A Tantalizing Kiss

I got the text when I was three blocks away from her house.

I don’t need a ride today. Dentist appointment in the morning. See you later

It took all I could not to hurl my phone out the window. I flicked my blinker on the opposite way of which I had originally planned to turn, waiting for the light to change.

Once at school, I met up with Leah, a solemn mood about me. She took quick notice to my negativity.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, sounding as if she didn’t care.

I knew she did though. I’d known her well enough to know that she wanted to know what was bugging me.

“Nothing.” I lied, trying to act as normal as possible.

Leah rolled her eyes, bumping her shoulder into mine, “Come on, Mase, I’ve known you for how long now? What’s shoved up your ass?”

“Seriously, Leah, I’m fine.”

She shot me a look. “You’re going to tell me eventually, right?”

“Sure.”

“That doesn’t sound promising.”

I rolled my eyes, looking her dead on, “Yeah, I’ll tell you later.”

She smiled slightly “Alright. That’s much better. So, to change the topic, how was your weekend?”

I shrugged, “Alright. We won our game on Friday.”

“I heard!” She said with enthusiasm. “Congrats! This means you guys are going to the State Cup now, right?”

I nodded, “Yeah. Next weekend.”

“Text me the times and I’ll make sure I’m there.” She promised. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.

“You’re so funny, Leah. Your cute ass better be there.”

She laughed, “I will, calm your tits. I’ll be the one in the stands with the obnoxious banner again this year.”

“You better not.”

She grinned deviously.

I shook my head, removing my arm once Delran came into view. He nodded a hello to me, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend’s waist. He pulled her into a deep kiss. I stood there awkwardly, looking for anyone else I could wander off with.

When no one appeared, I cleared my throat loudly.

Leah pulled away from her boyfriend, grinning apologetically. Delran wrapped an arm around her waist, keeping her at his side. “Sorry, Mason. Forgot you were there.”

“Apparently you forgot the rest of the school was here too.”

“Sorry, bro.” Delran laughed.

I shrugged, “It’s whatever. I’m going to go find Rodger or something. Go have fun in the janitor’s closet or something.”

“Oh we will.” Delran smirked, kissing his girlfriend’s cheek. Leah giggled like a school-girl, her face heating up.

I made a face, “That’s gross. I wasn’t being serious.”

“You’re just jealous.”

“Damn right I am.” I mumbled under my breath so that neither of them could hear. “I’ll catch you later guys.”

I waved a parting goodbye before wandering off. I had no actual intention of finding Rodger. There was other, more pressing, business I needed to settle first before I socialized with anyone else.

Taking the long way, I made my way around school as I hurried off to my Drama teacher’s class room. The hallway was fairly empty as I walked down. I peered into the window on the door, noting how the classroom was almost empty.

I opened the door, turning to the side where Stein’s desk sat. Another boy already stood in front of it, talking to her. My eyes narrowed instinctively when I recognized the back of him. I crossed my arms, leaning against the wall as I waited.

He glanced over his shoulder briefly, meeting my eyes.

“It’ll be fine, Pierce. Don’t worry.” Stein seemed rather kind to him than she normally was to me, “It’s only one night out of four.”

“I feel absolutely awful leaving you with the understudy though.”

“He’s not bad, Pierce. If he stays for the next play, you might find yourself in some competition for the lead role.” She warned.

I smirked smugly.

Pierce laughed as if she said the funniest joke, “That’s a good one, Mrs. Stein. Anyways, that’s all I wanted to tell you. It’s probably not going to happen, but just in case.”

“It’s perfectly fine, Pierce. Don’t worry about it.” She assured him.

“Alright. I’ll see you eighth period!” He bid his goodbyes, turning to leave. His eyes fell on me as he walked past, a look of pure disgust crossing my face.

“What are you looking at?” I growled.

His eyes moved up and down my body disapprovingly, “Nothing much.”

“That’s not what your mother said last night.”

“Wow. Real mature, Johnson.” Pierce growled, “I’ll be the bigger man and leave this childish fight.”

I rolled my eyes, roughly pushing past him. Pierce stumbled back, scoffing. I ignored the prick, moving in front of Stein’s desk. She rolled her eyes at our brief argument, turning her attention to me. She didn’t look pleased to see me at all.

“What can I help you with?” She asked.

I pushed my annoyance with Pierce away, my cocky smirk coming into play, “So you think I’m a good actor?”

“I think you’ve improved greatly from what you started with.”

“Are you regretting not giving me the lead role now?”

“You have the lead role.”

“The understudy of it!”

She sighed, shaking her head, “The understudy is just as important as the lead role. Have you learned all your lines?”

“Lines, songs, moves, everything.” I said, bored, “But do I really have to go to the practices for acting if I’m never used?”

“You have been used!”

“Yeah, if Pierce needs to take a piss or something stupid.”

She sighed, annoyed, “Mason, if all you’ve come here to do is whine to me about your role, I really don’t want to hear it today.”

“No—that’s not why I was here.”

“Then please, get to the point.”

“My team won our game on Friday so this weekend I have the State Cup. I can’t do practice on Friday.”

She rubbed her temples, nodding, “Is that all?”

