hope flares in my chest, unbidden and prevailing.

  “I’m positive. Now, do you think you can manage not to get knocked up between tonight and tomorrow?”

  “Mom! You’re terrible.”

  She laughs and stands up, planting a kiss on my forehead before she leaves. Despite the embarrassing conversation, she did manage to dispel my doubts a little.

  Chapter 5

  Sebastian

  I stare at Liv’s darkened window for far too long. The entire house is quiet which doesn’t surprise me, it’s already past midnight. I should have called her after she flew out of my house earlier, but I was too confused about Liv’s reaction to the kissing lesson and what it meant to our friendship. I’m still confused. I went to bed lying to myself, saying it would be better to sleep on it and talk to her face to face tomorrow. But after tossing and turning in bed for nearly three hours, I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep before I saw her again.

  There’s no doubt in my mind now what that weird, swirling emotion inside my heart is. It’s almost like an ache. I’m positive I’m in love with my best friend. But does she feel the same way about me? My gut feeling is telling me yes, but there’s no way to know for sure until I see her again. And it has to be now.

  Gathering my courage, I call her. It rings ten times before it goes to voicemail. Drat. What am I going to do now? I glance at my feet and see some tiny pebbles on the grass. The idea is stupid and totally eighties movies, but what choice do I have? Liv has probably muted her cell. I bend down and pick the smallest stones, hoping I won’t end up waking up Liv’s parents instead, or worse, breaking her window.

  I roll one of the pebbles between my fingers, trying to steady my breathing and slow my pulse. With one big inhale, I let it fly and cringe when it bangs against Liv’s window. It wasn’t that loud, but in the dead silence of the night, it sounded pretty noisy. I throw a couple more stones before I lose my nerve. I’m about to throw the last one when the light in Liv’s room turns on. A few seconds later, the curtain is pulled to the side, and Liv’s startled face appears behind the closed window. When her eyes adjust to the gloom, she pulls the glass panel up.

  “Sebastian, what are you doing here?” she hisses.

  “I have to talk to you. Can you come down?”

  “It’s the middle of the night.”

  “I know. Please, Liv. It will only take a minute.”

  She bites her lower lip and looks over her shoulder, before glancing down again. “Okay, I’ll be down in a second.”

  My stomach begins to clench, and it feels like there’s an army of super ants crawling all over my body. I run my fingers through my hair and start to pace in front of the big oak tree that stands between our houses, trying to get rid of the sudden jitters. I hear Liv’s front door unlock and freeze mid-step. My throat is completely dry, and I don’t know what I’m going to say to her. I’ve always prided myself on being a confident person, but I realize that when it comes to Liv, I’m not certain of anything.

  My heartbeat kicks up a notch when I take in the sight of her. Her PJs are nothing more than a flimsy tank top and tiny shorts. Her hair is secure in a loose braid down her back, but rebel wisps are free and framing her face. She has her arms crossed in front of her chest as she minces toward me, pausing at a safe distance.

  “What’s going on, Bas?”

  I look down, like a coward, unable to hold her scrutinizing stare. Words fail me—I don’t know where to start. I shuffle my right foot, playing with the pebbles scattered on the grass like a moron. To my surprise, Liv moves closer and touches my arm. My head snaps back up, and I see all my worries and doubts mirrored in Liv’s eyes.

  “Is about the lesson, isn’t it? I’ve ruined everything.” She lets go of my arm and takes a step back. Her voice is heavy with hurt and melancholy. On an impulse, I take her hand and lace our fingers together. She stares at our entwined hands, and then at me.

  “No, you didn’t ruin anything. That was the best idea you could ever have.”

  “Why?” Her whisper is so soft, it feels like the wind.

  “Because it made me realize how stupid I’ve been.”

  “What do you mean?” She moves closer to me. We’re only a few inches apart now. With my free hand, I caress her cheek, and she closes her eyes for a second, leaning against my hand. A soft sigh escapes her lips.

  “I should have never fought my feelings for you.”

  Her eyes fly open, and her breath catches. “You have feelings for me?”

  “You have no idea.” I don’t recognize my own voice—it’s so filled with need.

  “What are you trying to say, Bas?”

  I take a deep breath. Here goes nothing. “Liv, will you be my girlfriend?”

  She gasps and I think I’ve said the wrong thing for sure. But then I see her lips curl into a shy grin.

  “Yes!” She jumps in my arms, catching me off guard. I take a few steps back trying to keep my balance, but my foot slips on the moist grass and down we go with a muffled thud. I’m mortified, but Liv’s
intoxicating laughter makes me laugh, too.

