Not My Hero

“Stupid Sully,” I grumble. “He just tried to kiss me.”

“What?” A deadly look spreads over Colton’s face, darkening his eyes until they’re almost black.

When he glances around the class for Sully, and he begins to get up, I reach over to him and grab hold of his arm. “Don’t. You’ll get in trouble with Mr. Donati. Besides, I pushed him away and told him not to touch me.”

Colton’s eyebrows pop up, and a smile forms around his face. “You did?”

I nod, and now that I’m feeling calmer, it’s starting to sink in that I actually stood up for myself. “Yeah…” I murmur, because it feels a little surreal, “I did.”

“That’s my girl,” Colton brags, looking impressed with me. “I knew you had it in you.”

Mr. Donati begins with class, and it’s hard to pay attention because I’m too caught up in how good it feels that Colton is proud of me.After school, we stop at the store to get paint. With it being my birthday tomorrow, Colton said we should get the painting done tonight, then we don’t have to do it on my birthday.

When we get home, we change out of our school uniforms and then push the bed away from the wall. Colton spreads a plastic tarp over the carpet while I position the two ladders on opposite sides so we can each paint one half.

For a while, we work in silence, then Colton chuckles. “Blue is definitely your color.”

I glance at the parts we’ve painted. “Yeah, the baby blue looks good.”

“You have paint on your face,” he says, pointing to his own cheek.

“Oh.” I wipe over my left cheek, and it makes him laugh.

“No, you’re making it worse.” Colton walks over to me, and taking the roller from me, he sets it on the tarp. Then he takes hold of my hand and pulls me to the bathroom.

Glancing in the mirror, a smile pulls at my lips. I have a couple of streaks over my face. I check my hands, and seeing the blotches of blue, I let out a chuckle.

Colton wets a cloth, then comes to stand in front of me. He brings his other hand to my chin, and he wipes at the smudges.

After a couple of seconds, he whispers, “So you told Sully to leave you alone?”

“Yeah.” I glance up at him and admit, “At first I was scared, but then I got angry. There was no way I was going to let him kiss me.” I shrug. “Plus, you’ve shown me how to deal with him. I can’t let you keep fighting my battles.”

“I don’t mind.” His voice is a low murmur.

A spine-tingling sensation ripples over me, and I’m unable to drop my eyes from his gaze.

Colton’s movements slow, and my heart begins to beat rapidly as he starts to lean down. My breaths grow faster as anticipation builds between us.

Oh, gosh.

I’m too scared to move, not wanting to disturb the moment between us.

“Guys,” Cassie suddenly calls from the hallway.

We instantly pull apart, and Colton darts to the sink to rinse the cloth while I almost step into the shower.

“Do you want anything to drink?” There’s a moment’s pause, then Cassie calls, “Colton. Where are you?”

“In here,” he replies. His voice sounds hoarse, and he quickly clears his throat.

Appearing in the doorway, Cassie says, “Oh, there you are.”

My eyes dart to her while my heart is still thumping hard in my chest from what almost happened between Colton and me. I hope she can’t see any of my emotions on my face.

Cassie notices the paint on my face and lets out a chuckle. “It’s going to take more than water to get that paint off your face.”

Oh, right. The paint.COLTONI drape the cloth over the side of the bath, then say, “I’ll pour us some coke.” I squeeze past Brie and my mom, then add, “Mom, will you help Brie get the paint off?”

“Sure.”

Darting out of the bathroom, I rush down the hallway and take the stairs two at a time. Only when I’m in the kitchen, do I stop. I place my hands on the counter, and staring at the granite top, I suck in a deep breath of air.

What was I thinking? I almost kissed Brie.

Mom almost caught us. Not that she would mind, but still, I don’t want our first kiss to happen next to a damn toilet where my mom can walk in on us. And I definitely don’t want it happening on the same day that idiot tried to kiss Brie.

I shake my head and move to grab two glasses from the cupboard. I pour the coke, and only when I place the bottle back in the fridge do I realize Brie didn’t pull away.

Did she want me to kiss her?

It doesn’t escape my attention that Brie stood up to Sully for the first time today because he tried to kiss her, but she didn’t push me away.