Status: Completed
Come Down With Love
Clock Runs Out
Our lips touched. Zach had kissed me for the first time and it was everything I imagined it to be. Michael and Nathan were rooting in the background. “Ow ow!” Laughter erupted between the two.
We pulled away ignoring Michael and Nathan. Zach grinned. “I love you,” he whispered and chills went down my spine as I whispered it back as I leaned once more into him.
But of course that wasn’t really what happened. Here’s how it actually goes:
I leaned in closer, waiting for it. Zach was inches from my face, resting his hand on my knee as the bar stools were turned toward each other. Right when he was about to kiss me, Nathan yelled. “PHYSCH!”
Zach began to laugh, and the other two boys followed. So they were just playing around. I felt so embarrassed. My cheeks turned a hot red and I felt like crying. I knew it was stupid but I was so tired of liking someone who would never like me back. He didn’t even know, as obvious as it was. I couldn’t take it anymore.
I hopped off the bar stool, gripping the counter with my hands. I proceeded to storm outside. I didn’t have a ride so I couldn’t exactly leave. Caroline’s Porsche was in Cameron’s driveway; at that time I wished I could’ve stolen the keys and left. But I couldn’t. My last resort was Zoey. If I asked my mom to pick me up she would ask why Zach couldn’t take me home. And I didn’t feel like explaining to my mother why I was upset with him.
I took my cell phone out of the pocket of my jean shorts and dialed her number, which I knew by heart.
After three rings, she answered. “Hello?”
“Audrey?”
“Can you pick me up from Cameron’s?”
“Uh oh, what’s wrong?”
“It’s stupid,” I began. “I shouldn’t even be upset.”
“I’m on my way,” she said then hung up. I slid my phone back in my pocket and sat down at the edge of the driveway.
I could feel someone watching me. I turned around. Zach was outside under the porch, the front door ajar behind him. Looking at him I realized maybe we couldn’t be friends. Because for me it was just too hard. I was in love with him and he wasn’t in love with me. And that was how it was going to be. I was just going to have to live with it but it was getting too hard having him in my life just as a friend.
“Hey,” he said.
I ignored him, thinking if I spoke I would cry. He wouldn’t understand why.
“Are you mad at me?”
No comment.
“Audrey, you didn’t want me to kiss you in the first place. So I don’t understand why you’re upset.”
No comment.
“Talk to me,” he said. His voice sounded sympathetic which alone made me want to cry.
Just as I opened my mouth to say something, Zoey’s car pulled up. “Goodbye, Zach.” I said without looking back as I ran to Zoey’s car just as it started to pour down rain. Perfect timing to match my tears.
As soon as we were out of Cameron’s high-dollar neighborhood and my tears were dry, Zoey asked the question I was dreading. “What happened?”
“You’re going to think I’m stupid,” I warned her.
“Just tell me,” She persisted.
“We were playing truth or dare. Michael dared me to kiss Zach. I was saying no but then before I knew it Zach was leaning in to kiss me—“
Zoey interrupted, “Like you’ve always wanted him to…”
“Let me finish,” I told her. “I leaned in too, as if it was a reflex. He rested his hand on my knee and right when he was about to kiss me, Nathan yelled ‘PHYSCH!’ And it got me so upset.” I sniffled and turned to her as she stared straight ahead at the road. “He isn’t ever going to like me, Zo. Not the way I like him and I can’t be friends with him anymore. Just friends that is.”
“Aud, I think you’re right.” Zoey said surprising me. I thought she would say to fight for him, tell him how I feel (because that worked out so well in seventh grade). “You can’t love Zach. You need to play the field. He can’t be the only boy out there for you. I’m sure there is someone way better.”
I nodded my head, knowing she was wrong but pretended to agree with her. “Yeah, I’ll just end us being friends,” I said realizing I would also be ending my friendship with the boys in the process. My heart sunk and once again I felt as if I would cry.
“You’ll be okay,” she said noticing my watery eyes and patted my shoulder as we pulled in front of my house.
