Falling - On the Banks of Lake Saint Clare (Falling - Book One) (8 page)

“I think he is tolerating her. He owes me one. I was stuck with the most annoying girl about a month ago when he went out with her best friend.”

I felt the jealousy bug again. “Was she at least a good kisser?

“I have no idea. Never kissed her. The only girl I ever kissed was in 3
rd
grade. Jeannie Undernear. I felt sorry for her cause everyone called her Jeanie Underwear. We weren’t very creative back then.”

I lay back on the blanket and looked up at the sky and then back to him. I couldn’t decide what was more amazing to look at.

“What made you kiss her?”

“She had a birthday party and the entire class was there. Chuckie Cheeze. What an awesome place
,” he smiled.
“
Her friend told me that her birthday wish was to get a kiss from me. Which I thought was really odd to waste a wish,”
h
e smiled
again
. “I ended up only kissing her on the cheek. I heard I made her day, but later was glad that I was saving that first real kiss for someone special.”

“And who was that special person?” I asked before I realized I didn’t want to hear the answer.

“No one yet.”

Michael la
id
back on the blanket, holding his IPod up so we could both see it. “Is this good?” He asked, stopping at a Lifehouse song.

“Perfect, they are my favorite.”
             
“Mine also,” he smiled.

I la
id
down beside him and started looking at the sky. The stars were starting to shine brighter and the sunset was almost completely gone. He set the IPod above our heads on the blanket and took my hand. I could feel his fingers rubbing my hand gently.

He rolled over on his side and propped his head with his arm, looking down at me. I wanted so badly to kiss him. I had never had a desire to be kissed by anyone like I did at that moment. I knew it wouldn’t happen. He was waiting for the perfect person to kiss.

I could feel his hand move under my shirt and rest on my stomach. My heart was pounding like crazy and I knew my breathing was loud and irregular. I wanted his hand to move higher, but scared to death it would. He took it out from under my shirt and placed it in between my breasts.
             
“Is that your heart that is making that noise? It feels like its going to pound out of your chest.”

He moved his hand and placed his head against my heart. “That’s some crazy shit,” he laughed.

I smacked him on the head. “Stop,” I laughed. “You make me nervous.”

He raised his head and looked at me. He was only 5 or 6 inches from my face. “Why?”
H
e smiled.

“Cause I think I
might be liking you a litt
le.”

“A
little?” He looked at me and grinned. “I think I might like you a little, too.”

“It’s so perfect out here tonight.” I sighed.

“Yes, you are perfect,” he said, placing his lips against mine.

Oh
g
od, he’s kissing me.

He placed his hand on my cheek and moved his lips gently against mine. I felt his hand move under my shirt again stopping on my bare stomach. A sharp electrical flow rush
ed
through my body, running the full length of my leg and then reaching between my legs. I could feel his hand run down my stomach, across the front of my shorts. I could tell I was getting wet and was afraid he would stop. He continued to move his hand until it rested on the inside of my thigh. It was so close to the leg of my shorts, inches away from being inside my panties.

His lips were soft and perfectly touching mine, making me feel like I was in a different body. His lips suddenly moved away from mine and he
stared
at me. His hand still inches from being inside my shorts. I felt him move his hand down so it was closer to my knee, and the tingling slowed down.

He rolled over on his back and looked at the sky. My heart was still pounding and I wanted to feel his hands on me again. I wanted to kiss him more, but didn’t know what he was thinking. Was I a horrible kisser?

“You’re going to kill me
,
”
h
e sighed.

“Why?” I whispered. Was he using me? Did he find me disgusting after we kissed? Did he want to ditch me and leave me alone at the lake?

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. I could feel my heart starting to hurt. I had ruined his first kiss. He wanted it to be perfect and I wasn’t the girl. But I didn’t kiss him, he kissed me.

He took my hand and kissed it, still looking at the sky.

He sighed again heavily. “I am not ever going to get enough of you.”

“I don’t understand.”

He rolled over, looked at me, and kissed my forehead. “I never thought it would be that intense.”

I felt a wave of relief. “I thought you were going to say it was repulsive.”

“Damn girl, I wish it were. I’m going to be up all night, thinking about you. It was the perfect kiss that I waited for,” he sat up and
looked down at me,
“You are going to make me fall hard for you.”

I couldn’t stop smiling. It was like my smile was plastered to my face. I couldn’t stop it from being there.

I heard a horn honk and Derek yelled, “We want to go!”

