r e n n e n *
Connor and I didn't bring dates to homecoming because we were going to spend time together. Well, now that we're here, he's practically across the gym hanging out with the new girl, Danielle, who came a few weeks ago. He's been hanging out with her a lot lately but I thought tonight was going to be different--I guess I was wrong. I sit down in a chair that's against a wall.
"Hey, Rennen," someone says. I look up. It's one of my friends, Jess.
"I thought you came with Connor," Jess says.
I look at her. "I did," I say. "But he's over there with what's-her-face."
"Danielle? She's--"
"I know her name, Jess," I snap, more harshly than I meant to. "I'm sorry," I add.
"It's alright," Jess says, recovering quickly. "You seem upset,"
"It's just that--Connor is my best friend, and we haven't been spending much time together, and I feel like I'm being replaced," It all spills out: the way that I've been feeling.
"Well..., why don't you talk to him about it?" Jess asks me.
"I would, but she's always around!" I say. "I know I sound jealous, and maybe I am, but I think that I'm being replaced,"
"Aww, Ren," Jess says softly, rubbing my shoulder. "It'll be okay, you're not being replaced,"
I look over at Connor and Danielle to find that BOTH of them are staring at me. I huff angrily and in annoyance, even though neither of them can hear me and get up from my chair, storming off into the bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror, trying to breathe through my anger. I hear the door open and close behind me and look into the mirror to see who came in. Connor.
"What's wrong?" he asks me, coming closer to me.
"Nothing. Why would anything be wrong?" I snap. "You know, other than the fact that we came together and you've barely spoken to me tonight."
"Hmm... Jealous, are we? Look--"
I cut him off. "You should probably get back to your date, Connor. She'll start to wonder where you are."
"She's not my date, Rennen!" he says, looking at me.
"Really? That's news to me, as much as you've been hanging out with her lately, I'm surprised you haven't set a date for the wedding yet."
He releases a small gasp of laughter. "I've been hanging out with her because she's new...and because she reminds me a little bit of you."
"Yeah, and you've been ignoring me, Connor!" I snap. "And, besides, I'm right here! I don't have boobs, or--"
"No, I mean that she's smart and funny, and stubborn..."
"Wow, sounds like you'll be getting married soon. Will you at least invite me to the wedding, or will you have already forgotten me by then?"
He bites the inside of his jaw, and stops, a smirk surfacing on his face.
He grabs the lapel of my jacket (on my suit) and pulls me forward into his arms, where he leans down and presses his lips against mine. I stumble backward, hitting the side of a stall. He pulls away, still smirking at me.
"Why'd you do that?" I ask him once I've found my voice again.
"Because I wanted too," he says softly, dragging a finger across my jawline. "You don't know how long I've been waiting to do that."
"So you mean, you and Danielle...?"
"No! No! At first, she was trying to get me to admit that I liked her, but then she found out I liked you. We talk about you a lot, you know?"
"Do you?"
He nods. "Yeah," he says, his voice reduced to a whisper as he leans in and rests his forehead against mine.
"What if someone comes in?" I ask him as his lips meet my neck.
"Let them come in," he says softly, moving his mouth to press against mine.
Connor grabs my wrist and pulls me out of the bathroom, over to Danielle.
"Oh, you're back," she says as we approach, a smile spreading across her face.
"Yep," Connor says. "And I brought Ren," He smiles and leans down to kiss my cheek lightly.
"I see the bathroom went well, then," she says, her smile growing wider.
"Yes, yes it did," Connor says, looking at me. "You should spend the night tonight," he says to me, lowering his voice a little.
Connor and I head back to his house; I text my Mom and tell her that I'm staying with Connor and she responds back with 'Ok, be safe, have fun, and use protection. Love you.' I send her a blushing emoji and she sends back a laughing and winking emoji. Connor and I pull in the driveway of his house around 10:30 PM and we go up the stairs to his room after stopping to talk for a few minutes.
"How'd the dance go, boys?" his Mom, Kristin, asks.
"Good," Connor says.
"Did you kiss him?!" Gracie, his little sister, pipes up.
"Gracie!" Kristin says, looking at her daughter.
"What?? Just asking," Gracie says.
"Well...?" Kristin says.
"'Well' what?" Connor says, looking at his Mom and sister.
"Did you kiss him?" Kristin and Gracie ask at the same time.
"Well, if you absolutely must know," Connor says, looking at me. "Yes, I did kiss him."
"Aww!!" Gracie says loudly.
"I knew it!" Kristin says, looking from her son to me.
"Well, if you'll excuse us, we're tired so we're going to go to sleep," Connor says, grabbing my arm and pulling me away from the kitchen counter and up the stairs.
When we finally reach Connor's room, he shoves me back on the bed, climbing on top of me.
"I thought we were going to sleep," I say.
"We are," Connor says. "But, I wanted to kiss you again,"
"Kiss away, then,"
He smiles at me, and leans down, pressing his lips against mine softly.
I'm wearing a pair of sweatpants and an old shirt of Connor's. The shirt has his last name on it and is a little bit big on me.
"You look cute in my clothes," he says, kissing my cheek.
"They're comfy," I say sleepily.
"Why do you think I gave them to you?"
"Because they were the first things you saw."
"Well, that too,"
I look at him and pull his face down to mine, our lips meeting in a kiss. His arms wrap around me tighter.
"Goodnight, love," he says softly.
"Goodnight, bub," I whisper back. "I love you,"
"I love you too,"
He kisses me again.
2/9/20
