My heart was pounding. Outside the church, I stood there in the cold looking at my phone with a text from him. "I'm across from the youth in the back like I said I would be." Without replying, I put my phone in my fake leather jacket pocket and made my way across the parking lot. I felt a peace. Within my chest was a forceful beating heart that was scared, but my body took me where I needed to go. I didn't think twice. This was the moment I had been waiting for.
When I get to the Prius I stand by the passenger door, hesitant to open it because Matt was talking to him. He was changing his clothes, or something, talking about guy stuff I suppose. "It's unlocked," he said. I open the door and take my seat next to him, close the door, and take a deep breath. He was still talking to Matt. I had a few moments to try and get my heart rate to slow down. Looking at him didn't help, though. Everything... Everything about him made me come undone. His hair, his lips, his voice, his hands. He was nervous. It made me slightly overjoyed to see him that way, to be honest. He's one of those guys that doesn't show too much.. But he was pretty translucent in that moment. I wanted Matt to leave. We only had a few minutes left until 7:00. He stammered his words a few times and messed with his hair, "Haha. That would pis me off too man." I had no clue what they were talking about because I was too busy being nervous. My hands were cold inside my jacket pockets and I prayed for Matt to leave.
Matt leaves. Eric rolls up the window. "This is real," I thought, "this is really going to happen." Eric puts his hand on my leg. Normally If someone did that, I would feel uncomfortable. But I didn't. I wanted it there. He just starts talking.. About everything. He was nervous, and it was adorable. His voice: with each word he said I felt something.
"So are you gonna hold my hand or what?" He asks in his low fiery voice.
"Yeah, haha I'm sorry my hands are cold." He grabs my hand.
"Man they are."
I think I fell even more in love with him that night. I saw him more exposed than I had before.
We started jabbing on about how he needed his inhaler at his grandmas house. He randomly says, "You know, I wasn't nervous but then I saw you coming and I was like.. Crap." It made me smile. He wanted me. Eric Michael Travis wanted me and was just as nervous as I was.
"Yeah, my heart is.."
"Pounding? Yeah, me too," he interrupted.
We changed the subject again and got back on the topic of inhalers somehow.
"One time, Jewell took her inhaler three times and got, like, high. Her heart was pounding.. Like mine is right now," I said.
"Yeah, me too." Before I knew what to think about, he reached over and put his hand upon the right side of my face. His lips reached out to mine, and with soft moves he lead the kiss of my life. He opened his mouth slightly, and before I knew what to do my lips pressed on his. I felt numb. I felt numb everywhere except my lips. His mouth moving with a rhythm against mine. We were in synch with each other. My body flooded with heat. I didn't even know what I was doing. But my body did. I felt his bottom lip more than anything against mine. He pulled away. I looked at him. I don't know how long we looked at each other but it felt like slow motion. It was more real than what I thought it was.
"Yeah," I said.
"Yeah. Well, it's time for church." He kissed me again. His spit on my lips. I wouldn't have liked that with anyone else. But It felt good.
We got out of the car and walked together back to the door. The sound of worship music hit the air. Yep. Church started. I was late to church because I was making out with the hottest guy in Missouri. Needless to say, I didn't feel bad. There was no lust in that kiss; only passion.. Only love.
