Our Little Love Story *NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON KINDLE!!*

chapter six.

It seemed as though time had come to a stand-still. My breath caught in my throat as he was closer than ever to me. I could feel his breath on my skin. I closed my eyes and waited. I waited for the moment it seemed that I had been waiting for my entire life. And then it happened---he kissed me, on the cheek.  

Disappointment fought to engulf my emotions, but the tingling from his lips on my skin was overwhelming. My fingers slowly reached up to the side of my face, my mouth dropping open in a small 'o' shape. I couldn't speak, my mind seemed to have lost any and all ability to form a single thought. His lips, on my cheek, his skin on mine. My mind was a buzzing blur.  

"Well, I, uh, better get going," Jared said softly, the look in his eyes as soft as his voice. 

"Oh. Oh, okay," I managed to stammer out. The tips of my fingers lingered at my jaw line a moment longer, then I turned and reached for the door handle.  

"I'll talk to you later, Tiff. Bye," Jared said with a small smile and a little wave as I exited the SUV.  

"Okay, that sounds great," I said with a smile of my own, and then easily shut the door and backed up a couple of steps. "I had fun. Thank you," I added. 

"Me, too. Bye," he said, shifting his vehicle into reverse and slowly backing down the driveway. I watched him drive away until I could no longer see him, and then I slowly turned and walked up the drive.  

Unlocking the back door, I slowly opened it, letting myself inside our air conditioner-cooled home. My mind was still a blur from the events moments ago. I really wasn't going to be able to get him out of my mind now. Not that I really wanted to anymore, of course. Just then , my phone beeped, signaling a new text message. I retrieved it from my pocket, and flipped it open. 

'I really did have a great time. Just wanted to let you know that. --J' is what is read. He had already sent me a text! For unknown reasons, my mind whirred with excitement. Oh, I had it bad. Really bad. 

'I did too. Thanks again.' I typed back. I paused for a minute, and then before I could psych myself out of doing it, I added, 'Can't wait to see you again.' and hit 'send' as fast as possible. I was overwhelmed with excitement, joy, infatuation, everything. My mind and heart were a cluster of feelings and emotions. Was this love? Was this what all those songs and movies and books were really about? Finding 'the one?' I certainly hoped so. 

Moments later, my phone beeped again. Another new text. It was from Jared again. 'Me, too.' it simply read. I went and laid down on my bed, going back and forth between the two texts he had just sent me. 'Me, too,' I read over and over. He couldn't wait to see me again, either! I held my phone on my chest and smiled so long my cheeks hurt. 

I decided I should probably call Jessica and fill her in on all of the latest details. She picked up on the third ring.  

"Oh, wow! I just have to meet this guy!" she exclaimed after I had filled her in. 

"Yeah, hopefully you will soon," I agreed. We talked for a few more minutes, and then hung up. I looked at the texts from Jared a few more times, and then decided I should probably get something semi-productive accomplished before my parents got home in a few hours.

****

That evening, I was laying in bed, almost asleep, when my phone beeped. I reached over and grabbed it off of the nightstand and opened it. A new text. From Jared. My heart skipped a beat as I opened the new text, wondering what it would say. 

'Thought about you a lot today. Sweet dreams. --J' My heart gushed. An instant smile spread across my face, and I fell asleep with my phone in my hand, still open to his text message.