Baby's Breath

Chapter 17: gone wrong

You'd think the flutteries would attack my stomach at the sight of Josh's beautiful, reflective eyes. Or maybe the way his hair swept over his forehead. What about the way he held my gaze with that little grin? No. Not the kind of flutteries that made girls giggle. It was the kind that pricked little pinhole sharps of pain that made me want to hide. The kind you get when the guy you love breaks your heart.

My chin involuntarily scrunched from resentment and I whipped aside, facing the window. I covered my mouth. Now that the moment presented itself, frantic thoughts stumbled over one another in my head. What was I going to tell him? How was I going to tell him? He needed to know. He did. I couldn't keep it secret anymore.

"Jess?" His voice was tender and I hated him even more. The outside of his leg pressed hot alongside mine and I wanted to dive into his warmth. I wanted to push him away. I wanted to trap his face between my hands and make out with him like crazy. I wanted to slap him so hard, I'd see it throb from my red marks.

"Jess!" Audra's loud voice won out. I knew I couldn't hide from her, so I lifted my head, not bothering with my bangs from covering my eyes. What else is it to be expected when your best friend kidnaps you from the middle of your nap without giving you a chance to comb your hair? She sat shotgun, Rick driving. "Veronica saw you at the party and she says that you were making out with some hottie. C'mon, spill it! Tell me who this mystery man is."

By the sounds of it, Veronica did not divulge the most important detail: the bedroom. "Audra!" I exaggerated my gasp and forced a smile into it. "Don't ask me that in front of my date. Sheesh." But my body flexed, and I heard Josh say when? Oh boy. Didn't he know he was that man? I wanted to let loose a maniacal laughter from the irony. "By the way, girl, I wish you would've given me a heads up about this. Look, my hair is tangled—."

"Got it!" She waved my hairbrush under my nose.

"I don't have my shoes—."

"Have them right here!" My flip-flops dangled from her fingers.

"I look like crap with what I have on."

"No problem. Wait till you see what I have for you!"

My mouth dropped. What did she have planned? For the first time, I saw what she was wearing. A little slinky dress hidden under her shirt and jeans so Mom wouldn't suspect. Did she find something slinky for me, too? It wasn't like I would slip into one—even if my tummy wasn't all that big anyway. I'd never do anything like this for Josh again, or anyone for that matter. "Uh." I laughed a dry, cackle.

"Anyway—you might get away with it now because I can't grill you properly sitting up here in the front, but you will give me gory details about your suck face session, okay?"

Oh, Veronica. Couldn't you have kept your big mouth locked?

"Who is she talking about?" Josh hissed, his lips tickling my ear as he spoke. "When did you make out with this guy?" I jumped when he grabbed my wrist, but I snatched it away, angry with him for making me suffer the whole time. "What?" He folded his arms and glared at me.

All I could muster was a wide-eyed look. At him, at me, at her. You know, I mouthed. When he gave me a confused look, I smothered my face with my hands. Ugh, didn't he know how to lip read? I couldn't meet him in the eye, fear that he would see every disgusting thing I hid from him. "That boy is you!" I hissed as I pointed at his chest.

"What're you two going on about?" Audra sang, poking her face into the backseat area.

"I was there, Audra comma and Jess was not making out with anyone," Josh said, his voice firm. My face heated so hot I had to lower it. "Veronica is probably jealous and made up some load of crap to rile you."