Forever Changed
“I love you too, Kass. Stay safe.”
“I will Mom.”
I hurried to my room with less than five minutes left until I was supposed to meet Maddon.
“Crap, I’m gonna be late,” I muttered as I ripped off the clothes I had worn to school that day. I pulled on my favorite white-with-black-flowers cotton skirt, a ribbed white tank and my three-quarter sleeve white sweater before sitting at my vanity. Looking at myself in the mirror, there was only one word to describe my hair—disaster. The typical Florida humidity had played havoc with my nice straight hair from earlier. I didn't have time to run the heat iron back over it, so I just gathered it up in my hand and pulled it up into a high ponytail. Lastly, I applied a little pink-tinted lip gloss and eyeliner as a final touch.
"Crap, shoes," I mumbled, turning away from the mirror to search through my endless supply of shoes in the closet. I wanted to wear my favorite white leather Hollister sandals. Tossing a few pairs to the side, I finally found them buried under my UGGs that I was convinced I couldn’t live without last year. My mom laughingly told me they were inappropriate for Florida weather, but I had insisted. I wore them one time to school and my feet felt like they were encased in a sauna the entire day. At the time, I loathed admitting it, but as I chucked them to the side, I couldn’t help but giggle that she was so right.
Sliding into my sandals, I smoothed
down my skirt that had ridden up while I was scrounging around on my closet floor and spotted Megan standing by my doorway.
“What do you think, Peanut? Do I look okay?”
She nodded her head, looking forlorn.
“Hey, do you want to hang out in here while I’m gone? When I get home, it’ll be like a sleepover on an island?” I said, indicating my high king-size bed. “How does that sound?”
She gave her approval by scampering up on my bed with her book in hand. I watched as she burrowed herself in among my countless pillows until she was all but invisible.
“All right, I’ll be home later. Don’t hog my whole bed,” I teased on my way out the door. I headed for the stairs before making a quick detour back to Mom’s room.
“Hey, Peanut is up on my bed,” I told her so she wouldn’t worry.
“Okay, sweetheart, have fun.”
“Thanks Mom,” I said, hurrying out her door and down the steps.
I pulled into the parking lot of Freemont Park more than fifteen minutes late. I climbed from my car feeling bad for making Maddon wait for me. I found him at one of the pavilions closest to the playground area that would have been bursting with a birthday party if it were a Saturday or Sunday.
He watched my approach, drumming on his pant legs with his worn drumsticks.
“Sorry I’m late,” I said as he watched me silently.
He didn’t answer, but continued to study me with a look I couldn’t quite place.
“What?” I asked, self-consciously looking down to make sure my skirt was hanging straight and I wasn't giving him a peep show.
He stood up still not speaking. My breath hitched in my throat as he stopped a hair's width from me, placing his hands on my hips to pull me flush against him. “You’re driving me insane,” he said before dropping his warm lips onto mine. He nipped at my bottom lip gently until I opened my mouth to his. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. After a moment, he pulled back slightly, studying me with eyes that were almost black with desire.
“Well, that’s a heck of a greeting,” I said in a shaky voice as my knees trembled.
“Just figured you need a small taste of what you did to me when I saw you step out of your car.”
“So you approve?” I flirted, stepping back farther so he could see my whole outfit.
“If we were alone, you’d see just how much I approve,” he said.
I gasped slightly, getting his meaning loud and clear. I was used to sexual innuendos while hanging out with my old group of friends, but things between Colton and me had never reached that level for obvious reasons now. I had plenty of opportunities over the years to hook up, but the relationship I had with Colton kept most advances at bay. I had made my dad a promise when I first started dating that I would think, and then think again, before I gave myself to someone. At the time, the conversation had embarrassed me to no end, but the promise had been easy to keep as any make-out sessions with Colton became few and far between, until they eventually fizzled entirely. And up until a week ago, the promise I had made seemed safer than any other promise I had ever made.
“Too much?” he asked, taking a cautious step back.
“Too much?” I repeated, still trying to process how fast things were escalating between us. My breath began to come out in fast gasps as I started to hyperventilate.
“Kass, are you okay?” he asked, concern clouding his voice as he led me to the picnic table. He pushed on my shoulder gently until I was sitting down.
I tried to nod, but was having a hard time catching my breath. My cheeks became hot, and no doubt, bright red. Seriously? This was how I handled it when someone admitted they were attracted to me?