When a contract that her brother made keeps Katie from dating his best friend, she has to find a way around it before she leaves for college.
***
Con·tract = A written or spoken agreement. But for Katie, it concerns her love life.
Katie Morrinon is...
Up until now, there was a different reason other than the contract for why I hadn't told Levi how I felt.
I was scared.
It never seemed to hit me before that I was scared to tell Levi how I truly felt, not until this moment. Not until he looked down at me with those ocean blue eyes, a serious look on his face and a look in his eyes I have never seen before.
I took a breath as I looked away from him "Wha-what do you want to talk about?" I asked like I didn't know anything, this only made him groan.
"Katie." I kept my face looking down at the pool water, "I want to talk about our kiss," he said in an aggravated tone making me look at him, he was running his hand down his golden hair making me gulp as he looked down at me.
Here it comes. Katie, I don't think we should be friends anymore. It made my heart race as we looked at each other in the eyes. I took a breath and closed my eyes as I looked away from him.
"I know what you are going to say Levi. Just ..drop it. I know that you don't want to be anything more than just friends" I told him before standing up from the side of the pool and stretching my arms, I walked towards the patio swing, out of the way of the windows thanks to trees.
Levi was quick to catch up with me, he grabbed me by my arm and spun me around "Kat!" he said in a tone as he turned me around and put his hands on my face: "Damn it. That is not what I was going to say."
I stared at him as he pressed his hands into the sides of my face making me gulp, my heart was up in my throat "Than what? Are you going to say you like me?" I said it like it hurt me. Which it did. If he does like me Roman will kill him.
He licked dry lips as he put on a face of disbelief: "Katie. I ...I would give up my friendship with Roman to be with you. Especially now that I know you feel the same way about me that I do about you" he said with a soft voice as he looked down into my eyes.
That was it. What I have waited to hear for so long, but hearing it made my heart break, I don't want him to lose his friendship with Roman those two have been friends for years. Since Roman helped him.
But I was not about to deny any feelings I had for Levi.
I gulped as we looked each other in the eyes and asked the one lingering question that had to be asked: "What do we do?"
He searched my face with his eyes and said, "I don't know. I do know that I want to be with you, Katie" he whispered as he put his forehead to mine and smiled like it hurt "When I signed that stupid contract...I didn't even think of the possibility of falling for you."
I stared into his eyes sadly "That's the thing, Levi. It's a pact made between you guys. If we break it Roman ... I don't know if he will be mad or disappointed," I said, looking down at our feet, "I don't want to disappoint him."
"Hey. We won't. Or you won't," he said and put his hand under my chin to raise my face up to look at him. "I don't care if he hates me. I have tried to deny this feeling for too long, and I am tired of denying it, Kat, and knowing that you feel the same way makes me want to break the stupid pact even more."
Then he kissed me.
My heart thudded against my chest as I looked towards the trees thinking people could see through them. But as I realized you couldn't, I dropped the tension in my shoulders and wrapped my arms around his neck, my hands touching his hair.
Levi was experienced in relationships and dating... especially kissing. I didn't. He was my first kiss and that wasn't expected. He smelled like peppermint and Brut aftershave, it surprisingly went well together. I wasn't good with dating (Look at Adam) but I was willing to give it a shot if Levi was.
His hands moved down my back, pressing his hands into my back he smiled against my lips. He really was experienced and as he moved his mouth against mine I felt myself kissing him back.
And when he broke off the kiss, I just stared at him.
He smirked "Well, you have no vases to pick up out here," he said making me scowl at him. He just grinned as I looked up at him.
I kept my arm around his neck as I looked up at him "Are we seriously going to do this?" I asked, my voice sounding weird like I was hoarse. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, keeping his other hand around me.
"Only if you want to, Katie. I am not going to push you into anything."
Yeah, it was then I knew that he was the one for me. I grinned and stood on tiptoe to give him a kiss, he raised an eyebrow as I gave him a quick peck and let go of him. I started walking back towards the house.
"I want to."
I almost fell backward into the pool as I walked backward, it made him chuckle as I caught myself and sent him a smile. I turned around and walked into the backdoor, leaving Levi outside.
I walked to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of soda. I opened it and took a swing as I thought back on what just happened, the smile wouldn't leave my face as the kitchen door swung open and closed.
Julien raised an eyebrow when he saw me smiling "What made you all happy?" When I didn't reply he snapped his fingers in front of me "Yoohoo. Kate? You okay?" He asked in a worried voice.
I set down my soda and gave Jul a hug, surprising him.
"You were right," I told him, kissing his cheek, I grabbed my soda and headed to check on the extra bed sheets out in the washer. Leaving a confused Julien behind to stare after me.
After I put the sheets in the dryer, I went inside to go up and help Roman with the room for Granny. Everything was going to be fine. Right?
I pushed open the bedroom door to find Roman sitting in a rocking chair in the corner, he looked up when I entered and I realized he was holding an old photo album. He also had a few tears in his eyes.
"Sorry, baby bear. I was just ... you were so cute," he said as he showed me a photo from when I was six years old, my hair was in pigtails and I was wearing blue jeans with a band shirt. Dad was standing behind me pulling the devil horns and a Gene Simmons face, his tongue was out.
My dad was a rock n roll lover. My mom always had to yell for him to turn down the music when we were out in the backyard listening to music.
As I watched Roman look through the photos, I realized everything wasn't going to be fine. I was going to keep a huge secret from my brother.
And I was already starting to hate myself.
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(WOW! 700 READS?! That is way too awesome! I am glad everyone is enjoying the Pact! -TBK)
