The Junior (College Years 3)

We essentially kiss for the rest of the fireworks show. It’s like one big make out sesh, which I haven’t done since…what? Junior year of high school? So it’s been a while, and fuck, I’m enjoying it. The give and take. The strain to get closer, our bodies brushing, hands wandering but never too far. The way our tongues tangle and dance, the sounds she makes in her throat, the feel of her as she shifts against me, like she’s trying to get closer. I thread my fingers through her hair, angling her head where I want her, and she doesn’t fight me. It’s as if we’re finally in complete sync, like the fireworks and the music, working together.

The nearby crowd suddenly bursts into applause and we break away from each other quickly, our breaths ragged, the fireworks show coming to an end with an explosion of constant light and sound. The entire sky fills up with endless fireworks, one after the other, launching an epic climax and making everyone outside lose their shit.

Too bad I’m not about to have an epic climax in this moment, but hey. I’ll settle for kissing Gracie.

Though not like it’s settling. Not even close.

I dive in for another one, but the kiss is short. Gracie presses her hands against my chest, and I break away first, watching her as she slowly opens her eyes. Her lips are parted and swollen, and her hair is a little messy, thanks to me running my fingers through it. Her lips curve into a faint smile as she reaches for the star headband still on my head and she plucks it off, settling it on her own.

“I can’t believe we just kissed for like, fifteen minutes, and you kept this on your head the entire time.” She nods, making the stars bobble back and forth.

“I think you’re hot for my new look,” I tease her, touching her chin. Her cheek. “I’m going to keep wearing it if you keep kissing me like that.”

“Says the guy who doesn’t like kissing.”

I blow out an exasperated breath. “I never said I didn’t like kissing, G. I said I wasn’t a big fan of kissing. There’s a difference.”

“Not really.”

“There is to me.”

She pulls herself out of my arms and stands, tugging her T-shirt back into place before running her fingers through the ends of her hair. “Should we help outside?”

“I think we can leave whenever.” I glance out the window to see people are already leaving the dock.

“I forgot to clock out,” she says with a frown.

“I did too, but it’s no big deal.” I shrug and then stand, stretching my arms above my head. “Let’s get out of here.”

I wait as she gathers up her stuff and locks the office. We chat with Kevin and Michelle, which was smart because it allows everyone else to pack everything up in their cars and get on the road, which is currently filled with a steady stream of traffic. By the time we’re climbing into her car, the traffic has died down, and we don’t have to wait long to get the hell out of here.

We don’t speak as Gracie drives, and it reminds me of the ride here earlier, when I kept my AirPods in and she would barely look at me. I hope to God she’s not pissed at me right now. Not after what just happened between us.

I kind of can’t stop thinking about it. I’m reliving it in my head at this very moment.

“We need to establish rules,” she says about ten minutes into the drive, with the windows down and the cool mountain air rushing over us.

“Rules about what?” I glance over at her, the way she’s driving with one hand on the wheel and the other is resting on her thigh. I want to grab that hand and hold it. See what she might do.

I quickly stop myself from thinking along those lines, frowning. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with me?

“Us. What we’re doing,” she stresses.

I grin. “Why put rules on it? Let’s just see what happens.”

“If we just ‘see what happens,’ we might end up hurting each other and ruining our friendship,” she says, ever so logical.

“That won’t happen,” I say with way too much confidence.

“You don’t know that for sure.”

“I do. I like you too much. We’re friends. We’ll keep it that way.” Friends who fuck, is what I’d love to say, but she’d probably get pissed.

And I’m jumping way ahead of myself. I need to calm down.

“You like me too much?” She sounds doubtful.

“Yeah. You’re fun. You’re a good time, G. I like arguing with you and talking with you and now I’ve discovered I like kissing you too,” I say.