Fifteen
"She's really going to do it? Give up the baby?"
Dylan whispered to me as we stood by wall of books in the store.
I nodded, picking up a book with a periwinkle cover and then slipping it back on to the shelf. I wanted to meet his eyes when I had made the statement, but something was keeping me from doing so. It was something truly awful to think about; taking a life a way so that you could continue yours in a normal fashion. I guess I understood her, but part of me didn't want to.
"Ah. Well, I guess it's her decision in the end anyway."
Looking up from the shelf, I sighed and breathed in the aroma of paper and must that filled these walls for as long as I could remember. There was a tug of nostalgia, thinking of Tina and I pretending to be adults with children and walking around the store like we owned the place.
The reality of adulthood didn't seem as pristine as my childhood memories did.
"So how's that lovely boyfriend of yours?" Dylan asked, trying to change the subject.
I laughed.
"Dumb ass as ever."
Dylan chuckled and pulled a red book off the cart and placed it back in the spot it was supposed to be in.
"Does he still have a thing for tongues?"
I narrowed my eyes.
"Ha, ha, ha. But yes... Yes indeed."
Dylan pursed his lips together and closed his eyes, making slurping noises that were supposed to be sounds of passion, but sounded like he was struggling to eat his spaghetti.
"Oh, you're just so clever aren't you?"
He grinned and for a moment our eyes locked.
There was a pulling sensation in my stomach that I couldn't describe, and I made the excuse that I had a date with Steven to head off to.
Lowering myself into the leather seat of Steven's car, I realized the euphoria feeling I had in the store didn't disappear until Steven kissed my lips.