  “You’re crazy.” I capture her face between my hands and tug her to me.

  Her kiss is just as sweet and powerful as before. It makes my entire body tingle; it makes me want to drown in her essence. She’s an invader, conquering all of me. Everything is Liv. I could stay like that, lying on the grass with her in my arms, all night long. But too soon she pulls away, bracing her arms next to my shoulders.

  “I better get back inside.”

  “Why?” I touch her lips with the tip of my thumb, and she shivers.

  “Because we have school tomorrow and also, the longer we stay here, the greater the chances my parents or yours will catch us.”

  She pushes herself off of me and stands up. I rest my elbows on the cool grass and let my gaze wander the entire length of her body. Blood rushes to my crotch as a desire I have never known courses through my veins. Liv offers me her hand, helping me get up too. I don’t let go of her once I’m standing. Instead, I pull Liv to me again, my mouth crashing against hers like I’m a parched land, and she’s rain. I know she’s right, but I can’t bring myself to let her go back inside. In such a short period of time, I became addicted to Liv’s touch.

  My hands land on her hips and I squeeze them, bringing us even closer. I know she can feel how much I’m burning for her. She moans and kisses me back with as much ferocity. My entire body is on fire, and her heat emanates through the thin layers of her clothes, scorching me further. When she breaks the kiss and pushes me away, I’m adrift.

  “I really have to go, Bas.”

  “You know, it’s hard to believe you when you keep looking at me like that.”

  “Like what?”

  “With those bedroom eyes.”

  She shakes her head and looks down. Then she peers at me through her thick, long lashes. “Good night, Sebastian.”

  She turns on her heels and runs back inside before I can do anything to stop it. She knows me too well. If it were up to me, I would never let her go.

  Chapter 6

  Sebastian

  I take two deep, steadying breaths before I ring the doorbell. I’ve stood in front of this red door countless times before, but I’ve never felt this nervous. The tie my mom insisted I wear feels like a cord around my neck, cutting off my air supply. My hands are clammy.

  The door opens and instead of seeing Liv on the threshold, her dad, Murphy, greets me instead. I tighten the hold I have on the roses bouquet in my hand and swallow hard. Murphy’s usually friendly face is closed off. His eyebrows are squished together, forming a deep V on his forehead. That can’t be good.

  “Sebastian.”

  “Hello, Mr. Dawson.” I don’t think I should call him Murphy now.

  He narrows his eyes at me before he opens the door all the way to let me in. I enter the foyer and look left and right, searching for Liv. Where the hell is she?

  “She’s not ready yet. Why don’t you follow me, Sebastian?”

  The way he says my name makes me think I’m about to be flayed. He leads me to the living room where Liv’s entire family is congregated. Even Kimmy’s boyfriend is there. Everyone is staring at me like I’ve committed the biggest sin. Do they know about my midnight visit of two days ago?

  “Take a seat, Sebastian.” Murphy points at the LaZ-Boy chair, his chair, and it feels like I’m sitting on needles instead of the plush seat.

  Kimmy and Owen are sitting together on the loveseat, and Karen and Jeremy are on the couch. Murphy sits down between them, rests his elbows on his knees, and leans forward. His lips are nothing but a white slash.

  My mouth is dryer than when I was stupid enough to eat a teaspoon of cinnamon powder on a dare. I want to say something to break the tension, but Murphy speaks before I can.

  “There’s no sense beating around the bush here, so I’ll go straight to the point. What are your intentions with my daughter?”

  My mouth drops open and the blood drains from my face. All my thoughts vanish from my head. I feel like I’m stuck in a Twilight Zone episode where I wake up, and everyone is different except me.

  “I, sir….”

  “You can understand my concern. You’ve been frequenting this house quite often under the guise of friendship, and now I’ve learned that you’ve been coming here to kiss my daughter behind my back. I won’t stand for that.”

  Seriously, this is a nightmare. No way I’m having this conversation with Liv’s dad. No way. I look at Owen with a plea for help in my eyes, but the bastard just stares at me like I’m a fucking perv. His lips are curled into a sneer. What the hell? He’s way worse than me, making out with Kimmy out in the open for anyone to see. I’ve never heard Murphy give him any grief, ever.

  My gaze returns to Liv’s dad. “Sir, I swear I never meant to take advantage of Liv’s friendship. I was caught completely off guard when things between us changed. I have the utmost respect for your daughter and ─”

  “Are you prepared to make a commitment to her right now? I won’t let you continue your liaison with her if you don’t.”

