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Chapter 14
"They're all hitting it off."
Nick examined Promise. "So?" he questioned.
Promise shrugged. "Kind of funny, that's all," she said. "Five girls, five guys. Each one falls for one of the others, and you and I are the only ones that don't have some kind of spark happenin'."
He raised an eyebrow. "Do you regret that?"
"Not at all, Nicky," she responded. "But answer me this: it doesn't have to do with the fact that, well, I'm black, and you're white, does it?"
Nick nearly choked. Then, regaining his composure, he said, "Prom, I love you. I really do. You're beautiful, but we both know that we aren't meant to be more than buddies."
"You're an awesome guy, Nick," Promise said.
"I know."
She continued, ignoring him. "But you didn't answer my question."
"The black/white one?"
"Yeah," she said, tugging on his hand to stop at a rack of sunglasses.
"That has nothing to do with it," he said simply, watching as she tried on a pair of pink lenses. "I mean, if I wanted you," he stopped, seeing her eyes widen behind the pink, and quickly added, "don't take it like that, Prom, I just meant that if I liked you, you know, I wouldn't have based it on your looks, or what others thought of your looks. Because, yeah, we would have gone through hell and back to get there, wherever there is, and I know, and you know, that neither of us deserve that."
"Speech, speech!" she cried, crossing her eyes behind the now green sunglasses.
"You're nuts," he said. "Do you get what I'm saying, though?"
"Of course, Nick," she said cheerfully, squeezing his hand. "Let's keep walking."
"Put the sunglasses back, Promise," he said sternly.
"Right, Nick-ay."
+++++++
"Hey, Des?"
"Hey, Howie?"
"Don't mock me," he pouted. "I get the feeling you do that a lot."
She shrugged and jammed a quarter into the slot of the Pokémon arcade game.
"What were you going to say?"
"Can I kiss you?"
She stopped and looked over at him sharply. He didn't lower his gaze from her eyes, and she felt her heart begin to pound. She nodded slightly, and he brushed her hair back. Then he leaned down and kissed her warmly, and she wound her arms around his neck. He pulled back slightly, and smiled.
She smiled back, leaning her head on his shoulder.
=+=+=+=+=
"No, that's the thing," Kevin insisted. "I had almost too much fun at the picnic."
He sighed.
"Not too much," he conceded. "Just more than I was expecting."
His audience was quiet.
"I'm not stable enough," he muttered. "I can't do this."
His reflection stared blankly back at him in the mirror, and he let out a frustrated groan and turned away. "Should I call her?" he wondered.
Call her.
"If I do, I'll just be setting myself up for something I might not be ready for," he said.
Don't call her then.
Ugh. His conscience wasn't helping any. "If I don't, then I could, no, would be missing out on something meaningful in my life." As he debated his choices, he paced the large bathroom restlessly. "Which is what I need, right?"
He sat on the closed toilet seat and put his head between his knees. It strained his back, but he didn't move.
"Help me out here," he growled at the floor.
"Kevin?" a hesitant voice said outside the door. Realizing what it must sound like to someone not seeing the interior of the room, he jumped up and opened the door, not bothering to wonder how someone got in.
"Your door was unlocked," she explained quickly. Why did she suddenly feel the need to explain why she was in his house?
"Hope?" he questioned.
"Well, at least you remember my name." She laughed nervously, kicking herself mentally for saying that.
"How could I forget?" he murmured. She flushed, and he quickly exited the bathroom, embarrassed.
"So, uh, I just came to see how you were," she said lamely.
"I'm okay," he responded. "Do you want something to drink?"
"Sure," she said. She smiled, relaxing. She followed him downstairs and into the kitchen.
"I have…not much," he admitted. "Unless you want a juice box?" he asked brightly. She giggled and nodded.
"That's fine. I'm not picky."
He grabbed two and handed one to her. "Let's go sit on the back porch."
She felt like a puppy, following him around everywhere he went. But he didn't seem to mind; in fact, he was smiling that half smile of his happily.
"You have a great view out here," Hope noted. The sun shone just to their left, and Hope was grateful to use it as an excuse to turn her head and keep her eyes trained on Kevin.
"Yeah, I do," he agreed, looking back at her. She wondered desperately what he was thinking. What went on in the mind of a Backstreet Boy?
"What are you thinking?" he surprised her by asking.
"I'm thinking, 'what is he thinking?' actually." Hope laughed, and he grinned, his green eyes telling her that he was glad to be there, to be sharing this moment with her.
Kevin took a deep breath and ran his tongue along his teeth. What was he doing?
"Hope," he began. "I want to be honest with you."
"Okay," she said agreeably.
"I can't deny that I like you," he continued. Her eyes widened.
"What?" she whispered.
"I like you," he repeated. "A lot. But…"
When he didn't seem to be adding anything to his statement, Hope continued for him.
"But you don't want a relationship?" she supplied. He shook his head.
"I do, I think it's just what I need, in fact," he said. "But I can't promise you anything. I wouldn't be able to tell you what would come out of it."
"Naturally," she murmured.
"I just can't guarantee that I could provide anything worthwhile, Hope," he attempted to explain. "You know? It wouldn't be the most…fulfilling thing you've ever experienced."
"Kevin, I'm not looking to start a marriage," she said softly. "I'm not the best in the relationship department either. But I do have some sort of idea of what to expect, and I think we could work on it."
He was quiet, then he reached over and put his hand over hers. "We'll see, I guess," he said, smiling. She nodded.
They sat in silence for what seemed like a century to Hope, and Kevin kept his hand over hers. Enjoying the peacefulness and serenity that surrounded them, Kevin and Hope relished in each other's presence, feeling no need to occupy the quiet with words.
"Kevin?"
