“I have to meet up with some friends," he said. "I’ll see you later, beautiful.”
I rolled my eyes.
Aiden chuckled. He jumped off the truck and disappeared into the crowd.
He’d called me beautiful. A small part of me leapt with joy. I should shrug off his slick compliment. He’d only said it to tease me.
Sighing, I played with the colored shells on my charm bracelet. The sea stones bounced against the pearls and the loops jingled when they brushed over the silver chain. It had been a Christmas gift from Naomi. We had become best friends from over a year ago when her family had moved in as our neighbor.
It didn’t take long before she returned. Her caramel skin was flushed with sweat. “Two minutes left...to midnight!” she said in between deep breaths. She must have been running.
My tongue ratcheted up my mouth, ready to roll of a curse. I hadn’t noticed how much time had passed. I tucked a lock of dark hair behind my ear. “Be right back.”
Clasping the side of the truck, I vaulted over, my feet landing on dry ground. The golf field was massive. It sprawled out all around me, expanding to the rows of trees fencing it. Lamp posts flooded the grass with splashes of yellow light.
I trudged along a small hill, oblivious to the people milling about the park, the vendors selling mouthwatering candies and tasty fast food and the street performers entertaining the kids.
Only one thing skimmed through my mind. I was going to fulfil the only New Year resolution I had come up with—to kiss Aiden Rowe right before the clock struck midnight. In all honesty, I was cheating because 2014 wasn’t up yet but I didn’t mind.
When the lights went out one by one, the park was left in a cloak of darkness. Hushed voices filled my ears. I could feel anticipation warming the air. It latched on my skin.
One minute left.
I knew because I’d kept count. My heart palpitated, my fingers shook. Aiden was only standing a few feet from me, his head raised up at the sky. He wasn’t with his friends. I think he wanted to spend the final moments of the year to himself.
Forty seconds.
This was it. This was my chance to steal one bold kiss. When it was over, I’d forget I ever had feelings for him. I’d erase them from my mind, pluck them out of my heart. I would do it for the sake of our friendship.
For him.
For us.
The thought of it sent a stab of pain in my chest. Letting out an unsteady breath, I closed the distance between us.
I reached a hand to touch his arm then let it fall to my side. Did my breath stink? Were my palms sweaty? Was it right to do this?
These questions hounded my thoughts, bringing images of Aiden looking at me with shock, backing away from me. My eyes darted to the whites, blues and greens among the crowd, the light emanating from cell phones. They were faint and scarce, failing to fight the shadows.
He couldn’t see me in the dark. My identity would be concealed. I’d gotten this far. Backing out would only make me a coward.
Suck it up, Megan,I told myself.
Moistening my lips, I moved forward until I was standing before him.
“Thirty!” the crowd chanted.
As Aiden lowered his head to look at me, I pushed myself on the tips of my toes. I wound my left hand over his neck, bringing his face close to me. And then I kissed him.
His mouth was warm and soft against mine, his skin radiating warmth. My right hand pressed over his shoulder, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt tense under my touch. Aiden had stiffened.
“Twenty five!”
I kissed him harder, pouring out all my desire and yearning for him, releasing all the pent up frustrations I’d kept locked away for eight months. I’d fallen in love with a boy who had been by my side for as long as I could remember, who had comforted me in my time of grief, who had made me laugh when I was sad or angry, who had rescued me and kept me out of trouble, and who had taught me how to punch and swear like a guy.
Just this once he was mine.
“Twenty!”
Slowly, he relaxed. And then he moved. One hand slid up the small of my back, pressing my body to his. The other threaded through my hair, keeping me close. I could feel his heart beating against mine, matching my own rhythm.