The Secret Life of Katherine James

Chapter VII

On the way to the club, David and I went into deep conversation about many things: life, love, jobs, family, kids, dreams. It was an hour and a half drive to the big city part of Summersteen, and we had a lot of time. We worked through a lot. I told him about my sister, the whole story, and he told me about how he was feeling with Angel. A few times he tried to talk to me about us, but I stonewalled him.

"I just don't understand how you wanted to talk about it, promised you would talk about it, and then all of a sudden you just don't want to. Kitty, did I do something wrong? Was it that I kissed you at Sampsen's? Because if I pushed too fast, I won't anymore, and I didn't mean to. I just figured it would be no big deal, I mean you've been kissed before."

"Um, yeah I guess." I said, looking out at the glow in the air the city lights cast on the clouds before we could even see them. I was also uncomfortable with the topic of kissing, and David kissing me, because in fact, I had never been kissed, not really. The only kiss I had ever had was with Sampsen, when we were kids. We had tried to "go out," and once, he'd kissed me. It was possibly the most awkward thing either of us had ever experienced, which is saying a lot. I remember it perfectly. We had been sitting up in the tree house in my backyard. We had built it together a few months after we had met. I was laying in the crook of his arm playing 20 questions and he'd whispered my name all sudden and husky like, causing me to look at him, wondering if he was choking on the orange he'd been eating. I looked up and he just kinda smushed his face into mine. After about three seconds of awkward fidgeting and bumping noses and hurting my lips, we both gave up, and just stared at each other. Seconds later, we just cracked up laughing. There had been absolutely zero spark, we knew that, but it was just the most awkward and dorky kiss ever. We broke up about three days later, a mutual agreement, with not a single scratch on our perfect friendship. If anything, it brought us closer, not having to deal with the awkward-boy/girl-best-friend-and-possible-feelings thing. We had tried it, and nothing had come of it except lots of giggles and warm hugs, which had been nice, but it had also been really weird.

"Kitty?" David poked me, jarring me out of my world of thoughts.

"What?" I asked. I felt immensely uncomfortable, a feeling that had been palpable in the air.

"You have been kissed before, right?" He asked, a crease began to form between his eyebrows.

"Oh yeah, totally, like, lots and lots of times." I was totally lying.

"Lots and lots? Totally? Kitty, you're a shitty liar. Those are the things you say when you're trying to bull shit some one."

"I am not! I do not!" I said, gawking at him, how dare he.

"Kitty." That was all he said. He had me, and he knew it.

"Fine. I haven't, but so what?" I admitted, slouched in my seat, and crossed my arms defensively.

"I'm not judging you Katherine." He said, with a laugh that crept into his voice.

"Oh, suuuuuure. Not a hint of judgment in that tone of voice. No, none at all." I was being petty and I knew it.

"Katherine Josephine, stop pouting. I am not judging you. I just find it hard to believe that an amazing, gorgeous, funny, sweet girl like you has never been kissed. I mean you've dated a few guys, right?"

"Well, yeah. One or two, but I was never serious enough about them. I was just a kid back then." I answered honestly, he knew me too well at this point to even try and lie. "What about you? I know you've kissed thousands of girls, your name is always circling around the popular girls at school."

"Ouch, Kat, that was harsh. I have not kissed thousands."

"Can you count how many?" I asked, honestly curious.