Seven Minutes

The first chapter of a story can be as complicated as the prologue. It can be really fun or really difficult; depends on what you're writing. If you're starting autobiographical, kinda like me, then you won't know where to start. I'm not exactly sure myself, being as though I haven't even begun to live the rest of my life yet; I'm not even in my twenties! But I wanna write this down, that way it's still fresh inside of me.

The entire chase started about a month ago, and only recently stopped. I think the only thing about me that didn't change was my age, but even that's going to change in three months. Hopefully by then I'll still feel the same way I do now.

Okay, so here's where it gets hard; where do I start? I'd love to start right at the exact moment I met Tristan Evans, but you'd be kinda confused. Here's what I'll do; I'll start the day I met him, but I'll start from the morning so that way you can kinda get a picture of what I was like before and after.

It was just like any normal, Friday morning; I beat the hell out of my alarm clock until I finally got up twenty minutes later. I dressed to impress jock Tony Helton. Was it so bad to want his soft blonde locks tickle my cheeks or have his piercing baby blues gaze upon me lovingly?

Of course that would never happen. I was a bitch. Not all the time; just when I liked a guy. I wanted Tony to know I liked him, but then again I didn't. Some part of my brain must have remained a thirteen year old. Sure, I had boyfriends. One when I was eight to ten, then I swore of boys after he "cheated" on me. But I had a really douchey boyfriend last year. He hit me. Only once, that was all it took. For no reason, I just "smarted off" to him and he slapped me hard in the jaw. If they hit you once, they'll do it again. I broke it off before it could get worse. I wasn't going to get caught up in that crap.

But anyway, back to my typical Friday morning. I looked hot that morning; no, I mean it. I curled my silky auburn hair and covered my green eyes in steel eye-makeup. I wore a flirty mini skirt with leggings and black ankle boots with a V-neck top. There was no way Tony could resist me. I'd just have to giggle stupidly at everything he said and not be my normal, bitchy self.

How many of you know nothing goes as planned, though?

My best friend Carrie had to pick me up for school-I was still saving for my own car. As soon as I got in, she had this huge smile on her petite face and a dangerous twinkle in her pretty blue eyes.

"What?" I asked warily.

"Guess who's having a party tonight?"

"Uh....you?"

Carrie snorted. "No way. My parents would kill me! No. Guess again."

I rolled my eyes, just wanting to get to school and swoon over Tony. "I give. Just tell me!"

"Janice Richards!" Carrie exclaimed.

I groaned loudly. Everyone knew what a little slut Janice was. Besides, you think I'm a bitch? Janice put bitch in the vocabulary!

"Don't give me that look," Carrie scolded, finally backing out of my driveway. "I know she's horrible. But where Janice is, there's boys."

"Carrie!" I gasped. Carrie was the only girl I knew who wasn't boy crazy. I mean, she loved her celebrities, but she was very quiet about which guys she thought were cute. "Dude, you're so smart!"

Carrie shrugged, blushing. "It was Jess's idea."

I rolled my eyes. Of course. Now Jesse was boy crazy. As much as we loved her, she absolutely brought the meaning to boy crazy. She got bored very easily with a guy-usually a really nice guy-she was dating and she set her sights on a new guy, usually when she was still with her other boyfriend. She saw boys as dispensable. She wasn't like Janice; Janice was a slut. Jesse just enjoyed her flavors of the month. In jealous girls' eyes, she was what you might call a tease.

That month's flavor was Blayke Thomas, a really sweet guy that Carrie and I had hopeless hopes that Jess would stay with. Poor Blayke wouldn't stand a chance. We gave him small little hints every now and again about Jesse's mood and to do everything to keep off her bad side. She'd still dump him; but at least with him she wouldn't have a reason. Jess was notorious for her meanings of breakup.

When we reached the school, Jesse was on the school steps with Blayke, finishing last minute homework. Rolling our eyes, Carrie and I started toward them.

"Procrastinator!" Carrie accused loudly.

They looked up, startled. An immediate frown went on Jesse's face while Blake smiled warmly. I had a feeling even when Jess was done with him, we wouldn't be seeing the last of him. He liked Carrie. And despite the assumed friend rule of not dating your girlfriends' ex, Carrie liked Blayke, too. It was hard to keep the girlfriend rule when Jesse had dated all eligible boys at the school.

"Hey, Blayke," Carrie greeted sweetly.

