Safe and Sound (Watty Awards 2012).

Chapter Sixteen.

Author’s Note: Sooo, yesterday I had a look on my profile and realised that Safe and Sound was #74 in teen fiction and #198 in the watty awards. I know it’s not very high up but I’m strangely chuffed considering how many people post stories on here. :3

This chapter is dedicated to haleymarie1013 who made the brilliant banner that you can find on this link: http://tinypic.com/r/2wcpv0y/6 I tried to upload it to the side of the chapter but it wouldn’t let me. ):

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Chapter Sixteen.
Kyle’s Point of View.

During every spare moment, my mind strayed back to that magical moment that I had shared with Madeline. I was tortured with the image of her full lips hovering in front of mine, her huge eyes staring back at me in surprise and confusion. Her lips had been so soft and responsive to mine, though I had sensed a certain hesitance and timidness which I found strangely endearing. I had so badly wanted to run my fingers through her honey coloured hair, but I hadn’t wanted to scare her or make her feel like I was going too quickly. More than anything, I wanted to kiss her again. I knew that Madeline had found the kiss as remarkable as I had- I had felt it in the way that she had reacted to the touch of my lips. 

The mere thought of it sent a spark of excitement through my body. I’d never thought that a kiss could be so pleasing, but Madeline had proven me wrong. It had been an astonishing revelation. I had thought that the only thing that could give me such intense feelings was sex, but I had clearly been wrong.

Feeling a sharp pain in my ribs, I snapped my head to the side to glare at Charlie, who was grinning at me like a Cheshire cat. He gave me a knowing look and wriggled his eyebrows in such an amusing manner that my anger at being disturbed vanished immediately. I offered him a small smile, shaking my head and rolling my eyes at his antics as he licked his lips suggestively.

The sight was so comical that a snort of laughter made its way out of my mouth, the sudden sound earning me a glare and a ‘tsk tsk’ from my psychology teacher. I lowered my head so that Mr Smyth wouldn’t see the expression of hilarity that had remained on my face. I could hear Charlie laughing quietly beside me, and I shot him a quick eye roll to which he responded by childishly poking his tongue out at me.

I uncapped my black biro and chewed on the lid as I made a futile attempt to focus on the questions that Mr Smyth had instructed us to write out answers to.

As expected, my thoughts soon drifted to other matters. I recalled the sight of Jenny’s face this morning when I had walked past her on the way to my locker before registration. Just beneath her eye had been a deep mauve bruise that had led to a similar coloured bruise over her cheekbone. I had found Ellie and Charlie leaning against the lockers beside mine, talking animatedly.

My suspicions had immediately been aroused, and I knew that the expression on my face had been one of confusion. Of course, as soon as the duo saw me approaching, they ambushed me, both of them speaking so quickly that I couldn’t understand a word that they were saying. I had held up both of my hands, spreading my fingers and gesturing for them to be quiet.

“What’s going on?

I had asked, brushing my dark hair back from my forehead as I looked from Ellie to Charlie and then back again. An unnerving smile made its way onto Ellie’s face and she glanced at Charlie who had practically been bouncing up and down with pent up energy.

“Ellie punched Jenny in the face.”

He had burst out, a grin splitting onto his enthusiastic face. His gusto surprised me- I hadn’t thought that he would be happy about anyone getting punched, even if it was Jenny. My brows knitted together and my lips tugged down at the corners as I tried to comprehend it.