PECK PENALTY

#13 The Fair

POV Anna

I find my friends at the side park at school. Sighing, I pull over a chair beside them and sit down. My feet are killing me.

"Millie dropped by. She told me to tell you that she'll need a card swiper," Lizzie says.

"Yeah, I know. Vanessa already asked me."

My school is currently preparing for our annual fundraising fair. By tradition, it's arranged by the student committee. And as the student body president, I'm overseeing the preparations.

"I just remembered, Fiona was talking something about an e-payment," Marge says.

"She wants e-payment for her shop. I talked to principal this morning. I'm going to get all the shops QR codes for e-wallet payments. Saves the trouble of counting cash and swiping cards."

"I agree. That would be much easier," Lizzie says.

"Fiona also told me that Rita and her entourage are doing a kissing booth. Is that true?" Marge says.

I nod. "I put her at the back with two stalls. She even started on the tickets."

"She'll get a lot of customers," Lizzie says.

I laugh. That's true. Speaking of kisses, though — a thought crosses my mind that I should soon tell my friends about my kiss with Mason, and the one with Joe, too.

I usually tell them everything. But this time I'm too embarrassed to. Also, because I know what they'll probably say. "Stay away from them both."

I can't believe how ironic my love life has become recently. Until a week ago I thought I would grow old with 100 cats and die alone. But then I kissed two hot guys. However, one of them is my ex boyfriend and the other is my fake boyfriend. One of them is a cheater and the other is a player. After they kissed me I ran away from both.

The most disturbing part is I kissed them back. With Mason, I know why I did it. A part of me still loves him.

But with Joe — At first I was too surprised to even realize what was happening but after that I just melted into his touch. He's such a bloody good kisser. His experience spoke for itself.

Although I'm never one for casual hookups I can see the allure of it for the girls who slept with Joe. Even though he's a stubborn mule with mount Everest high ego, somewhere in an east facing corner of his heart, he is kind and thoughtful, or else he wouldn't have showed up in front of my school.

But there's no point in stewing that thought. It'll get me nowhere. He himself said he's only after casual relationships. No girlfriend.

And I'm too brainwashed by the princess stories my mom told me when I was young that I only want a guy who will be my prince charming. Mine only.

I feel quite proud of myself as I see everything running smoothly at the fair. Lizzie and Marge are manning the sweet stall we put up with sweets from my parents' shop.

After doing a round among the stalls, I go the entrance to see if the ticket counters are doing good. As predicted, the counter to the kissing booth is crowded with guys.

I turn back to get in when I hear Joe's voice, "Anna."

Joe is here with his friends. "This looks cool," Peter says looking around. "Check out the food stalls first. They sell out pretty fast," I give him the tip I learned from having attended this fair each year.

"We're going now," Peter says and leaves with his friends, except Joe.

"Why are you avoiding me?" he asks.

"I'm not avoiding you."

"You don't return my texts or take my calls. That's avoiding."

"I was busy with all this," I say gesturing towards our surrounding.

"So you got busy with all this right after we kissed? Isn't that a bit too convenient?"

I sigh, turn back and start to walk. He walks with me. "Can we not talk about it?" I ask him.

"This is becoming a habit with you," he says. "What is?" I ask.

"Kissing me, then running away, and not taking responsibility."

"Hey, it was you who kissed me this time. And because I took responsibility for the first kiss in the first place that we ended up in the second one!"

"Why don't you try taking responsibility for this one, too, and let's see where we end up next," he says inching closer to me that our shoulders are touching.

I laugh. "Don't tell me you pick up girls like this."

"I never had to. They all came to me."

"Well, since this is your first time, here's my feedback: it's not gonna work. Just as you have your rule of no girlfriends. I've my rule of no sex friends."

"There's a first time for everything," he says. I start to reply him but then I hear another familiar voice call my name today.