"Hey, Carr." At the suspicious look from his girlfriend, Blayke quickly added, "Hey, Keali."

I smiled, sitting next to Jesse so that Carrie would have to sit next to Blayke. If she sat by me, she'd be blocking the entire stairs. Hesitantly, she sat next to Blayke. "Hey, Blayke." I nudged Jesse. "Grumpy or Happy today, sweetie?"

She didn't answer me.

"Grumpy," Blayke mouthed.

I nodded, edging a little farther away from my friend. When Jess was in her Grumpy state, no boy in the world could cure her foul temper. "So, Blayke," I started cheerily. "What subject is it you're trying to catch up on? And by you, I mean Grumpy here." It was a well known fact Blayke finished all his homework, and excelled in doing so.

Blayke grinned. "Chemistry."

I winced. We all sucked at chemistry. Out of all of us, though-excluding Blayke, of course-Carrie got it the best. She still wasn't perfect and she couldn't explain it to our feeble mind's, but way better off to passing than we were.

"I finished mine," I whispered to Jesse.

Her head snapped up, making me reel back cautiously. "You," she said, pointing her pencil at me, a dazed look on her face. "I need to talk to you." Wasting no time, she grabbed my arm and hauled me to my feet, dragging me away from Blayke and Carrie.

I was on edge. Jesse was doing that Twilight Zone mood again. This was a dangerous state, indeed.

Once we were out of earshot, she exploded, "It's time. I'm done."

I narrowed my eyes in confusion. "Time for what?"

"Hello?" Jess waved a hand in front of my face, as if I was the one being all bizarre. "A new boyfriend!"

I tried not to look so shocked and disappointed. Sure, I wanted Jess to break it off with Blayke sometimes so he could be with Carrie. But their little love flower was just budding. It still needed time to bloom, and without Jess, Blayke would skulk away.

I put my hands on my hips. "Why this time?"

"He won't let me cheat off his homework! He says 'Do it yourself, Jess. It's better for you, and you'll actually earn the grade'." She quoted Blayke in a high pitched, annoyed voice.

I rolled my eyes. "And that's it? Sweetie, Blayke is a really nice guy. Why can't you wait it out?"

Jesse crossed her arms. "Are you questioning me?"

I groaned. "No, Jess. I just liked this guy for you."

"Well I don't. So there." With that, she flipped her dark hair and stalked back to her soon-to-be ex-boyfriend and Carrie.

I sighed, really disappointed now. Poor Blayke didn't deserve this. I knew the only reason she was breaking up with him was because of Janice's party that night. She wanted to be single for all the guys there. Well, at least she wouldn't be cheating on poor Blayke.

When I got back to them, I was shocked to see Jesse had already done the deed. Blayke stood up, angrily asking why, why was she breaking up with him? Jesse pretended to be apologetic, even shedding a few fake tears, but in the end, Blayke stormed angrily.

Apparently, though, Carrie and Blayke's love flower had already started to bloom. With a tortured look from Jesse to where Blayke had taken off inside he school, Carrie finally took off after Blayke, shamelessly calling his name.

I hid my proud smile. Go get him, girl.

The familiar stab of jealousy hit me. It seemed every other girl was finding love. They had someone to hold their hand as they walked through the mall, someone to cuddle against in the movie theater, someone to kiss and hold.....Why couldn't I have that? Oh, right, 'cause I'm a bitch. How silly of me to forget! I mean, even Jesse would have another boyfriend before the night was done.

"It's 'cause you try too hard," Jesse had pointed out one time when I was complaining. "All girls who go out looking for love never find it. Love has to come to you." She then called the guy she was stalking that month.

Jesse stared at me in shock. "Did you see that?" She was pointing to where Carrie had run after Blayke.

I nodded, grabbing Carrie's abandoned messenger bag and hoisting it over my free shoulder. "Yup. Sure did."

Jesse started walking with me into the school building. "You don't seem surprised."

"You shouldn't be," I said, holding the door open for her. "It's been building up for weeks."

"But he's my ex!" Jesse exclaimed.

"Everyone's your ex, Jesse." At her offended expression, I coolly added, "I don't mean that personally, sweetie. Just stating a fact. And Carrie isn't out to get you, I swear. She can't help what she feels, right? You broke up with Blayke. You don't want him anymore. And Carrie would never have been with him while you still were. You know that. Don't you want her to be happy?"

