Twenty Seconds Before

Chapter 4: Beet Red

I hurried out of bed and bolted as fast as I could to the shower. One hour! She's leaving in one hour?! I can't believe I overslept! I soaped up and jumped out within 2 minutes and dried myself off. I picked up the outfit my mom had chosen for me yesterday- a baby pink polo shirt with a pair of khaki shorts, and promptly threw it aside. She would totally suspect something if I wore that! I opted for my usual cargo shorts and Rolling Stones t-shirt with my checkered vans. I ran back to the mirror and checked myself out. My dirty blonde hair was all over the place so I decided to blowdry it.

    "WHY DO I LOOK LIKE A FREAKING DANDELION?!" I screamed as I stared at the giant puffball on my head. My hair was dry alright- but also sticking up in every conceivable direction.

"AUSTIN COME IN HERE PLEASE!!!"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" He yelled back to me.

"IT'S A HAIR EMERGENCY!"

I heard someone running what sounded like full speed up the steps and come careening into the wall of the room.

"Did someone say hair emergency?!" He blurted out while trying to catch his breath.

"AAAH! TANSEN WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"Just shut up and fix me please."

He paused for a moment- "Wait. Does this mean you are letting me do your hair?!"

I sighed heavily. " Just this once if you promise to shut up and get to work."

He squealed with delight and pulled pretty much every hair product imaginable out of his bag. Thirty minutes later and he was done. As much as I hate to say he was right, he knew what he was doing. The giant puffball was gone and replaced with the shorter ends combed down at the back, leaving a taller softer pushed over piece that i couldn't stop running my fingers through. I sprayed on some of the cologne Ava bought me last year for christmas. It was her favorite scent- "Book store".

I remember when she gave this to me. My parents were on yet another Hawaii business trip, leaving me and Austin home alone, and Ava was over pretty much every day. Austin had gone over to his friends house for the night, leaving her and I alone.

We were sitting on my mom's giant antique sofa in front of the glass window that took up almost the whole wall, staring at the snowfall while working on our lines for the play we were both in at the time. It was called "Midsummer night's dream" by Shakespeare. Ava got the lead role of Helena and got this one guy named Demetrius even though I was considered a pretty bad actor. My teacher just smiled and told me that he didn't think i'd have a hard time with this role- I had no idea what that meant but the look on his face scared me.

"Okay wait- so I have to be madly in love with you no matter how many times you reject me?" She said bewildered.

"Yeah pretty much."

"I'm not doing that!"

"Well you got the lead so you kinda have to..."

She shook her head violently. " But why on earth would someone love someone no matter what? I mean, she's been rejected like seven hundred times!"

    "Some people are just worth the pain I guess."   

I gazed at her. She was wearing the dress I liked on her the most. It was a dark red that hugged her curves, making her look even more beautiful than I thought possible. Her hair was curled softly and it cascaded down her back like a chocolate waterfall.

   "What are you staring at?"

My face went beet red and I quickly looked away.

" Uhhh.. I'm waiting for you to say your line." Swift recovery Tansen. Ugh.

"Oh right! Sorry!" She fumbled with the pages then began.

"It is not night when I do see your face," She stood up and pulled me up to stand next to her.

"Therefore I think I am not in the night." She threw her arm over her head over dramatically.

"Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company," she grabbed my hands.

"For you, in my respect, are all the world." We walked closer together slowly. I couldn't look away from her eyes. They completely captured me.

"Then, how can it be said I am alone" She whispered as she put her arms around my neck and smiled up at me.

"When all the world is here to look on me?" Then the unthinkable happened. She drew closer and closer to me. She tilted her face to mine and-

" HEY TANSEN, AVA IM HOME!!" Austin screamed from downstairs.

    We jumped apart- sporting faces dashed with red cheeks and pounding hearts as Austin waltzed into the room. "Guys, what's the matter? You both look terrified!" he gasped- " Is my hair okay?!" He looked at me, then Ava, then me again.

"TANSEN YOU FINALLY KISSED HER?! TOOK YA LONG ENOUGH! NOW MAYBE YOU CAN SHUT UP ABOUT IT!! 16 YEARS OF PINING AFTER HER AND YOU FINALLY SUCKED IT UP!!"

"OK- TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE" I said frantically as I shoved him out the door. I slammed it shut and locked it and turned back to face her.

"Ah- im really sorry av, I have no idea what he's talking-" She ran across the room, jumped into my arms and kissed me. I was shell-shocked. I was pressed up against the door, being kissed by the girl i'd been in love with ever since I was a kid. Her lips were soft and thin and tasted like the cherry chapstick she always carried around. I wrapped my hands around her waist and pulled her closer. She reached her hands up and ran her fingers through my hair.

    Fast forward about an hour and we had moved to the couch. Her head was on my chest with her arms wrapped around me. We had stopped kissing and just cuddled together to watch the snow fall. I thought she was asleep until she popped up smiling at me.

    "Hey dork!"

    " Yes nerd?"

    " Do you want your christmas present?" She smiled mischievously at me.

    " Av- we promised not to get presents this year!"

    " This is more of a present for me" she stated coyly. She jumped off of me and ran to her grab her purse from the table. She pulled out a small square box, then ran right back to me, resuming her place on my chest. She folded her arms and placed her chin on them, staring up at me.

    "Well?" She exclaimed. " Stop staring at me and open it!!"

    " I'm sorry! I can't help it! You look so beautiful."

    She blushed and then rolled her eyes-

    "Just open it please" she said while laughing.

    "Okay okay fine!"   

I began to tear into the red wrapping paper and removed the glass bottle from the box.

"You got me perfume?" I stated (obviously confused...)

"It's cologne you idiot! She giggled - "AND, it smells like a book!"

"Like a what?"

" A book!! Try it on! Actually, give it here!"

I handed her the bottle. She took of the cap and sprayed my neck twice, it was cold and definitely did smell like a book.

    She squealed with delight and buried her head in my neck.

    "You. Smell. Amazing. I don't think I could ever leave with you smelling like this!"

I smiled- "Then don't. Don't ever leave."

She looked at my eyes and touched my face. " Tanson. I promise I never will."