On the Run: The Texas Files ✔

Chapter 25: The Kiss

We're kissing, actually kissing. No phone calls or people interrupting our moment. It's just us, alone, together, kissing.

The kiss is more awkward than I thought it would be. When Tyler kissed me, he had more than his fair share of experience, but Parker's kiss is new and exciting.

It switches something inside of me. Why have I been denying myself happiness for so long? Even if I leave, what's the point of isolating myself and being lonely? I obviously have people in my life who care about me.

Having another reason to fight is a good thing, right?

Even if the kiss itself isn't backed by experience, Parker's hand placement is perfect. One of his hands is wrapped around my head, holding me to him, while the other rests at the small of my back, carefully placed to not go any lower.

Both of my hands held onto his shoulders, mostly to make me taller.

The kiss only lasts 20 seconds, but it was pure bliss.

When we both stop, we make eye contact. Our noses are still touching, and we both breathe a little heavily.

I'm not sure if I'm out of breath or breathless from being swept off my feet.

"Please tell me you felt something," he whispers as he traces one of my ears gently.

Something? A giant bolt of lightning passed through my body. It entered through my lips and struck my fingertips. My body is tingling from the rush that kiss left.

I smile a little with a blush. "Something? I felt everything," I whisper back.

He smiles. "I know things have been weird since my whole bout of anger. I'm still so sorry about that, by the way. I don't even know why I was so mad-"

I put my index finger to his lips. I don't want to think about the past anymore. At least, not tonight. I just want one day that's not filled with running away from my problems. "You talk too much." I joke.

He shrugs playfully. "That's what friends do, right? They talk. And we're friends. So, I talk. Sometimes too much, though."

I smirk. "That sounds about right."

Once you get Parker out of his shell, he talks a lot, actually. It's hard for me to imagine him the way Del and Izzie described him a few weeks back. He was never closed off around me. Maybe it's because he couldn't hear my thoughts like he can everyone else's?

We should be getting back. Now that my family know about Parker's gift, they have been a lot more lenient with him being around. My curfew with him is later, he can stop by with permission, and he can give me rides or take me home.

Parker stares at the buildings and smiles.

"Uhm," I say awkwardly. "As much as I'd like to stay..." I trail off.

"Right," he says. "Yes. I should take you home."

He does. He pulls up to the apartment building at about 10. 

"Remember the first time you sat in this car?" he asks with a shy smile.

I nod. "We were different people then."

We were. We were practically strangers. Now, we're friends who kiss.

Is that what we are? I don't even know. I can't ask. I've seen enough movies and read enough books to know that's a dangerous question.

"Good night, sunshine," he says as unlocks the doors.

I'm half expecting him to kiss me again, and I think I want him to. I look at his eyes and his lips again. He smiles a sly smile.