The Distance Between Us

Chapter 20: Snazzy James

Chapter 20: Snazzy James

"So how was it?" I asked Sidney as soon as I sat down at the lunch table. She refused to tell me or Cam or even Oliver about her date with Isaac until we were all together. Sam was sitting beside us, too, listening curiously. She looked down sheepishly, allowing her cheeks to fill with a pinkish tinge.

"It was fun," she muttered as she drew circles with her fingers on the table. "I liked it."

"What'd you do?" Sam asked and she repressed a smile.

"We saw a movie, went out to eat, and hung out in his car at the beach," she explained as she smiled down at the table.

"Well, did you kiss?" Cam asked the question we were all thinking.

"What do you think?" Oliver retorted. "This is Sidney we're talking about."

Sidney's face reddened completely and she let out a girlish giggle, nodding slowly. "He's such a good kisser."

I stared at the girl sitting across from me. Don't get me wrong, she's absolutely beautiful and she's an amazing person, but she's so shy. She's known Isaac for less than a week and here she is, kissing him nonchalantly; whereas I've known Axel for years and I'm just now making him aware of my feelings for him. I tucked away my slight jealousy and smiled, listening as she explained what happened. Oliver was plugging his ears like a little kid, not wanting to listen to Sid's experience.

"We were just sitting in his car talking and he asked me if I'd had my first kiss yet and I said no; then I added that I'd like to. He just looked at me and laughed, calling me innocent. When I asked him if that was a bad thing, he told me that it wasn't. I jokingly asked him if he'd had his first kiss and he gave me a sarcastic no before adding that he had never been a girl's first kiss. So I decided to be a bit daring and I asked if he'd like to. Then he asked what I meant by that and I told him that he knew. And before I could tell what was happening, we were kissing and it was great. I swear, we kissed for like, twenty minutes before my mom called and told me I had to head home," Sidney explained and I wanted to slam my head on the table. She made out with him. Stupid Axel, making me feel insecure about my lack in romantic activities, more specifically- making out. Now it seems like everyone's doing it but me, even my most innocent friend!

Sidney and Camilla went back and forth and I occasionally piped in with a comment, but I kept quiet for the most part. Oliver was more silent than me, whereas Sam made comments to keep the conversation rolling. I just wanted to get out of there. So when the bell rang, I moseyed on down to English, leaving behind my two friends who share the class with me with the excuse that I had to stop at my locker.

"Alexis!" Axel called from behind me just as I was about to slip into the stairwell. I moved out of the way, letting people make their way up the steps as I waited for Axel to reach me. When he did, he nodded towards the other side of the hallway. "Want to come with me to my locker?"

"Okay," I responded, following close behind him. When we made it through the crowd of people, we stood side by side and he looked down at me.

"What's wrong?" he asked curiously. When he saw my hesitation, he shook his head. "And don't lie."

I narrowed my eyes at him. This no lying thing is going to tear our friendship, or what's left of it, apart. "You made me insecure about my kissing skills," I retorted.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Apparently, I don't have a single clue as to what making out is," I responded. "I feel like I'm lagging behind my fellow teenagers."

"I was joking when I said that, Alexis," he replied. "And you shouldn't compare yourself to others, especially not when it comes to how far you've gone with another person."