The Cycle

CHAPTER 11: SPHERES

CHAPTER 11

SPHERES

"So, you and Nayland, huh?" Kayden says with a wide grin from the plush love-seat.

I timidly shrug and bring my legs toward my chest, wrapping my arms around my calves and resting my chin on my knees. I had gotten a fire going in the fireplace and the living room was starting to warm up.

"I always suspected you had a thing for him," she notes, refusing to accept my vague, ambiguous response. "How long has this been going on?"

I sigh and shrug again.

"Not very long," I admit quietly. "It wasn't really anything up until...today actually."

Kayden nods and she lays her elbow on the armrest, leaning her head against her palm.

"How was it?" she asks innocently, her violet eyes burning with curiosity.

"How was what?"

"The kiss! How was it? Is he a good kisser?"

I can feel my face going tomato-red and I shrug again.

"C'mon, Laine! Any sane girl would be dying to spill about her first kiss, but then you..."

"I think I'm anything but sane," I retort back sourly but sigh. "It was...sweet. I don't know if it's just me being gracious, but I think that might have been his first kiss, too."

Kayden smiled while wrinkling her nose, scrunching her face up like a kid who's just licked the surface of a lemon wedge.

"Was it bad?" she finally asks.

"No!" I blurt out. "No, it was wonderful, actually. He just...he seemed a bit hesitant. I don't know if it's because it was his first time or he was trying not to hurt me...I was just kind of hoping-"

"It would be more intimate?" Kayden finishes with a long smirk.

I can't falter the next blush from reddening my face and Kayden laughs.

"Don't worry. I expected the same thing when I had my first kiss."

"What was yours like?" I ask, trying desperately to change the subject while also a little curious.

Kayden's face turns thoughtful and she thinks about it for a brief moment.

"It was over the summer, actually. He's a sophomore, in our grade, and he's really intelligent. You probably don't know him. Anyway, he kissed me on my front porch after he'd walked me home. It was very sweet and definitely not anything I was expecting."

It grew quiet and I didn't respond, sensing that the conversation was coming to a close. I release a heavy sigh as I prepare myself to tell Kayden what happened today.

"Kayden, there's something I need to talk to you about," I say quietly, keeping my gaze glued to the embers licking at the dry wood. From the corner of my eye, I see her curiously tilt her head to the side.

"What is it?" she asks softly.

I try to recollect the events that happened and I shiver.