I watched Michael as he put his hi
-
tops on and stand up. He leaned over and took my hand and helped me up. He pulled me against him and held me tightly as I put my arms around his waist. I could feel his heart beating hard against the top of my head.

“I don’t want to leave,” he said quietly.

“Me either.”

“We have to go,” he said, not moving. “It’s only fair that we let them decide when we leave. We made them come out and tolerate each other for long enough.”
             
We stood there looking at the water. The moon made a huge reflection
o
n the center of the lake.

“Come on,” he laughed, hearing the horn honk again. “I don’t want to get our asses kicked.”

On the way home, Michael would shift the car and then place his hand on my thigh. Each time I felt a wonderful rush down my leg. I had no idea that such a simple touch of my leg could get me so aroused.

“What time you have to be home
?
” Michael asked.

I turned around and looked at Erica. “What time?”
             
“Midnightish. What time is it?”

“Like
11:15
. You all want to stop at
The Dairy Lane
” Michael asked, looking into the rearview mirror.

“Of course,” Erica answered for the backseat.

“It’s fine with me.” I looked back again so I could see what Derek and Erica were doing. They were just sitting there. I couldn’t even read their expression, if they liked each other or just being civil.

“So,” I smiled, “How’s things going, Derek
?
”

“It’s good, Alex,” he smiled back, but I could see a hint of pleading in his eyes. “How’s your stomach?” I laughed.

“My stomach is hungry, but my stomach will be better if
I get some food in my stomach.

I started laughing.

Erica slapped
my
arm, “You are so mean. He’s sick and you are laughing at him.”

“Sorry,” I smiled and turned around.

We pulled into
Dairy Lane
and as usual for a Saturday night, it was packed. Michael walked around and opened my car door.

“Michael!” One of the jocks yelled. “Come here!”

He looked at me as if asking for permission.

“Go ahead. I’m going in to talk to
Abbie
and
Kaitlyn
. I’ll meet you in there.”

“Ok. Be there in a sec.”
             

I watched him walk over to the crowd. Hailey and her group were standing there as usual.

I kept watching Michael as I walked across the parking lot toward the door, hearing Erica tell me to wait up as she dug her crutches out of the backseat. I stood in the middle of the drive
-
thru watching and waiting.

“Michael!” I heard Hailey shrill, “I literally thought you were
literally
never going to get here.”

I watched him talking to Jeff and Travis
.
Hailey
was
standing so close to him that I was feeling uncomfortable. He looked down at her and nodded. Was it also a smile? Was he smiling at her? I wanted to walk over there so badly, but my feet wouldn’t move. I also didn’t want to walk over if he was trying to get with her. That would be so typical of my luck is have my first kiss with a wonderful hot guy that I really really liked and he dumps me twenty minutes later for Hailey. I would hear about that every day for the rest of the year.

“Come on,” Erica pushed past me, waking me from my trance. I started walking but still watched Michael. Hailey was laughing. I watched her take his hand and start writing on it. He didn’t look like he was even noticing. What is she doing writing on his hand?

I went inside and hurried to the table so I could continue watching. She finished writing and started talking. I couldn’t tell from my angle if he was answering, but he nodded again. He looked back over to Jeff and said something. They were laughing, but Hailey was laughing too. I hated Hailey more than ever. “What is so damn funny?” I wanted to scream at them.

Michael looked over at me watching him, said something to the guys, and started walking toward us, with Hailey in tow. She was saying something to him, practically trotting. They both headed to the table. Was he bringing her in with him? Michael got to the table and sat down beside me.

“Ok, so I will talk to Daddy and see about the key. Since he is the principal, I’m thinking he can pull some strings and stuff
,
” Hailey rattled on.

Michael looked up at her with a puzzled look and said, “Ok. Thanks
.
”
B
ut it sounded like he had no idea what he was thanking he for.

“Hey girls!” She sang.

We all four looked at each other and about had a heart attack.

“
Michael,” she sighed heavily, “
I don’t know what I’d ever do without my besties,” she said
,
looking at us, forcing a noticeably fake smile. “I’d literally die without my little cheer girls. They complete me and stuff.”

I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I started laughing. She was never nice to me, never. In fact, if the toilet swirly was still a thing to do, I’d get one daily.

She gave me a glare and then looked at Michael, “You have my numbers,” she took his hand and pointed to them. “This one is my cell phone. This one is the house. Do not give the house phone number to anyone. It’s the principal of the high school
’
s number and stuff. My daddy,” she repeated.