Catch Me

Chapter 4

"Hey! If it isn't the Birthday Girl," Carter said with the voice that makes my heart melt like butter.

"Shut up," I teased as I lightly punched his arm. "It isn't until tomorrow! It's May 31. Last time I checked, I was born on the first of June."

"Well that doesn't make much of a difference to me," he laughed. "So, uh, do you have any plans tomorrow night at 7, Rylee?"

"Um," I hesitated. Was he asking me out?

"Yeah, I was hoping to take you to that carnival down by Clemmons street."

"Well, I have dinner with the 'rents at 5. But I bet they'll let me go. They love you." And so do I, I wanted to add, but I kept that in my head.

"Fantastic," he said smiling his million dollar smile. "I will see you then."

When my birthday finally arrived, I was given the keys to my Grandma's old car from my family. It wasn't the shiniest car, and it was a stick-shift, but hey, it was a car of my own. At 6:45 I made my way up to my room, my belly full of italian food (my favorite), to get ready for my evening with Carter. I threw on my favorite V-neck, shimmied in to my cutest shorts and put on some lipgloss and blush. For the occasion, I even put on some mascara (my mom says it makes my hazel eyes "pop", but I really don't see a difference). I never wear makeup, but I wanted to tonight. I hoped it wasn't overkill, but for once, just once, I wanted to feel pretty.

The funny thing is, you'd think I'd drive to the carnival since I now have a license, but walking with Carter just seemed right. It was our thing.

"Wow." Carter said as I arrived at the park to meet him. He took a step back as if he were shocked. Or disgusted. I couldn't tell.

"Oh no, does my hair look bad this way?" I twirled the ends that fell neatly to my ribs. I'd straightened my hair for dinner with my parents. I never realized it was so long when it wasn't a curly mess.

"No, no, it's--"

"What?" I asked impatiently.

"It's just you look incredible," Carter said as the corners of his mouth lifted in to his signature grin. "It caught me off guard. You look prettier every time I see you. I didn't even know that was possible. You sure are a sight."

When we got to the carnival, Carter and I played a basketball hoop game (we failed miserably), a dart and balloon game (he won me a panda bear), and a climb the ladder game (we both ended up falling over), we rode a small roller coaster and a tilt a whirl, and thankfully, neither of us got sick. It was undoubtably going in my top 10 nights of my life so far. Some girls asked for big parties for their sixteenth birthday, but the evening with Carter was better than any party I could have ever had.

"That will be three dollars," said the hairy man at the cotton candy stand. Carter gave him the money, and walked over to the bench where I was waiting.

"Here you go, Rylee," he said handing me a massive pink fluff ball on a paper cone. "Eat up!"

"Thank you so much. For everything," I mumbled through my giant bite of cotton candy.

I swallowed the grainy bits of sugar. "I can't eat this all myself, Carter," I said, matter-of-factly.

"I'll help you eat it," he said shoveling a pinch to his mouth. "But before I do, I'd like to talk to you." He said lowering his voice, and looking in to my eyes. "I've thought about telling you this a million times. I planned it a million times. I wanted to tell you, but I chickened out. I just think that--" He stopped.

"I want to--" He stopped himself again. "I am just going to come right out and say it; I am in love with you Rylee Catherine Peters and I have been since I first saw you at the bus stop. I was afraid to tell you. Afraid of rejection. Afraid of rushing in to a relationship. Afraid of what your dad would think. But none of that matters anymore. All that matters now is you. Please tell me how you feel about me."

Before I could answer, we were in a passionate embrace and our lips were touching. His clothes smelled like a Lacoste cologne I once smelled at Nordstroms, and his lips tasted like cotton candy. I drew back for a quick breath to tell Carter I loved him too before connecting my mouth to his again. To be completely honest, at that moment I couldn't have told you where my body ended and his began; we were one. I could feel the tingling of my blood beneath my skin, excited, as he traced my spine with his fingertips and ran his fingers through my hair. This is where I belong, I thought. I didn't even care that the sugary pink cloud was looking forward to eating moments ago had fallen to the ground.

As I walked back home, I had the faintest taste of sugar still at the back of my mouth. Talk about a sweet sixteen.