When we get there I head to the gym where I usually go when we get there early and Sophie is there. She runs to me. She is wheeling her favorite blue t shirt and athletic shorts. Sophie the athlete. You can tear by what she wears and how her straight blonde hair is always in a Ponytail or braid.
"Ok you need to go talk to him like now before his people arrive or whatever." She says gesturing to Daniel who is sitting up against the wall in the gym on his phone by himself. As much as I dread it I know Sophie is right. He usually has practice after school and during school he is crowded by this fan club. Even during theatre he's busy.
"Fine!" I give in and walk away before she can wish me luck.
"Um hey Daniel," say awkwardly.
"Sup," he says not looking up from his phone. Ughhh look at me
"Can I talk to you it's important," I ask him. I already know what his answer will probably be. Might as well walk away now while there is still some hope he would have listened. I almost do before he says,"Sure," he looks up from his phone, puts it away and gestures for me to sit down,"What's up, Star?"
I sit down surprised," I just want to know why things are so different between us in school. Why you never talk to me at school." It feels good to just say it.
"Skylar, you know I hate this topic but I will answer you just because I owe you an explanation," he says. I am so shocked I forget to speak for a a second.
"Ok well good," is all I can say.
"Sky I really like you," he says. My mouth drops. He has never told me that before. I had only assumed.
"Oh," is all that comes out of my mouth. I want to say so much more but there words are stuck in a traffic jam in my brain.
"And I want us to be more than friends. But it's really hard because I'm not-" he cuts off.
"Your not what? Good enough for me? Because if that what you were going to say then that's a lie." I say. The words start to finally come back to me.
"No, Skylar I'm no good for you! I'm a mess! One day I wake up and all I want is to be with you but other days things change, and I suddenly want the people. And Sky I don't want to hurt you! I can't loose the friendship we have because a relationship didn't work out. Sky I dint want to make a mistake and ruin everything. I want to be more than friends but I'm afraid that if we do and it doesn't work out then I will lose you! And I can't do that right now. Among all these people who are with me you are the only real friend I have. No of them are. None of them actually care. They just want the popularity. I can't lose my only real friend. I can't lose the only person here that I love!" He is almost shouting now. And I am speechless.
I don't know what to do. Words can't help him. Words can't fix this. And right now everything is out in the open. So I do one of the stupidest but yet smartest things I've ever done. I lean in and kiss him. I don't even hesitate. And he kisses me back. And I feel something turn in my stomach. Everything around me fades and its just us. Just us together as one. His lips touch mine and I feel full and alive. And every fear I have in my bones disappears. It feels like that feeling I get on stage but ten times better. Because I finally did it. I thought about it every time at the movies and on new year when the fireworks blew up the sky. But I guess I just needed a moment of pure courage. And this was it. And when we break apart the magic doesn't end. I look into his brown eyes and remember the first time I saw them. They still have that smile look in them but right now it's seems even better. And we sit there speechless. And I wonder if what I did was stupid or brave. Whatever it was it was worth it. And then I hug him. I wrap my arms around his neck and he wraps his around my waist.
"You'll never loose me," I whisper into his ear. And that was it. My first kiss. I don't care if its my last because it was with him. And the world is bright.
"Do me a favor and the next time I'm a jerk just do this again," he jokes.
"Ok," I say.
And then I hear the most awful thing on earth. The bell. And I never hated it so much. He stands up and holds a hand out to help me up. I grab it and he pulls me up.
"Thanks," I say.
"Anytime for you Star," he says and walks off into the crowded halls. I go to find Sophie. So far this year looks like the best one yet.
Or so I thought
