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𝐌𝐢𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲. At thirteen, she had attended Ricky Winter's birthday party, with Jacob by her side. The excitement of being around older kids, especially with Ricky already in tenth grade, made them feel like part of something special. But the thrill quickly turned into a lesson they wouldn't forget.
The party started off great, filled with laughter and games. But then, Ricky, in a mischievous mood, raided his older sister's room for shot glasses and snuck a bottle of vodka from his parents' stash. Mia and Jacob, having never tasted alcohol, hesitated. But a little encouragement from the tipsy partygoers made them think trying it couldn't hurt. They had no idea their night was about to take a sharp turn.
As the evening wore on, Jacob, emboldened by a few too many shots, pulled Mia into a game of spin the bottle. A small crowd gathered, and though a gut feeling told her it was a bad idea, the alcohol and the moment took over. Before Mia knew it, she was sitting next to two unfamiliar sophomores, her heart racing with excitement and anxiety. It was a defining moment, marking the beginning of a whirlwind of teenage experiences.
Time seemed to stretch until the empty bottle finally pointed at her. Mia's stomach dropped, wishing the floor would just swallow her up. The reality of the situation hit—she was about to kiss Jacob, the guy who was anything but her type. It felt surreal, and the embarrassment hit her hard.
Afterward, Mia and Jacob made a pact never to speak of it again. To this day, the kiss remained a secret, something they never brought up. Mia often wondered if the awkwardness of that encounter had made her hesitant about kissing in general. The fleeting confidence she had when it came to kissing Embry vanished, leaving her confused about her feelings.
Before she could even process Embry's reaction, Mia stood up, pacing back the way they came. "We should probably get back before they send out a search party. Trust me, it's happened before..." she said, trying to lighten the mood with a nervous laugh, eyes scanning the trees as if they held the answers to her turmoil. Embry nodded wordlessly, his face unreadable, and together, they made their way through the forest, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavily between them.
They walked in silence, heading toward the clearing where Mia had last seen Jacob. Mia was mentally kicking herself for her earlier actions, a mix of frustration and embarrassment clouding her thoughts. Embry, however, was lost in his own world, his mind racing with the fact that Mia, his imprint, was so close to him. A kiss seemed almost inevitable, but just as quickly, he realized it might not be the right time.
