Our Year Together - Book One

Chapter 4

We spend the next few hours laughing, talking, and teepeeing yards and houses. It's probably one of the best nights I've had in a long time and I know it's mostly because of the company I'm keeping.

For a while, I just spent my time laughing at how terrible of a thrower Annie is. She'd try to throw a roll of toilet paper and it'd go maybe two feet. Another time she, somehow, managed to throw the roll behind her and into the street which had me laughing so hard I nearly found myself on the ground. A lot of the time I had tears in my eyes.

When we finally make it back to my house I sink down onto the bench, exhausted from the day's events. I notice Annie checking her phone as she takes a seat and I lean over, not in the least bit ashamed to be so boldly looking at her phone screen.

"What's up? Got a curfew?" I asked leaning in closer to look at her screen. Unfortunately, she clicks it off and shoves the little device back into her pants pocket.

"Why yes, I do. As fun as it was hanging out with you tonight, I need to get home." She said as she stands from our bench. Without thinking I reach out and wrap my fingers around her cold and slender wrist. She looks back at me and snorts.

"But, but we haven't even guessed each other's names," I said and my eyes widen as that sad and bitter smile my flower had first shown me graces her face once more. Those amazing brown eyes that seem to be able to hold me captive are begging me for something. The look alone has my heart cracking and my stomach plummeting because my flower shouldn't look like that. This girl, who I just spent hours with, who is so full of life and stunning, is begging and pleading me for something.

But for what?

I question as she bends down close enough to my face that her minty breath runs across my skin. For a moment, I actually think she might kiss me when there are only inches between us. My breathing hitches and my ears strain as I hear her whisper my name.

"Michelangelo." She moves away after that and I struggle to comprehend what she just said, let alone how close she was. Annie chuckles at my reaction.

"How-when-what?"

"Let's just say I'm a shameless fan of the ninja turtles." Annie winks then, actually winks, before pulling her brown locks from their ponytail and finger combing through them. The begging and pleading that I'd seen only moments ago now nowhere to be seen in those brown eyes. "Anyway," She starts. "I've won our little game so I'm gonna head home. Maybe we'll see each other at school tomorrow. I'll be waiting to see if you can actually figure out my name." Before I can even get a syllable out in response she's turning and walking away from me, looking even smaller and more fragile than she did when I found her sitting on my bench earlier.