Jesse grumbled something inaudible.

She said yes, I thought. "You excited bout the party tonight?" I asked, wanting to change the subject.

Jesse rolled her eyes, seeing through my attempt but accepting it all the same. "Yes. Are you going?"

"But of course." At last, we came to our parting ways. We only had one class together; chemistry. "See you in hell, sweetie!"

Jesse laughed. "Yeah, later chicka!

And just like that, Jess was the same old girl I had known since seventh grade. Things would be okay for Carrie and Jesse. But would they be for me?

All at lunch, the girls teased me mercilessly of how I was going to get shoved in a closet with Tony. Apparently Janice was famous for her Seven Minutes in Heaven games. At the mention of this, I wanted to bail on the party. But Carrie and Jesse weren't going to let me. So I was stuck in a closet with a random guy for seven minutes.

No biggy.

When Jesse wasn't around, I asked Carrie what had happened with she and Blayke. She said nothing special; she just made sure he was okay. But her rosy cheeks gave her away. Something else happened that she wasn't telling me. Sooner or later, though, she would. Carrie always told me everything.

When school ended, we made plans to come over to my house-as it was the closest to Janice's-and Jess and Carrie were to bring every article of clothing they owned with them.

"Do you still have those colored hair extensions?" Jesse asked me.

"Sure do," I skipped to the bathroom, my wavy hair bouncing on my bare shoulders. I was still in my plain black spaghetti strap shirt, deciding what to wear. I pulled the back of hair extensions and went back in my room. Jesse squealed excitedly, claiming the pink ones and the purple ones.

Carrie sat cross legged on the bed, her makeup done thanks to me. I put heavy mascara and steel eyeliner on her to make her blue eyes pop and seem brighter. She looked great. Plain jean skinny jeans, a slim fitting ash blue long sleeved shirt, and chestnut brown boots.

Jesse was teasing it up; with her hair and apparel. She had on a tight fitting jean mini skirt, ankle boots, and a very revealing V-neck shirt. She looked great, as usual.

I however, was still in my boxers and tank top; only my hair and makeup done.

"Here," Jesse tossed a black mini skirt at me.

That got me started. I paired the skirt with black tight that had tye-dye hearts on it and my black, low-top Converse. Now for the top.....

"We gotta go!" Jesse rushed.

I rolled my eyes, pulling a random shirt over my head and running out the door behind them.

"Whoa," I whistled, staring at all the cars parked on the block.

Janice's house was lit like a nightclub. No joke. We were a little late and had to park seven houses away from Janice's. The cold air hit me hard; not as hard as Jesse, though, I was sure. She shivered, complaining about the cold loudly. I kept my mouth shut and let her walk ahead.

I linked my arm threw Carrie's. "So, will Blayke be here tonight?" I asked slyly.

Even in the crazy night lighting, I could see Carrie's blush. "I don't know."

I faked a melo dramatic gasp. "You didn't ask him?"

"He knew already. He'll be here if he wants to be here." With that, she stuck her chin up high. She was not to be interrogated.

I laughed to myself. Those two were too cute!

Unfortunately, nothing happened between them, despite their efforts.

.................

Haha! Got you! I'm not telling you anything ahead of time, so there. You'll have to be patient and listen to their story unfold, even though this story isn't about them. It is, selfishly, about me.

But, anyway, back to the party.

Inside, there was barely enough room to squeeze through, let alone breathe. It took us twenty minutes to make it to the kitchen-and that was after being harassed at the door to write our names on a slip of paper.

By the time we got our precious cup of beer, Janice-in a microphone, no joke-announced, "It's time to play Seven Minutes in Heaven! Gather 'round!"

We sunk into the large crowd, Jesse listening intently.

"For the girls, we have...." Janice was digging blindly into the 'Girl hat'. She pulled out a piece of paper, read it with a smile and announced, "Becca Harvey?"

Derek Bentley was chosen as the designated boy.

Almost an hour later, and people were losing interest. Janice was still announcing hardcore, though. Jesse went crazy when she got called in with Kyle Moorhead.

While she made out in the closet, Carrie was waiting in line for the bathroom. I was leaning against a wall, bored out of my mind.

"Some party," a voice said behind me.

I turned my head. Immediately, my bitch started to come out. I grabbed her by the ankle, though, and quickly dragged her back. No way was she ruining this for me! I smiled, shrugging.