"Hope." He looked over at her, and she smiled slightly, admiring his dark green eyes and rugged appearance.
"I think I have to go," she admitted reluctantly. She didn't want to, but it was getting dark, and she had to walk home alone, unless…
"Okay," he said, almost sadly, then he smiled.
"I mean, I have to walk home…" she explained.
"I'll go with you," he offered. "It's nice out, compared to last night."
She nodded and stood up. Kevin stood up too, and her breath caught in her throat when she realized how close his face was to hers. His hand was on her arm , and she could feel his breath fanning her face. She stared up at him, wild eyed and expectant…of what?
Then all time stopped as he brought his lips to hers and kissed her feverishly. Her world spun, and her thoughts came to an end.
Kevin felt no pain as he kissed her lips, and the night's temperature increased slightly. Hope's fingers traveled up his arm, and he tightened his new found hold on her waist.
They were two people, sharing each other's embrace, lost in time.
'*'*'*'*'*'
Brian and Faith walked hand in hand down the beach, talking about everything, and nothing, in the world. They had started out the day at the beach, working their way to the boardwalk, ending up at a street restaurant, and finally concluding their night back at the beach. The sound of the waves crashing on the sand, coupled with the black as night sky and dark water, set the perfect mood for a romantic walk.
Finally, Brian decided to bring up something that had been on both of their minds since the day before.
"You know, in your letter," he began. "You told me a lot about yourself. But you didn't say how high your patience level is."
"Uh, what are you getting at?" Faith inquired, glancing sideways at him.
"How patient are you?" he asked, bluntly.
"Why?"
"I need to know if you're going to be able to wait for me," he explained quietly. "I can't get a hold of Leighanne, and I don't know if I'm ready to, frankly."
"Oh," she said, but he hurried on.
"So can you wait?" he asked. "Can you hold out, because I know, and you know, that she's here, haunting us, preventing us from letting anything happen."
"She'll always be there, Brian," she sighed. He tightened his hold on her hand.
"We'll just have to ignore her," he said lightly. "She'll get the idea, until I can talk to her in person."
Faith nodded. "I can be patient for you, Brian. You're more than worth it."
"Thanks," he said softly. Then he stopped and turned to her. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Her legs were covered, to his disappointment, by khakis that had a lacy design on the seat. Her arms were bare in her white baby tee.
"Guess what?" he asked. She shook her head, to say, 'what?'
"I want to kiss you right now."
She stared at him, not speaking, or moving, but her eyes challenged him to do so.
"Can I?" he whispered.
"Yes, Brian," she permitted. He smiled and put his hand on her neck, brushing her hair away to the other side. Ever so slightly, he leaned his head down. But he didn't touch her lips with his just yet. No, first he had to move his fingers to a beat in his head on her neck, while staring into her eyes and teasing her. His glance shifted to her lips, then back up to her eyes, and he made a move to finally capture her lips. She closed her eyes and waited, but it still didn't come.
"Brian?" she questioned, afraid to open her eyes.
"I'm here," he whispered, as if she couldn't already tell by the way his fingers were weaving in and out of her hair.
"You know," she began in a breathy voice. "When you asked if you could kiss me, and I said yes, I didn't know it was going to take five minutes."
He chuckled softly and she shivered as his breath tickled her skin.
"Am I supposed to kiss you?" she added, peeking under her eyelashes at him.
"Just let me hold you, Faith," he whispered. "I'm taking my time…stretching the moment."
His arms slid around her middle and held her. His cheek touched hers lightly and she opened her eyes more. His smiled into hers, saying, "well, hello."
"Is it stretched enough?" she wondered.
His only response was a drum on her neck. Then suddenly he pressed his lips to hers for a sweet kiss. She closed her eyes and gave in to his lips, both accepting and giving. Brian deepened it, then pulled it away. For a minute Faith couldn't move. Then she willed her eyes opened and gazed up at him, touching her kiss stung lips with one hand.
"What's wrong?" she whispered.
He groaned. "I-I don't know," he said. "I guess…that was so-so perfect, and I don't know what to do." His voice cracked.
Faith rubbed his shoulder soothingly. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "If you don't want to do anything until you clear it up with Leighanne…" Not for two more months, she added painfully to herself.
"Oh hell, no," he murmured, catching her lips once again. He began to trail kisses down her neck, and nuzzled her collarbone. He dropped light kisses in the hollow at the base of her neck, and she shivered and wrapped her arms around him. He laid his head on her shoulder and breathed in her hair, and she giggled when she felt his lips caress the skin within his reach.
"Convenient," he laughed. He disengaged himself from her arms and lowered himself to the ground, pulling her with him. She settled against him, and he wrapped his arms around her.
"It's beautiful tonight," he said softly. She wiggled in his arms and looked out at the ocean.
"Umm, hmmm," she agreed. Then she returned to his shoulder. He grinned, feeling accomplished.
They sat for a while, then Brian reluctantly said, "I guess we'd better go."
"Okay," she mumbled into his shoulder. But she didn't move. He smiled again.
"Okay, Faithie, time to get up," he said, standing and pulling her with him.
"Rise and shine!"
"That wasn't nice," she muttered, reaching for him again. His arms swallowed her small frame, and he rubbed her back idly until he said,
"Really, though. We have all summer, and I know you're tired."
"You know me so well," she yawned.
"Let's go darlin'," he drawled, leading her by her elbow back to her condo.
He stopped at her door and pulled her close. His kiss lingered on her lips
as she stumbled to her bedroom, his promise of calling her in the morning
echoing in her mind. Feeling spontaneous and dare-devilish, she slept in
just her bra and panties that night, leaving the window open slightly to
allow the cool breeze to lure her to her dreams, where a certain obstacle
named Leighanne didn't exist.
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