Morphine

Chapter Forty Five

"Hey?" Marceline Anne bumped Karen's arm. "It's time for me to get your outfit. Will you be alright?"

Karen smiled. She trusted Chase and Malcolm but she knew her friend had a harder time with that skill. "Yes, I'll be fine."

"Okay. I'll be right back. Go take a bath or something." Marceline Anne stood up from the couch.

Malcolm rose from his chair in the nook, where he and Chase were talking about basketball. "Baby?"

"I'm going to get Karen's dress."

"Want me to come with you?"

Marceline Anne looked at Karen, who raised an eyebrow. "Yes."

"Alright. We'll see you guys in a minute." Malcolm ushered his wife out.

Karen went back to her book.

Chase stared at her until his body moved without his knowledge or permission. He ended up next to her.

She lifted her head. "Yes?"

It felt awkward to stand so he sat. "How do you feel?"

"About what?"

"Being sixteen."

"It's been a week. It's great."

"My birthday's in November."

"You told me. The 13th."

He bobbed his head. "Yeah. But how does it feel?"

"Chase?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to kiss me?"

His eyes widened. Not that he didn't want to kiss her but this was the first time they'd been wholly alone since Japan. He was kind of nervous. "Yes."

She set aside her book and tugged on his hand.

He leaned forward and they kissed gently, softly. He smiled against her lips, loving the feel of her lush pillows against his thinner and rougher ones.

She smiled, too. She'd like for his lips to be fuller but she definitely liked their roughness. It gave her a thrill that made her push him back then climb in his lap.

He couldn't hear their ragged breathing over the blood in his ears but he could definitely feel it in his chest. She slowly leaned down and suddenly he wasn't so nervous anymore.

M-

"Don't you have to get the dress back?" Malcolm was totally confused.

"Yes but I'd like to give them a minute." Marceline Anne stopped in front of a shop that was closing soon.

"Who?"

"Charen."

"Who?!"

"Chase and Karen." She duhed.

He was not prepared for that. "Who thought that up?"

"I did."

He smiled despite himself. "What's our name?"

She made a face. "Ugh! Mercy came up with it. Malcy. Sounds like "fallacy", doesn't it?"

He shook his head, amazed by her brain. "It sounds like "normalcy"."

"Liar." She turned off the car and unbuckled her seatbelt.

"That hurts my feelings."

"Does it really?" She looked at him.