First Kiss

24

I have absolutely no idea who I'm going to be running lines with today. And also, the next phase is going through the play with props and acting the scenes out...almost like a rehearsal but slightly less formal.

"I don't know Lex. I don't want to get stuck with any of the other people."

Lex nods thoughtfully, eating a chip.

"You know, it can't be any of the boys. If you have to act out the scenes and stuff, Peter has a scene talking to Josh, and the dad, and basically the rest of the guys in the story. What if Peter has to be a girl for the week?"

"Oh my gosh. I didn't even think about that. That'd be the most awkward thing..."

She nods.

"Just stating potential circumstances. I don't think Miss Stacie would do that, though."

"I really hope not. I mean, that'd be so...weird."

Lex giggles as she agrees with me. Then I hear yet another voice call my name. Seems like a constant in my life.

"Bri?"

I look up and see a boy I don't recognize. His hair is dark and curly, his skin a tanned, his eyes a warm chocolate brown. He's half-grinning. I can't quite place him in my head, although he knows me. He does look familiar...

Then it clicks.

"Caleb?" I say in disbelief. He nods and I stand up quickly to tackle him in a hug. He's laughing as he returns the favor, although he's taller than me (we used to be the same height) so his hoodie almost swallows my entire face.

"Oh my gosh!" Lex cries. She shoots up to her feet as well and I notice people are starting to stare. I back away a little bit but Lex, being the girl she is, doesn't care. After she's done hugging him (or choking him...it could be either from a bystander's point of view) he sits down at our table, unlike everyone else in school. Everyone avoids this table and nobody has willingly sat down here for all of freshman year unless it was Mitchell.

"I can't believe you're here. When did you get back from..."

He laughs.

"Maine. Then the Philippines."

"Wait, what?"

Lex nods.

"Yeah, whatever. You went to Maine and then wanted to get a tan, we get it. Now catch us up! How's your family, your dog, your girlfriend? You've got one now, right?"

I laugh. It was a running joke in middle school that he'd be the first to get a significant other because people would always either go for him. He always disagreed and thought it'd be Cole.

Caleb is shaking his head.

"I should've known that question would come up first," he says, laughing slightly. "Nope, still single."

I sigh.

"I guess we were wrong. You weren't the first to get a significant other."

He raises his eyebrows.

"You have a boyfriend?" he asks.

I roll my eyes.

"No, no. I wasn't talking about me." I nod towards Lex.

"Her."

He turns to her.

"You?"

She laughs.

"Sheesh, you don't have to sound so surprised. I do have a boyfriend, yes, but I wasn't the first. It was Emerson"

Caleb tilts his head.

"So I was right?" 

I laugh.

"Don't rub it in our faces," I say. "He was the first, but he's single at the moment."

"Hold up, we're forgetting a little detail..." Lex says. We both turn to look at her. "Why are you here again?"

"I'm on break," he says.

Huh?

"Break. As in summer break?"

He nods.

"In the Philippines, school is a bit different than over here."

I'm pretty sure my jaw needs to be picked up for me. They're so lucky! Caleb ignores us. At this point, he probably has explained it to multiple people.

"Anyway, where is Cole?" he asks.

Lex's smile fades, and she looks at me.

I'm giving you this one, her eyes tell me.

Oookay. I look back at Caleb. His eyes are puzzled, as if our reactions were not what he was expecting.

"He's kind of a troublemaker," I say slowly. "He got suspended."

Caleb's brow furrows.

"What did he do?"

"He did the usual," Lex says sarcastically. "Vandalization of private property and ran from the cops."

Caleb whistles, not knowing what to say.

"Yeah, but I'm sure he won't do it again." I say, glaring at her. "He's going through stuff right now. I'm thinking he'll change."

I know he will.