Tony came to stand beside me. "Been called yet?"

I shook my head. Clearing my throat, I said sarcastically, "Patiently waiting my turn. I'm so psyched."

Tony laughed. "Yeah, it's a pretty dumb game."

"You think?" Shit; was that too bitchy? I smiled sweetly, just in case.

Loud cheers erupted as the closet door was flung open, revealing a red faced and swollen lipped Jesse and Kyle. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, okay!" Janice laughed into the mic. "Next for guys is...."

I missed who got called because Tony said, "You wanna go get some air?"

My heart somersaulted and I was about to say yes when I heard a loud, "Keali Morrison!"

I looked in horror at Janice, who held up my paper with a smile on her face, searching the crowd for my face.

"Oh, shit," I muttered. I would have left with Tony anyway, had Jesse not have spotted me.

"Keali!" she called loudly, grabbing my wrist. "It's your turn! Hey, got her!"

"Jess...." I tried to say, but she kept dragging me toward the closet. I glanced back helplessly at Tony, who just smiled at me. Jesse gave me one last push into the dim closet before slamming the door shut. "Hey, wait! Ugh...."

I looked around for my guy, but I couldn't really see. "Okay, where the hell are you?" I asked, annoyed.

"Behind you," said a deeply amused voice.

I spun around as I felt his arm loop around my waist, pulling me into him. "Wait, wait, wait....I at least wanna know your name."

"It's Tristan," he said with a laugh, his breath warm on my cheeks.

"Oh," I said awkwardly. I had never played this dumb game, and I had never made out with a complete stranger. Tristan, though, seemed perfectly comfortable with it, though. "I'm, uh, Keali....."

"I heard. You gave quite a fight."

"I was talking to someone."

"And now you're not."
I frowned, though this Tristan guy couldn't see. I was terribly curious as to what he looked like. He sounded attractive. "Yeah, no kidding."

"You sound irritated."

What, with you encroaching my space? I thought. Never! What I actually said was, "I've never really played this game before." The words just slipped from my mouth.

"Well, then, let me educate you." With that, I felt his lips press against mine softly.

I gasped at the sudden contact, terribly uncomfortable. But when Tristan didn't let me go, just kept kissing me gently, I reframed from my struggling. I let myself melt into his kiss, going limp in his arms. His hand cupped the back of my neck and he held me to him tightly.

I wrapped my hands around his neck, my fingers entwining in his hair, quickening the soft kiss.

There was something about this Tristan guy, something that I hadn't felt when kissing other guys. He was.....I don't even know. But I felt like I knew him, even though I knew I didn't. Kissing him felt right, like his were the very pair of lips that were made to match mine. His arms seemed to belong holding me, and mine him. It was like a dream. I had always pictured this kind of perfectness with Tony, but this wasn't Tony. This was a boy I had never laid eyes on before.

Tristan pressed me against the wall, his kisses trailing down to my neck. I didn't feel slutty. I didn't feel cheap. I didn't feel ashamed, or embarrassed. All these things I should have felt and yet.....I just felt like I belonged.

Finally.

"Tristan," I murmured.

In the dim light, I could see his eyes staring at me, his brows creased in confusion. He didn't say anything, but he was listening. Intently.

"I...." I wanted to tell him that I wanted to know him, that I felt like I already did. I was actually going to say these ridiculous things!

But light flooded the room, the door open. Tristan didn't look at the door, though. His aqua eyes gazed at me in wonderment. He was gorgeous. His dark bangs were long and covering one blue eye, his lips blotchy and swollen. He was taller than me by two heads, at least, his body lean and slightly muscled. At one look, he looked like an emo boy. But he wore no eyeliner and he had blue jeans on, a white T-shirt, and a black hoodie.

"C'mon, lovebirds!" Janice cooed. "Let everyone else have a turn.

Tristan's warm hand curled around mine. But when we stepped out of the closet, I felt Carrie's arm grabbed mine and she pulled me away and into the throng of people.

I looked back in a panic as I felt Tristan's hand leave mine. But I couldn't find him. "Tristan!" I called out, but I could barely hear myself through the loud music.

"Keali, we gotta go!" Carrie said. "Jess went off with Kyle and.....Ugh! It's too loud! We just gotta go, I'll tell you the rest outside!"

And so she tugged me outside, away from the party....

Away from Tristan; the mystery boy I felt I knew.