The Name's Mia Baritone

Chapter 3 The Kiss

       "Sean! Sean! Sean! Sean!!!!!" we chanted, soaking wet in the pond. Sean hesitated before jumping off the ledge and making a giant splash as he hit the water. Everybody started diving under the water and pulling on each other's legs and dunking each other. My designer shirt was soaked and my shorts were also drenched. Victoria dunked me under the warm water and I tried to grab her legs to pull her down with me. "Losers, look up here!" Leah yelled in a sing-song voice. Everybody broke through the surface of the water up to where Leah was standing on the diving ledge. She had a jean crop top on with blue jean shorts and black sandals. She also had her hair up in a high ponytail with a black hairband. "Any ideas on what else we could do?" Leah sat down in a pretzel on a puddle of water that had dripped off of her. I started swimming towards the rocky shore of the small pond along with everyone else. "How 'bout hide and seek?!" I yelled a suggestion. Before I could turn red and sink under the water for thinking of a baby game, Leah said, "Good idea, Mia." Everybody got out of the water and started ringing their shirts out with their hands. "Who's going to be the seeker?" James asked. "I'll be the seeker!" Leah announced jumping down from the ledge, onto the ground. I wrung out my wet, straight, chestnut-colored hair with my hands. Leah turned around without question and started counting. Victoria and Sean had fled before then. And Allie, Colin, James, and I had just scattered as Leah had started counting. I ran through the forest in my boots. It took less than a minute for my feet and dripping clothes to get them soaked. I slowed down as I neared a trickling noise. There was a little stream between the cracks in some rocks leading to a tiny pond the size of a kitty pool. I crouched down by the water and brushed the surface with my fingertips. "Pretty. Isn't it?" I heard a scratchy voice and turned around to look into the eyes of Colin. "U-um yeah," I stammered, "Sorry if I took your hiding spot. I'll leave." I stood up and started walking off. "Nah, it's fine," Colin said, stopping me. He looked into my vibrant green eyes and shook his head, as if breaking from a trance. "Do you wear makeup?" Colin asked, squinting his eyes and leaning towards my face. I blushed and backed up. "No," I said honestly. "Oh. Then I guess you're just naturally beautiful," he said. I turned red as an apple right then. "Oh, sorry," Colin apologized, though he sounded as if he didn't mean it. "No, it's fine," I assured him, "Thanks, though." Colin shrugged. "I just say it how it is," he said. His voice was so calm and flat, yet as smooth and sweet as honey. I looked back up into his dark eyes. He stared into mine. I think we kinda got closer because the next moment, we were kissing. I closed my eyes and for a split second, I felt like this was meant to be. Then we separated. "I'm sorry!" Colin burst out, flustered. "It's fine," I said. My cheeks were red and my lips were tingly. "So..." I backed away awkwardly. "Awwwww, I ship it," I whipped around to see Victoria staring at me and Colin. "Y-you saw that?!" I exclaimed. Victoria rolled her eyes and nodded. I looked back to see Colin's red face looking elsewhere. "If only I had my phone on me," Victoria flipped her long red hair. "Shut up, Victoria. It was in the spur of the moment," Colin muttered. Victoria ignored him and looked towards me. "So are you two like a thing now?" she asked. I didn't answer but instead looked towards Colin. "Maybe in the future but not now," he responded through gritted teeth. "Whatever. Don't kiss while I'm gone," Victoria skipped out of the little pond area. I looked into Colin's eyes and blushed. He did the same. "Hey Mia," Colin said. "Yes?" I answered. "I think I want to make this work," he said. I felt my cheeks heat up and I cocked my head and gave him one of my smiles. "So do I."