three years makes a lot of
difference.”
“A lot,” I said
firmly.
He sighed. “At
least cut the kid some slack, okay? I’m sure Ryuu’s not happy right now. That
kid’s lived for you the past few years. Going up to the center every
day. Bringing you gifts and sitting by your bed holding your hand.” He gave
me puppy dog eyes.
I waved him away
and turned back to the clothing situation. “I got it, okay?!”
He backed away
with his hands raised in self-defense. “Okay, okay.”
I tossed a
couple of shirts onto the bed and glared at them. I glanced up when I realized
Dad was still hovering in the doorway. “Have fun tonight sweetie,” he said
fondly. “And come right home after the movie.”
I sighed. “Sure
Dad.” In a town as small as Pine Rapids, there wasn’t much risk to me staying
out late, but he did have some parental instincts.
He closed the
door behind him and I stood in the middle of my room staring at the floor for a
very long time. I couldn’t forget the look on Ryuu’s face. Did he really feel
that way about me? No way. He probably just hated the idea of my having a
social life that didn’t involve him. Finally, I shook myself and launched into
motion. I was seventeen years old. It was time to start acting like it.
I decided on
sneakers. Wyatt could just deal with me the way I was, or forget it. When he
picked me up, we all did the awkward meet the date thing. Dad didn’t seem
particularly happy but, much to my relief, he was nice. Then we headed to the
theater a few blocks away.
Wyatt picked the
movie, something gushy that people take dates to. I sat through it without
noticing much of what was happening on the screen in front of me. The couple
behind us was making out- loudly. Wyatt’s arm somehow found its way across the
back of my seat. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do, so I ignored it. It
was the longest two hours of my life, pretending that I wasn’t pretending that
I didn’t know what was going on.
When we emerged
into the lights again, Wyatt took my hand. We sat on a bench a little ways
down from the theatre entrance. I was so jittery that I actually jumped when
he slipped his arm around my waist.
His green eyes
crinkled at the corners as he silently laughed at me. “Am I that scary?”
I shook my
head. “It’s just the dark, I think.” The sun had set and the old-fashioned streetlights
were coming on one by one. The air had a bite to it that cut through my
sweatshirt.
Wyatt smiled.
“I had fun,” he said lightly. He angled himself toward me, and I braced myself
as he leaned in to kiss me.
His lips were
soft and warm on mine. The sensation wasn’t unpleasant. I didn’t know what to
do with my hands, so I kept them in my lap. When I didn’t resist, he slipped a
hand behind my head, taking advantage of my surprise to slip his tongue into my
mouth. His hand at my waist started to migrate upward.
I jerked back
and pushed his hands away. “What the heck?”
He looked
honestly surprised. “What? Did I do something wrong?”
I blushed and
looked at my hands. “Um, well I just…”
He slid closer
to me on the bench, trying to put his arm around me. I frowned. “Is this the
only reason you wanted to go out?”
He laughed.
“You really are like a little kid, aren’t you?”
I glared at
him. “Look, you’re a nice guy and all. But I’m just not ready for - I mean, a
few months ago, as far as I remember, I was fourteen.” I twisted my hands in
my lap. “I’ve never even kissed a guy before,” I blurted. I wanted to die. I
wanted to crawl in a hole and die. Right now.
He frowned at
me. “I thought that’s what you wanted. Why did you come out with me if you
don’t even like me?”
I shrugged. “I
like you just fine. But I don’t know if I like you.”
He laughed,
sitting back and crossing his arms. “Half the
difference.”
“A lot,” I said
firmly.
He sighed. “At
least cut the kid some slack, okay? I’m sure Ryuu’s not happy right now. That
kid’s lived for you the past few years. Going up to the center every
day. Bringing you gifts and sitting by your bed holding your hand.” He gave
me puppy dog eyes.
I waved him away
and turned back to the clothing situation. “I got it, okay?!”
He backed away
with his hands raised in self-defense. “Okay, okay.”
I tossed a
couple of shirts onto the bed and glared at them. I glanced up when I realized
Dad was still hovering in the doorway. “Have fun tonight sweetie,” he said
fondly. “And come right home after the movie.”
I sighed. “Sure
Dad.” In a town as small as Pine Rapids, there wasn’t much risk to me staying
out late, but he did have some parental instincts.
He closed the
door behind him and I stood in the middle of my room staring at the floor for a
very long time. I couldn’t forget the look on Ryuu’s face. Did he really feel
that way about me? No way. He probably just hated the idea of my having a
social life that didn’t involve him. Finally, I shook myself and launched into
motion. I was seventeen years old. It was time to start acting like it.
I decided on
sneakers. Wyatt could just deal with me the way I was, or forget it. When he
picked me up, we all did the awkward meet the date thing. Dad didn’t seem
particularly happy but, much to my relief, he was nice. Then we headed to the
theater a few blocks away.
Wyatt picked the
movie, something gushy that people take dates to. I sat through it without
noticing much of what was happening on the screen in front of me. The couple
behind us was making out- loudly. Wyatt’s arm somehow found its way across the
back of my seat. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do, so I ignored it. It
was the longest two hours of my life, pretending that I wasn’t pretending that
I didn’t know what was going on.
When we emerged
into the lights again, Wyatt took my hand. We sat on a bench a little ways
down from the theatre entrance. I was so jittery that I actually jumped when
he slipped his arm around my waist.
His green eyes
crinkled at the corners as he silently laughed at me. “Am I that scary?”
I shook my
head. “It’s just the dark, I think.” The sun had set and the old-fashioned streetlights
were coming on one by one. The air had a bite to it that cut through my
sweatshirt.
Wyatt smiled.
“I had fun,” he said lightly. He angled himself toward me, and I braced myself
as he leaned in to kiss me.
His lips were
soft and warm on mine. The sensation wasn’t unpleasant. I didn’t know what to
do with my hands, so I kept them in my lap. When I didn’t resist, he slipped a
hand behind my head, taking advantage of my surprise to slip his tongue into my
mouth. His hand at my waist started to migrate upward.
I jerked back
and pushed his hands away. “What the heck?”
He looked
honestly surprised. “What? Did I do something wrong?”
I blushed and
looked at my hands. “Um, well I just…”
He slid closer
to me on the bench, trying to put his arm around me. I frowned. “Is this the
only reason you wanted to go out?”
He laughed.
“You really are like a little kid, aren’t you?”
I glared at
him. “Look, you’re a nice guy and all. But I’m just not ready for - I mean, a
few months ago, as far as I remember, I was fourteen.” I twisted my hands in
my lap. “I’ve never even kissed a guy before,” I blurted. I wanted to die. I
wanted to crawl in a hole and die. Right now.
He frowned at
me. “I thought that’s what you wanted. Why did you come out with me if you
don’t even like me?”
I shrugged. “I
like you just fine. But I don’t know if I like you.”
He laughed,
sitting back and crossing his arms. “Half the
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