Eastwood Academy

Chapter 23: Whiplash

  Friday starts off the same as most days the past couple of weeks. I find River waiting for me outside of history class. The sight of him lounging against the wall, his jacket hugging his toned arms, tie hanging loose and slightly askew around his neck doesn't surprise me, but it never fails to make me feel elated. Screw coffee, River is enough to make me alert in the morning.

The first thing he does is ask me if I'm coming to Connell's kickback. He seems genuinely excited when I say yes, which makes my heart soar. I'm starting to think Jessica is right, that River really does return my feelings. But when he offers me a ride up to Connell's house, I pause.

What about Gavin? The last thing I want to do is alienate him. "Um, I'm not sure," I hedge, hating myself for not just saying yes to River.

"C'mon it will be fun. You know most of the people going and no one's going to give you shit if you're with me," River responds, misinterpreting my hesitation over Gavin as shyness.

"I'll think about it. Should we go inside" I ask, slightly stressed because I feel like I've been a shitty friend to Gavin. I haven't seen him very much lately because I've spent so much time with River.

After class, I head to the library to meet River and work on the website for the sports committee. I go to our usual spot and see him waiting for me, reading a book. When I start toward him, he looks up, like my very presence in the room draws his eyes.

For a moment, we sit in silence. Not the tense kind that plagued us for long weeks in history before we became friends. It's peaceful. I like the moments when we just sit together. Just being around him makes me feel... happy? No, that's not quite it. What I feel when I am around River is more complex. My physical attraction to River makes me more aware of my own body, not just his.

"So any reason you don't want Gavin to drive with us to the party?" River asks suddenly. "I figured you'd want to go with him." So much for peace and calm.

"What?" I stutter, caught off guard. Where the hell did that come from?

"Is there a reason you don't want him to drive with us?" River repeats, looking at me intently with his blazing green eyes.

"No, I mean yes, I__." I break off, blushing scarlet. This is the perfect opportunity to tell River that I have feelings for him. He's practically daring me to do so. But swallowing my tongue seems easier than talking right now.

"I just thought that maybe it would be nice to be alone?" My answer comes out like a question, and I think I've bypassed red and gone straight to maroon.

"Alone, huh?" River gives me his trademark smirk, and for a minute, I think my heart is going to stop. Is he making fun of me? Then he leans towards me and I freeze, so surprised by his closeness that shock roots me in place.

"And why would that be?" River asks, his voice an octave lower than normal and practically dripping with seduction. This boy is going to have me in a puddle on the floor by the end of the day if we keep up like this. He's right, though. We're in a secluded part of the library on the third floor, and no one is in sight.

I have to bite back a gasp as River's hand comes up, brushing my long hair back behind my ears. He doesn't stop there, letting his hand travel to my cheek and stroking lightly. His thumb brushes over my lips, parting them, and I barely stop a moan from escaping. His touch feels so good, there aren't words. Then, finally, he leans in and presses his lips lightly to mine.

The kiss starts out tentative, slow. My brain is still in complete shock, but I automatically reach out-intent on being as close to River as possible - and knot my fingers into River's hair. He responds by deepening the kiss, his hands going from my face to my waist, gripping my hips firmly. Both of us are sitting on the edge of our seats by this point. River gently tugs me closer to him, drawing us both up to stand without breaking the kiss.