Nose in a Book

Five-Mags

Jared Johnson kissed me, and I kissed him back. Jared Johnson was jealous that I came here with another guy. This can't be happening. Breathing, breathing is good. God, I'm a bad person I came here with Cole and even after I kissed Jared I stayed which means I have to leave with Cole. Breathing, breathing is good. This can't be happening it's too soon if this was a book it'd be a short story, a story I don't want to be in. Okay so game plan, I'll go back inside talk and hang around Cole till we leave, then at school I'll avoid Jared and pretend this never happened, but is that what I want? Does it matter? I head back inside and find Cole talking to a group of people. He throws an arm around me and leads me away.

"Everything okay?" He's backed me against a wall which automatically makes me uncomfortable. I look up and him and there is only innocent in his eyes. They're a shade of deep brown, completely opposite of Jared's. Wait did I just compare Jared to Cole. God, I've been doing it all night. I look down and then quickly look back up trying to recall the question he asked me.

"Yes, everything is fine, sorry all this gossip about Jared and I is driving both of us crazy." I say looking up hoping he'll drop it and move on. Unlucky for me though he doesn't.

"So you and Jared are an us now?" I look away and then look back at Cole with a questioning look. Finally I understand and quickly respond ,

"No, no thats not what I meant."

"Listen Maggie," I cringe at the name of my aunt. "I'm into you that  for sure but I'm not in the mod to be left for Jared or to make a move on Jared's girl, so please tell me now if anything is going on with you two?" Is this a trick question? Has he not heard the rumors? Obviously there is something, but is there, god this is so confusing.

"Nothing, nothing is going on between Jared and I" I needed to stick to my game plan, pretending nothing happened. I think Cole believed me as we spent the rest of the night talking to friends of his and him dragging me around introducing me. Finally we made our rounds over to Holly and her group of friends. As soon as she laid eyes on me she was over to me pulling me away from the crowd. Her blond hair down to her hip and her pouty pink lips, she was my definfinition of beautiful. Her dark brown eyes met mine and I knew what she wanted before she even spoke. Holly had been my best friend since 7th grade when we in gym and playing dodge ball against the boys. We were that last to girls standing and we kicked ass, we lost but we kicked ass. The next day at lunch I was sitting alone reading, and Holly came up to me and started talking about revenge for the guys making fun of us when we lost. At first I was lost as to why she was talking to me but then I joined into her evil plan, we video taped all the guys in their under wear in the locker room and used it as black mail till they went around the school chanting that girls were obviously better. You would be surprised about how many boys were embarrassed by their super hero underwear. Eventually we got in trouble though for secretly video taping them but we just had to clean the school 3 times over but it just made us closer. Six years later she was staring me down at a party wanting to now what happened with the same guys we black mailed back in 7th grade.

"SO?" Holly's high voice brought me out of thought. Her already big brown eyes got bigger and she looked like she was about to shack me until she got all the answers she wanted. Now I know the rumors were bad and spreading quickly but I also know that I can trust Holly and if I didn't tell her the truth she'd see right through my lies.

"Well, it's nothing his punishment for his stupid prank got him landed in the library 5th period with me. And the rumors are all not true today was the first day we've ever talked, and well kissed." I looked down as soon as I said it, I hoped she wouldn't freak out Cole was just a room away. I didn't know what I had with Cole but I didn't want to mess it up because of a stupid amazing kiss with Jared.

"What? Tonight? How could you not come and find me" I could here the ramble starting and even though I wanted to stop it I knew I couldn't. "Ohmigosh my best friend is going to date Jared Johnson, did he kiss you?" I nod. Wait? What? Did she I was going to date Jared? No, the kiss was nothing. Wasn't it? Did he feel it too? Because even though it wasn't my first kiss, it felt like it was my first real kiss. "I knew it, he has a thing for y Mags, wait then why are you still here, shouldn't you have left with him?"

"Holly, its nothing it meant nothing, plus I came here with Cole and I don't want to screw something up, if I don't even know what it is, there's nothing going on between Jared and I"

"Honey, it sounds like you're trying to convince yourself of that, but don't worry I wont push it." That was another thing about Holly, she doesn't push buttons, unless you're fighting then all hell breaks lose. I mean we don't fight a lot but when we do she brings at all my secrets, so I've learned to do the same. It's surprising we ever make up, and if we didn't it would be bad for both of us. "Any who, off record, how was the kiss?"

How was the kiss? Well, that's simple it was the best kiss I've ever had. Not that I've had a ton, or not that I've had only like three but out of the kisses I have had it was the best by far. Probably not for him, he's had better I know it. "It was fine" I say trying to keep my voice dull.

"You're a liar, and a bad one at that." She smiles, and looks at me, more like through me. She knows me too well. Like I said I can't get anything past her.

"Mags, you ready?" Cole comes up from behind me. Thankfully he'll save me from any more of this conversation with Holly which was just going down hill from here. I nod and quickly follow him out of the house as he stops to say his goodbyes. He helps me into his car before getting in himself. "thanks for coming with me tonight Maggie." I can't help but notice the innocence in his voice. He looks over at me, for a re-action before turning back and starting the car.

"I had a fun time, Cole" I respond after a few minutes of silence. I hope he doesn't find out about the kiss with Jared, because he might just think that was why I had fun tonight. Was it? No! God, Holly is right I am a bad liar. Of course the kiss was great, of course I wanted it to happen again. What am I doing? Okay, focus, game plan avoid Jared stick to Cole.

"We should do it again sometime, soon." He laughed a little nervously after he said it. He was so confident at the begging of the night, what happened? Maybe, I'll dig further later, but now I just want to forget about everything and find normal. We stop at my house and before I can protest he's over helping me out of the car. We walk up to my front steps and he kisses me. I try to enjoy it but I can't help but compare it to Jared's. Cole ins't a bad kisser but he's nothing compared to Jared. I laugh before I pull away.

"Goodnight Cole" I say as I open the door to my house.

"Goodnight Maggie"

Do I tell him that I hate the name, the name I share with my aunt, an aunt I never see. An aunt who writes me letter I never read. An aunt who turned my life upside down. An aunt that I wish was dead. I know it's bad but it's true and of course out of all the aunts I have I had to be named after her. My favorite aunt as a kid, she would always bring me candy when she came to visit and she'd say I could only have one piece before dinner, the rest I should save for rainy days. Those memories I block out because whenever I think about the good in her I can't help but remember the bad. And the worst. I watch Cole drive away when an old deep voice comes the living room. "Maggie Marie, get your ass in here" I follow the voice into the old style living room and friend my grandpa on the couch watching old football games.

"Grandpa what are you doing up, its way too late come on lets get you to bed" I say walking over to him and giving him a hand to help him up. He takes the hand but instead of following instruction, which he was never good at, he pulls me down on the couch next to him. 

"What do you mean, my quite granddaughter is out late, and doesn't tell me she leaving, what if you were murdered, I could never forgive myself."

"I'm sorry next time i'll let you know, now come on lets get you to bed" This time he follows directions and lets me help him into his bed before going downstairs and getting myself ready. I shower and change in to pajamas before checking my phone. I have two messages from Holly, but I don't read them, I realize how tired I am and crawl into bed, with only one thing on my mind, Jared Johnson kissed me.