20 Reasons to Let Go

[ Reason Nine ] - Familiar Faces

Kendal's lips were mysterious, sweet like a buttercup and harsh like a storm. Cady held onto the kiss for a long time, not ever wanting to let go.

For a single, bitter-sweet moment, Kendal kissed her back. This made Cady's heart flutter.

But then, she felt hands on her shoulders, and suddenly she was falling. She flew back onto the couch, and Kendal stood without a word. She looked down at Cady with sad eyes, before turning on her heel and marching out of the house.

In that moment, Cady was incapable of feeling anything other than the sheer wonder of what the kiss had felt like. She lifted a finger to her lips, where she could still taste Kendal's cherry lip balm.

The door to the front yard slammed shut, announcing Kendal's official departure.

Only then did Cady feel a sudden mist of regret.

She covered her eyes with her hands, What did I just do? Tears ran familiar paths down her hot cheeks as she curled into a fetal position.

For a long time she stayed there, curled up and vulnerable. The only sound was the peeping of early spring crickets outside the window. She listened to them, trying to find some meaning in their song.

Mistake, mistake, They seemed to say.

She covered her ears.

Mistake, mistake.

"God damn!" She cried, pounding on the window, "Can't you be quiet for one second?"

The peeping stopped.

Regaining her self control, Cady adjusted her position and tried to think about everything besides the kiss. She thought about school, the weather, the murder even.

Anything but the kiss.

When at last she stopped crying, she slowly slunk up to her room and slipped into a dreamless sleep. Outside her window, the sun peeked and then gently began to set. And although it seemed to Cady that all time held still, the world turned on.

She slept all through the rest of the day, only waking up to eat dinner. And after that, she returned to her bed and continued to sleep.

By the time the morning had arrived, Cady was thoroughly rested and not at all ready to take on the school day. She groaned as she sluggishly got out of bed and stretched.

"Mom," she whined when she finally made it down the stairs, "My stomach hurts."

In all actuality, her stomach felt perfectly fine, but she tried her best to not let her mother see this.

Mrs. Somber looked at Cady skeptically, "You're fine." She said after a moment of consideration.

Cady straightened up, "Worth a shot." She muttered.

Her mom rolled her eyes and pushed a bowl of cereal towards her, "Eat." She commanded.

Picking up a spoon, Cady reluctantly did as she was told.

Despite yesterday, everything went about as usual. When Cady finished her breakfast, she brushed her teeth quickly and caught the bus.