  My heart rate spikes up, and all I can hear is the sound of my pulse in my ears. Murphy can’t be serious. He wants me to do what, get engaged with Liv? I’m still trying to come up with an answer when I hear a giggle behind me. Then the entire room erupts in laughter.

  “Oh my God. That was priceless,” Owen howls.

  Murphy is laughing so hard, he actually doubles over on his seat. I’m too shocked to react. Liv walks by me and goes straight to the mantelpiece on the wall behind the big couch. She picks up a video camera that was hidden in plain sight. It was trained on me the whole time.

  “No, you didn’t,” I finally say.

  “I sure did.” She glides over to me, and I stand up. “You should have seen your face. Oh, wait. You can.” She’s still recording it.

  “Liv, let me upload that to Youtube. Pleeease,” Jeremy says.

  I point at him. “Don’t even think about it. You do it, and you’re dead meat.”

  Jeremy looks at Murphy with wide eyes. “Dad, did you hear that? He’s just threatened me. You can’t let him date, Liv. That’s just wrong.”

  Murphy ruffles Jeremy’s hair before he walks my way. He has a big grin on his face now. “I hope you won’t hold a grudge against us, Bas.”

  I rake my hand through my hair. “I confess I’m still reeling inside. I really thought you were serious.”

  Murphy turns to Liv’s mom. “Did you hear that, Karen? I haven’t lost my touch.”

  I raise my eyebrow at Liv. She smiles and shakes her head. “A million years ago Dad wanted to be an actor.”

  She turns off the camera and puts it away. I finally remember the flowers that are now completely mangled after I put them through the ringer.

  “Sorry, they don’t look so good right now.”

  She takes the destroyed bouquet from me and brings it up to her nose. “They still smell good. Thanks, Bas.” She leans in and kisses me on my cheek. Heat surges through my body, melting what was left of my tension away.

  I finally notice of what she’s wearing and my heart begins to race again. Her dress is not provocative by any means. It reminds me of dresses from the fifties. The upper part is tight and sleeveless, no plunging neckline, and the skirt is flowy, hitting her above the knees. So why does it feel like there is a mad drummer inside my chest? Will I ever learn to control how my body reacts to her? She’s like the tide, coming and going, leaving me, the shore, at its mercy. Wet when she rises, dry when she recedes.

  “Bas, I want you to know that we’re very happy about this development.”

  Murphy’s voice brings me back to the here and now. But I don’t break my hypnotized stare from Liv’s face, and I can’t hide my feelings either when I say, “Me too.”

  “Where are you taking my baby sis? It’d better not
be a dive, Coleman,” Kimmy asks from across the room. I lace my fingers with Liv’s and turn around.

  “The Cove?” I hate how my answer sounds like a question.

  “Ohh, fancy.” Kimmy hits Owen on his chest with the back of her hand. “See, this is how you do it.”

  “Hey, I’ve taken you to better places than The Cove.”

  “The annual frat gala doesn’t count, Owen.”

  Kimmy and Owen begin their usual banter, but it’s easy enough to block them out. I glance at Liv, dying to lean down and kiss her on the lips. I resist the urge; I don’t want to piss off Murphy for real now.

  “Are you ready?” I ask.

  “I’ve been ready for the longest time.”

  Chapter 7

  Olivia

  The Cove is one of those fancy restaurants where people only go to celebrate special occasions, unless they are filthy rich. The reason is simple, you have to pay to breathe.

  “Bas, this is really unnecessary. We could have gone to McDonald’s, and I wouldn’t care. This will cost a fortune.” I glance at the menu and balk at the ridiculous prices. I’ll have to work at the Dairy Queen for a month to pay for a full meal. I see a salad in my future.

  Sebastian shrugs like it’s no big deal. “I got a gift card from Uncle Paul for my birthday.”

  “A gift card I’m sure he intended for you to buy something nice with.”

  “Well, I want to take my girl out to dinner. As long as I’m happy, he’s happy.”

  “You know you don’t need to impress me with fancy dinners, right?”

  Sebastian stares at me intensely with a wolfish grin on his face. “Yeah, I know.”

  In the end, he convinces me to order whatever I want, not only the salad. It’s pointless to argue with him, so I decide to enjoy the moment. And, to be honest, this is a special occasion. It’s monumental. Our very first date. I can hardly believe it.

  After dinner, instead of going back home, we go for a stroll in Littleton’s downtown. It’s Friday night, and the streets are buzzing with people, the restaurants lining the main street are packed. Our town is famous for its quaint atmosphere, and it attracts visitors from neighboring cities, including L.A. It’s not shocking to bump into celebrities now and then. Littleton has some of the best restaurants in California, and there is way less paparazzi here.