Illusion

A few minutes after seven, I headed out to the woods. Putting on my brown peacoat and gloves, I slipped past my mother who lay dosing on the couch. Benton’s little cabin was adorable. I knew that before I even got there. Everything else about him was adorable, so why not his house? I stood on his stoop, and gently rapped on his door. The Alaskan air nipped at my ears and nose. A blast of warmth hit me as he opened the door. His hair was splayed out in different directions as if he had just woken up. He smiled and pulled me into the house.

“Hey,” his voice dripped with sleep.

It was kind of sexy. He led me to the couch that sat snuggly in front of a fireplace. His home seemed almost unreal, as if it came out of a magazine.

“I’m really glad you’re here, Mary Beth.” He said as we sat and he tucked me under his arm.

Benton made me feel…odd. We’d only known each other for a few days, and yet when I was with him I felt like we’d known each other forever.

“I am too.” I smiled at him, “But I can’t stay long. My parent’s don’t know I’m gone, and they have been super crazy ever since the ice skating thing.”

He sighed, “I still feel so horrible about that. I swear that ice was perfectly frozen. It’s always frozen. I…I’m so sorry, Mary Beth.”

I put my hand up to his lips, “Hush. I don’t care about that anymore.”

“But-“

“No buts.”

He sighed and put his feet up on his coffee table.

“You’re far too nice to me.”

Instead of responding I simply buried my face in his shoulder, breathing him in.

“Are you hungry?” He asked.

I shook my head.

“Well…what would you like to do? I have Mario Kart.”

My head shot up.

“Nintendo 64 or Wii?”

“64, of course.”

“Let’s play.”

Benton rose and strode across the room, opening a cabinet to reveal my favorite video game system. After several tries, the game pack finally started up. I was Toad. He was Luigi.
“You better bring your A game, boy, because I am amazing at this game…even on Rainbow Road.” I gave him my best intimidating look.

“Oh, don’t worry,” he told me. “I always bring my A game AND Rainbow Road is my specialty.”

Ten minutes later, I was screaming at him. He was screaming at me too. It turns out we were both very worthy components. Neck and neck the entire time. By the end we were tied. Benton had won three races and so had I. We decided our time breaker would be a time trial race on Rainbow Road, to prove who the real champion was.

“Done!” He said as he slammed his controller down as Luigi sped across the finish line. I looked at his time that popped up on the screen, then glanced down at mine on the scrap paper he had given me. Ten seconds. His time was ten seconds before mine. I bit my lip.

“You lose!” I lied. “I beat you. I beat you bad.”

His face drooped for a second, then lifted again, “Oh, yeah? Well…I think you’re a dirty, rotten liar. Give me the paper.”

I smiled, “Umm…no.”

“Umm…yes.” He said with a smirk.

He closed the space between us and snatched the time from my hand before I had time to react.

“Oh! So close, Mary Beth! If only you hadn’t hit that barking shark.”

I rolled my eyes, “Who cares? It’s just a silly game,” I said flopping down on the couch.

“Aww, don’t be jealous. The sharks are sneaky. It’s a common trip up,” he said sitting next to me.

Benton put his arm on the back of the couch and inched it down over my shoulders, cuddling me to his side.

“So…,” he began. “What do I win? I feel like I deserve a prize.”

I turned my head and kissed him lightly on the lips sure to leave him wanting more, “There you go.”

He sighed, leaning closer, “I deserve more than that. Way more.”

Not having a lot of experience with boys, I wasn’t sure how to give him what he asked. I decided to take what I’d learned from novels and movies. Lifting my hand to his temple, I traced a slow line down this face. I felt a bit of satisfaction as his eyes closed and his mouth parted slightly. I can do this. I thought. I climbed in his lap, wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him again. His lips opened mine as his tongue slid into my mouth playfully. As much as I enjoyed kissing Benton, I couldn’t deny the fact that it was odd, something I’d never experienced. I never thought the idea of people wresting slimy tongues was very sexy, but now…I have a different opinion. I tangled my hands in his hair as he pulled me even closer. My skin burned. Across the room my phone began playing loudly. I pulled away from Benton just enough to see his eyes.

“I have to go,” I said. “It’s been an hour. I can’t risk anymore time.”

He groaned, “I don’t want you to go. I’m having too much fun,” he said, trying to capture my lips once again.

I kissed him back lightly, letting him know I was serious.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “You have no idea how much I want to continue this.”

With a sigh, Benton released his grip on my sides and let me climb off his lap. He followed me all the way to the door.

As I tucked my phone into my jeans pocket I told him, “You can always call me later, or text, but no breaking in again.”

He smirked and pecked me on the lips, “Buzz kill.”