Live While We're Young

Chapter 10: Sneaking Away

Taylor: I couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss. We hadn’t gotten much of a chance to talk since the incident, and I was starting to want to know more.

Leo and I, ever since we were really young, had had this secret spot. Just down the road three blocks was a farm that had been for sale for years. It was abandon and the perfect place. In this old barn that was in worse shape than anything I can remember we had met anytime we talked about the secret spot. There was a hole leading to a below area made as a fallout shelter. When we were 10, we had brought all sorts of old posters, books, bean bags, and basically anything else. When we were kids, we had even talked about buying the house once we were old enough and living there so we could keep the barn.

Anyway, I went over, while they were gone. I know that sounds extremely creepy, but not really. I just put a note on the outside of Leo’s window. It read: Secret place, 9:30 pm, WE NEED TO TALK. I didn’t want Amie to know. I know that’s probably bad, but as far as she knew Leo and I were just good friends. Did there have to be anymore to it? Did she have to know I was crazy into her brother.

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Leo: It was 9:30. I walked to the door, yelling “I’ll be back!” I didn’t wait for my parent’s reply.

I walked to the secret spot. Finally, when I was there, I saw the candle light in the basement of the barn. I snuck into the hole and saw Taylor.

“Hey,” she said, smiling.

“Hey,” I replied, “So what was it you wanted to talk about?”

“I wanted to talk about what’s going on between us,” she said. I nodded. Did she not like the kiss? Did she not want to have something between us? She looked down, like she couldn’t look me in the eye and say it. “I was wondering whether or not you were into me? I mean are you or did you just kiss me for no reason? Do you want to be with me? Do you think it’s a good idea?” she was babbling. So what do I do? I kiss her.

“Yes, I want us to be together,” I said, once we had pulled away, “No, I would never kiss the one girl I feel everything for without a reason. That’s why I kissed you. I have feelings for you like no one else. And I think I’ve never had a better idea in my whole life.”

The look in Taylor’s eyes was beautiful. In that moment, I could tell she felt it too. She leaned forward and kissed me.

Taylor: Kissing Leo were the type of kissed that stopped time. They made it so there was nothing else in the world, except for me, him, and the moment we were in. Part of me said He didn’t mean it. He just wanted another reaction out of you.But I never wanted to believe it. I suppose someday that would be my demise. A boy with smooth words and good kissing skills. But in that moment, none of that mattered. He felt for me what I felt for him. That was special.

When he pulled away, I looked at him. “Would it be creepy if I said I’ve like you for years?” I asked.

Leo laughed, “I’ve had a crush on you since I was 8.” We laughed.

“So are we going to tell people?” I asked.

“Probably,” he said. I nodded, smiling.

“Your sister included?” I asked.

“I think she’s part of people,” Leo sighed.

“Okay,” I said.

“So what’s up otherwise?” Leo asked, changing the subject. We talked for a while. Actually, a long while. I loved talking to him. I always had. Finally, somewhere around 12, we decided we’d better get home. We kissed one last time, then crawled out, darting home. That night, I fell asleep happy, knowing I was now with Leo.