Kiss List (Book I of the List Series)

Chapter 2 - Making the Kiss List

Chapter 2 – Making the Kiss List

The other girls were jumping up and down and giggling with excitement. 

“Oh, hush up,” I said.

“How long should we make the list?” Olivia asked.

“Three guys?” I said hopefully.

“Nope,” Payton said.  “15.”

We finally negotiated it down to 10.  I thought that was outrageous but the other girls seemed to think it was low.  Of course they would.  Then the work of assembling the names on the list started.

“Gabriel needs to be on there,” Alyssa said.  “He just looks so romantic.  Maybe you can get him to take you out dancing.  Latin American men are such good dancers.  I can give you some tips on him.  I’ve been to South America.”

“If Alyssa gets to pick someone then I get to pick someone too,” Olivia said.  “Put Ryan’s name down.  I want to hear how good of a kisser he is.”

I didn’t even know what made a good kisser.  This was happening too fast.  Had I even really agreed to this? 

“I think we should put Graham on the list,” Payton said.  “Sadie did say the picture of him kissing Missy looked pretty romantic.  I think that’s code for she thinks he’s hot.”

Now they were talking like I wasn’t even in the room.  “Are you serious?”  I said.  “In what world do I even have a chance with Graham?  He’s a senior.”

“Girl, you don’t understand,” Payton said.  “With us behind you, you can have any boy you want.  Who do you want on the list?”

My thoughts immediately turned to Aaron and I felt myself blush.  I pushed the thought out of my head.  It was ridiculous to think that I had a shot with Aaron.  “Don’t you think this is morally wrong and unfair to the boys to use them for a stupid competition?” I said.

“Are you kidding?” Payton scoffed.  “Boys love to make out with girls with no strings attached.  They’ll love this.”

“I agree but to make this work you can’t say anything about the competition,” Olivia said.  “If we’re going to learn anything from this you need to try to seduce them without telling them what’s going on.”

“To be safe, though, I don’t think we should include any boys younger than you,” Alyssa mused.  “We don’t want to get into a situation where age is a factor.”

“I’ll go along with that with one exception,” Payton said.  “Sam Queen.”

There was a collective intake of breath from the group followed by a wistful exhale.  Sam Queen was only a sophomore but he gorgeous and had made the varsity baseball team his freshman year.  He was ripped and definitely looked older than his 16 years.

“Okay but we’re not giving her any freshmen,” Olivia said.  “We’re better than that.”

“How about Paul?” Alyssa said.

“Paul Stedman or Paul Dolan?” Payton said.

“Both,” Alyssa said.  I grimaced.  Paul Stedman was a cute, popular guy.  I got along with him.  Paul Dolan was nearly seven feet tall and the center for the varsity basketball team and a little too much of a party animal for me.  I would be way too scared to try to seduce him.

“Not Dolan,” I said.  “I’m not kissing Paul Dolan.  It’s my lips, I think I get veto rights.”

I couldn’t believe the words that were coming out of my mouth.  It almost sounded like I was going along with it.

“Fair enough,” Alyssa said.  “But that gives me an idea.  What about Chris and Liam Hall?”

“Yes!” Payton cried.  “That needs to happen.”

“No!” I yelled just as loud.  “I’m not making out with twins.”

“You don’t have to make out with them at the same time or anything,” Olivia, “though we’d give you bonus points if you could swing that.  I mean come on though, you have to.  They’re so hot and they are both lacrosse boys.  Lacrosse boys are the hottest of the hot.  Come on.”

“Well, they are really hot,” I said as I thought about it.

“Jamal has to be on the list,” Payton said.

“Are you sure you want me to kiss him?” I asked.  “I know you have a crush on him.  And by crush I mean a monster I’d-die-if-he-ever-touched-me crush.”

Payton stuck her tongue out at me and then said, “Fine, I’ll admit I have a little crush on him, but that’s why he needs to be on the list.  You can figure out all of his moves for me.  You just have to swear it won’t go any further than one kiss.”

“What about Jacob Goodwin?” Olivia asked.  “He’s going to wrestle for the U next year.”

“Not him,” Payton said.  “The guys a jerk and so muscular he’s freakish looking.  David Reagan is cute though and he’s really trim from wrestling.  You know he’s got a rockin’ body.”

“Who says rockin’ body anymore?” I said.  “Okay, add him to the list.”  I adjusted my shirt uncomfortably.  The thought of kissing any one of these guys was making me nervous.  David was really cute, though.

“Just two more spots because the twins only count as one,” Alyssa said.  “Do you think we should include anyone from the soccer team?”

I straightened up and glared at her.  Alyssa stared back at me innocently.  It seemed that little Miss Nicey-Nice was having a bit of fun at my expense and making me squirm by raising the chances of someone saying Aaron’s name.  So much for the Mother Theresa act. 

“Hmmm,” Payton said.  “A soccer couple would be cute.  How about Dylan Myers?”

“Ooh, yeah, you two would be really cute together,” Olivia said.  “Okay that’s got the soccer team covered.  How about someone from a different group altogether?  Maybe an emo boy?  What’s that one’s name?  Todd?  He’s kinda cute.”

“No,” I said firmly.  There was no way they were putting Dylan on the list and not Aaron.  I knew I didn’t have a shot with Dylan but I certainly wasn’t going to kiss another boy on the soccer team and not kiss Aaron.  But I couldn’t very well tell the girls that.  They were looking at me for an explanation.  What was I going to say?

Then Saint Alyssa came to my rescue.  “Girls, I think we should put Aaron Caldwell on the list.”

“Done!” Olivia said.  “Now how do we make sure she is going to follow through with it?”

“Ladies,” Payton said.  “Get the bunny pajamas.”

And then list was finished.  Olivia wrote each name down carefully and on a sheet of paper from my desk and then scrawled the words “The Kiss List” at the top.  Payton and Alyssa held me down as Olivia took my bunny footie pajamas hostage and I fought back with all my might and screamed in horror.  They threatened to reveal the pajamas to the world if I ever backed down.  That hardened my heart and set me to my purpose.  I was going to have to find some way to make out with the ten most good looking boys in the school over the course of the year. 

I was terrified.