I nodded and waved as I hopped out of her car.
“Call me later!” She said when I reached the front door.
Sure, I thought.
We pulled away ignoring Michael and Nathan. Zach grinned. “I love you,” he whispered and chills went down my spine as I whispered it back as I leaned once more into him.
But of course that wasn’t really what happened. Here’s how it actually goes:
I leaned in closer, waiting for it. Zach was inches from my face, resting his hand on my knee as the bar stools were turned toward each other. Right when he was about to kiss me, Nathan yelled. “PHYSCH!”
Zach began to laugh, and the other two boys followed. So they were just playing around. I felt so embarrassed. My cheeks turned a hot red and I felt like crying. I knew it was stupid but I was so tired of liking someone who would never like me back. He didn’t even know, as obvious as it was. I couldn’t take it anymore.
I hopped off the bar stool, gripping the counter with my hands. I proceeded to storm outside. I didn’t have a ride so I couldn’t exactly leave. Caroline’s Porsche was in Cameron’s driveway; at that time I wished I could’ve stolen the keys and left. But I couldn’t. My last resort was Zoey. If I asked my mom to pick me up she would ask why Zach couldn’t take me home. And I didn’t feel like explaining to my mother why I was upset with him.
I took my cell phone out of the pocket of my jean shorts and dialed her number, which I knew by heart.
After three rings, she answered. “Hello?”
“Audrey?”
“Can you pick me up from Cameron’s?”
“Uh oh, what’s wrong?”
“It’s stupid,” I began. “I shouldn’t even be upset.”
“I’m on my way,” she said then hung up. I slid my phone back in my pocket and sat down at the edge of the driveway.
I could feel someone watching me. I turned around. Zach was outside under the porch, the front door ajar behind him. Looking at him I realized maybe we couldn’t be friends. Because for me it was just too hard. I was in love with him and he wasn’t in love with me. And that was how it was going to be. I was just going to have to live with it but it was getting too hard having him in my life just as a friend.
“Hey,” he said.
I ignored him, thinking if I spoke I would cry. He wouldn’t understand why.
“Are you mad at me?”
No comment.
“Audrey, you didn’t want me to kiss you in the first place. So I don’t understand why you’re upset.”
No comment.
“Talk to me,” he said. His voice sounded sympathetic which alone made me want to cry.
Just as I opened my mouth to say something, Zoey’s car pulled up. “Goodbye, Zach.” I said without looking back as I ran to Zoey’s car just as it started to pour down rain. Perfect timing to match my tears.
As soon as we were out of Cameron’s high-dollar neighborhood and my tears were dry, Zoey asked the question I was dreading. “What happened?”
“You’re going to think I’m stupid,” I warned her.
“Just tell me,” She persisted.
“We were playing truth or dare. Michael dared me to kiss Zach. I was saying no but then before I knew it Zach was leaning in to kiss me—“
Zoey interrupted, “Like you’ve always wanted him to…”
“Let me finish,” I told her. “I leaned in too, as if it was a reflex. He rested his hand on my knee and right when he was about to kiss me, Nathan yelled ‘PHYSCH!’ And it got me so upset.” I sniffled and turned to her as she stared straight ahead at the road. “He isn’t ever going to like me, Zo. Not the way I like him and I can’t be friends with him anymore. Just friends that is.”
“Aud, I think you’re right.” Zoey said surprising me. I thought she would say to fight for him, tell him how I feel (because that worked out so well in seventh grade). “You can’t love Zach. You need to play the field. He can’t be the only boy out there for you. I’m sure there is someone way better.”
I nodded my head, knowing she was wrong but pretended to agree with her. “Yeah, I’ll just end us being friends,” I said realizing I would also be ending my friendship with the boys in the process. My heart sunk and once again I felt as if I would cry.
“You’ll be okay,” she said noticing my watery eyes and patted my shoulder as we pulled in front of my house.
I nodded and waved as I hopped out of her car.
“Call me later!” She said when I reached the front door.
Sure, I thought.