Skinny Love

Chapter 1

My senior year did not pass in a blur like most people say. If I tried hard enough I could remember almost every detail, it was my best and worst year. I met new friends, had new experiences, and found love.

My life used to be normal, I had my best friend Mark right by my side and had good grades, even went to some parties. Now nothing is normal, but it's my normal and I wouldn't change anything even if I had the chance. 

It was December when it happened. 

It wasn't a story you would expect as a teen pregnancy, but it was my story and it wasn't perfect or cute, it was life. 

 Three weeks before Christmas, something happened that I'd remember the rest of my life. Mark, who was my best friend of all time and I guess my boyfriend. We were walking on the trail behind my house after being bored of sitting at home on a Saturday. My mom left to go shopping and we had absolutely nothing to do.  I was jumping on the rocks down the shallow creek water, and Mark walked on the even ground that was scattered with crunching leaves. We had been talking, but at the moment it was silent. 

"I want to, um, give you something." Mark suddenly said, and I turn to him with a frown. He knew how I felt about gifts.

"I thought we weren't getting each other presents."  he held out his hand.

"I wanted to get you this." he said. "Open it." I gently took the present from his hand, after examining it I slowly peeled off the paper, you know how when someone gives you something you can't just rip off the paper, you have to slowly peel the tape away as if it makes the gift more meaningful if it's opened with care. With the paper off I opened the small box, inside was a necklace. The charm was a small pendant in the shape of an hour glass. Two hearts to be exact one on top, the other upside down on the bottom. I wasn't much of a jewelry wearer but I had to admit I liked it, especially that it was from my best friend. I had the urge to surprise him with a gift now, but I hadn't gotten him anything. We never got each other anything.  Mark held out his hands and I turned, he clasped the necklace together and let it fall to my chest. I lifted my hair from the necklace loop and turned back to him. 

"It's really pretty, I love it but, you didn't have to-" I paused for maybe a second, because something took over me and I knew what I should do. I leaned in and kissed him.

one, three, seven, ten...

That first kiss was unimaginably short. There were no fireworks, it was more of a spark, and the whole world dissapeared in that moment in time. Mark held my shoulders when we parted. We were so close. He was right there, and I looked straight into his eyes. We were about the same height, did that mean it wouldn't work? Nah, height couldn't matter less to me. 

"Elle, I love you." he says.

"Don't say that." I tuck my hair behind my ear. 

"Why?"

"Love is such a strong word." 

"That's why I said it." We kissed again, a smile kept making it's way to my lips. 

Soon we rushed back to my house giggling. Have you ever heard a guy giggle? Once inside we kissed all the way to my room, which was a bit difficult considering my room was upstairs. I kind of waddled up backwards, he held my waist so I wouldn't fall.

My arms around Mark's neck I walked backwards until I fell to the bed, dragging him down with me. He could have been holding me down to the point I couldn't breathe and we still wouldn't have been close enough. We seemed to stop and stare at each other to ask if it was okay. Which it was, it was. When his shirt was off my hand trailed down his chest, it was smooth. He was skinny but had no abs, and I didn't care. We didn't use protection, and we didn't even really take time to think about it either. We were each others firsts and it was uncomfortable at first but one we were in sync it was better.

Afterward, but before mom got back, we lay on my bed holding each other.

The best friends in movies always try to get together but it always never lasts, but that wouldn't happen with us, would it? Our legs were tangled together and only a sheet was over us.  I couldn't help but be jealous of all the people who do this all the time. Had I found the one? My best friend? Mark who wore giant hipster glasses before they were cool, and his dark hair and light eyes. Mark who had always been by my side would soon not be, because little did I know I'd push him away.