02

It was her riding it ?

Slim to none, I told myself.

A week later, I would realize I had been wrong.

« Come on, » Aaron said, urging me back towards the crowded edge of the city. With one arm, he tucked me into the warmth of his chest. « It’s a school night. »

I thought about the prospect of starting eleventh grade tomorrow.

We were going to be juniors.

« What if we run away, forge some new identities, and start our lives again in Southern Italy as flower shop owners ? »

« Or, » Aaron suggested, « I can take you home, and tomorrow we can bully the little grade nines and tens ? »

I considered it. « Done. »

« I love you, you know that, Dixie Normous ? »

« Shut the fuck up. I’m still mad at you for wandering off. » My eyes rolled skyward. « But I love you, too, Mike Hunt. »

« Aren’t you glad I got to pick out our names this time ? »

« Not particularly. You have the humour of a sixteen year old boy. »

« I am a sixteen year old boy. »

« That’s the problem. » I shuddered in mock disgust. « Boys. »

« You are aware that you’re straight, right ? »

I shrugged, shuddering. « I know, but―boys. »

I was pretty sure it was normal. Or, at least, maybe that was how most girls felt inside. I’d already had a boyfriend, so it wasn’t like I wasn’t straight. I just accepted the fact that boys were―well, a little distasteful.

For some reason, I couldn’t stop thinking of that green-eyed girl. And the way her lips had looked, curved into a wicked smile.

I didn’t know her name, then.

But in one week, I would hate Monroe fucking Kingston with all my heart and soul.

>>>

So…welcome to Shut Up And Kiss Me.

How often do y’all want updates ?

From the moon and back,

Sarai

THE GIRLS’ LOCKER ROOM, at any given time, was my least favourite place in the world.

I didn’t know why, exactly, but something about being in a small, crowded, misty room with thirty female bodies just set me on edge.

It might have been the combination of bare, gleaming skin : a glimpse of a tan shoulder, the smooth edge of a backside. And there was just something―something―about a girl’s ass that always made my heart pound.

It wasn’t like I was attracted to girls, but―

« Are you listening to me ? » Skylar said.

« Not even close, » I mumbled.

My first period of the semester : gym.

I was really wishing I had chosen a wiser elective. Like poly-science or nutrition or family studies. Anything. Anything would have been better than this.

« This is the first day of school, » I told Skylar. « And it sucks so far. »

« It’s not even eleven a.m. yet. »

« That’s the biggest problem. »

« Oh, come on, » Skylar teased, wringing the water out of her pink-and-purple strands of hair. « What do you have next ? Chemistry ? History ? English ? »

« Math. We should have run away when we had the chance. »

Skylar stood just as the bell rang. The mist was clearing, the soft steamy tendrils swirling through the opened doors. Slowly, steadily, the stream of girls tugged on clothing and made their way into the corridor.

I could finally breathe.

It wasn’t like I had anything to hide, but . . .

« Talia ! » Skylar snapped her fingers in front of me. « You are so distracted. I forgot to ask―how did the fake proposal with Aaron go yesterday ? »

« He pretended to be a drug-dealing felon that knocked up my mom, » I said. « It was so romantic. »

Skylar giggled. « I am totally going to steal him next time. That sounds better than Cody’s stupid ideas. »

« We’re definitely going to get into trouble for this one day. »

« Maybe we’ll get chased by the police, » Skylar said, brown eyes brightening. « And then my morning runs will actually be useful. »

« You run in the morning just so you’ll be prepared to run from the police ? »

Skylar held the door open, waiting for me to follow her. We were the last ones out of the changeroom. « Of course I do ! Why the fuck else would I put myself through that torture ? »

AARON AND I HAD been best friends since sixth grade―the first of our self-proclaimed little group―and Skylar had come next. Her parents were rich hippie stoners, and I had loved her from the moment she strutted into Mrs. DeMarco’s class and asked, « Edward or Jacob ? »

A few girls had immediately responded. A chorus of Edward’s and Jacob’s followed the question.

I was probably the only one who didn’t answer.

Why would I care about Edward or Jacob from Twilight ? If anything, I much preferred Rosalie Hale. She was a lot more fascinating than either.

Skylar’s brown eyes had honed in on me.

And, out of everyone she could have sat next to, she strolled to the seat next to mine. More confident than any sixth grader I had ever met before.

« We’re going to be best friends, » she declared.

I didn’t even think to question it.