The Trap

"So..."

“So...” She started, desperately trying to make conversation.

“Don’t try so hard.” I controlled. I always needed to be in control. I made the game, so she’d have to play by my rules.

She looked down, thinking of natural things to say. Although she kind of ‘de-natural’-ed them by thinking so hard about how to say it, and when and where.

“You look pretty.” I smiled, taking some of the weight off her. It was a sincere compliment – she did know how to really dress up, even if this was just one little date. Then again, it was our first.

And aren’t girls are always stressing about that? It HAS to be “magical”.

We didn’t end up having dinner in the end. The restaurant had cancelled our reservations in the place of some last-minute celebrities. I didn’t mind. The moonlight was shining; perfect for one of those midnight kisses by the beach you watch all the time in movies. Although I may not have had a six pack or a deep, manly voice, or...maybe, bravery – depending on the movie – like those guys, I had my guidance from the boys and just plain common sense, which ironically, is not common.

I sat beside her, nervous as anything. But Nat’s voice was still clear in my mind,

“Just stay calm. Do not panic.”

So I kept my breathing calm, and held her hand. Jordan looked up at me and beamed. I had to admit; she was breathtaking in the moonlight, even if her dress was full of sand and her shoes & feet were wet, she didn’t look like she minded at all. She just looked like she was totally relaxed and grateful to be here – with me. This had never happened before to me.

‘Note to self, listen to Nathan’s advice more. Some of it doesn’t suck.’

I checked my watch: 10:02.

“It’s late...” Jordan spoke before I could get there.

“Yeah...” We agreed as if there should’ve been a ‘but’ after, however we both decided to miss it out.

She was about to get up when I acted on impulse and kissed her. Then Jordan acted on impulse and kissed me back. It was soft, even with the slipperiness of her lip-gloss, and sweet, and it tasted of the gum I’d given her when we got to the restaurant, only to be denied entry anyway. It wasn’t my first, but she was definitely the best. Not rushed at all, like Edie Chapman in the ninth grade – awful. Not too forceful like Paula Burke in freshman year.

Edie had this awful habit – called eating sardines, and Paula...well, feelings aside for total honesty, I’m still not sure if that was a Paul or a Paula.

I put my jacket around her, as you do, following that movie style setting and scene and she smiled to herself, one of those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it smiles, but I caught it.

“I was great, wasn’t I?” I smirked, cockily, leaning against the archway in front of her door.

“Sure, you were awesome.” She laughed, unable to even argue. It didn’t even justify an argument in her opinion, “I was amazing though?”

“No, you were...” I leaned in towards her, “Fantastic.” Then I kissed her again; this time was much deeper. Jordan pushed me back, and I slammed back against the archway wall. Jordan was, all of a sudden, this unsure girl, unsure of which move to make and which path to take; I panted, confused at her shove and praying silently she wasn’t this crazy serial killer, or something. I watched as she stared from side to side, almost looking for someone – her eyes were narrowed suspiciously as if she expected something.

“Do you...” She thought about it for approximately three seconds, weighing the right thing and the wrong thing to do in that little amount of time, before deciding, “Do you want to come in?”

She noticed my hesitation, “I’m pretty sure that my parents aren’t in.” So that was what all the eye movements had been about.

I considered it. I could make her wait. Make her lust grow and grow until she jumped me in school. I could leave and then come back, confessing my ‘undying love’. I could leave right now and never call her again. That would be half down and 99.5 more women to go.

“Yes.”

One down, ninety nine to go