“Yeah, can I leave a half hour early this week so I can go practice with my team?”

“No.”

I blinked, “But, Mrs. S—”

“If you want the extra credit, you will attend the full practice every day this week save for Friday.”

“But—”

“No ‘buts’.”

“Come on—”

“Mason.”

“It’s only thirty minutes more. I’ve been coming in mornings every day I need to. I’ve gone to every practice that I need to, and I know all my parts. Even you said I’m good!”

“I’m well aware of what I said. You’re still not leaving early.”

“Please?” I pulled out the puppy dog eyes.

“No. I’ve been teaching for twenty years. Do you really think no one’s tried that on me before?” She asked

I shrugged, “Figured I had to try.”

“Is there anything else you need?”

“Yeah.”

“Go ahead.”

“What was Pierce talking about earlier?”

“He might not be able to attend one of the performance nights, which means you absolutely need to be ready to fill in.”

“Already am.”

She ignored me, “It’s not likely that he’ll miss considering he’s been in Drama club since his freshman year and hasn’t missed a performance yet, but there’s always a possibility.”

“So what you’re saying is that I’m probably not going to do anything on the performance nights?”

“You’re in the chorus.”

“So?”

She sighed, rubbing her temples again, “Look. I have a really bad headache, Mason. I’m really not in the mood to argue with you.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“I’ll see you in class.” I turned to leave. Stein didn’t say anything back at first, closing her eyes, and resting her head.

“Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“I might be leaving after first period if this gets any worse.”

I cringed, “Feel better Mrs. S”

“It’s not S. It’s Stein.”

I rolled my eyes. My back was to her, thankfully, which meant she couldn’t see the small action. That wouldn’t have helped her mood.

~*~

I found my mood growing increasingly worse. Rose hadn’t shown up for either of the two classes that we shared. While they were both in the morning and it was possible that her dentist appointment had been a long one, I found myself falling into a damper.

My mind started to turn to the worst.

She was ignoring me after what happened Friday night.

We had texted a few times this weekend, but hadn’t managed to keep a long conversation going. One of us had to end the conversation too early. She didn’t seem to be angry with me, but it was possible I had misinterpreted the meaning.

In the last class of the day, my eyes were trained on the clock, watching the second hand tick away. The minute was so close to the twelve, it wasn’t funny. I needed it to ring. The torture from the classes was blowing my brain in.

“Mason!”

“Yes?” I snapped my attention away from the clock and on the teacher who stood in front of my desk, an annoyed expression on her face.

“What did I just say?”

I blinked, “You said my name.”

A few snickers slipped out from the kids around me. I grinned innocently up at her. Her expression showed that she didn’t find my comment humorous.

“Don’t be a smart-alleck.”

“I’m just repeating what you said!”
Her eyes narrowed, “What did I say before your name?”

“I didn’t catch it.”

“Exactly. Because you weren’t paying attention.”

“Sorry ma’am.”

She shot me a look, not believing my apology at all. To be fair, I hadn’t meant it at all either, “Pay attention or I’m giving you detention.”

“Alright.” I waited until she had moved out of my aisle and back in front of the room before I slumped in my desk again.

It didn’t take long before my eyes had fallen back on the clock.

This time, I was more careful about my watching. I couldn’t afford a detention this close to the State Cup.

The bell was merciful and rang quickly. I stood up, one of the first out the door. I made my way down to my locker, pushing past the crowd. I packed in the books I needed for tonight, slinging my back pack over my shoulder.

“Mase—where are you going?” Rodger asked, stopping me in the crowd.

I blinked, “I have something to attend to.”

“Yeah, soccer is this way. Where have you been at practices half the week? I’m surprised Coach is letting you on the team this long.”

“I have Saturday practice every weekend.”

“Why?”

“I have to go to something else.”

“What is it?” He fell into pace with me.

“Rodger, just go to practice. I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”

He rolled his eyes, snorting, “Bullshit. Tell me what’s keeping you from practice during the week, dude.”

“Nothing.”

“Nah, tell me.”

“I need to go, man.” I took a detour, leading him in the opposite way.

“Where?” He laughed.

“Auditorium.”

“What’s in there?”

“My thing.”

“What thing?”

“Look man—”

Rodger made a face, “Isn’t that where the drama club meets after school?”

“Uh…”

“Dude, you’re not in the drama club are you?”

“Uh…”

Rodger’s eyes widened with realization. “You’re shitting me.”

“Uh…”

“You’re in the drama club?!”

I clamped a hand over his mouth, my eyes wide, “Don’t say it so loudly. I need the extra points and besides, Rose is in it too.”

Rodger pulled my hand away, smirking, “You’re leaving soccer for drama club? Man, she’s got you whipped.”

“She doesn’t have me whipped—”

“She does. Damn, I can see it now. You in tights singing to your heart’s content, and Rose in the background making sure you’re doing it.”

“It’s not like that—”

“Oh, Damn, I think I’m going to skip practice to see this.”

“Rodger! Get your ass down to the field!” I growled, “And don’t tell anyone about this!”

He raised his hands innocently, “Chill the fuck out man. It’s not that big of a deal. James’ chick makes him shave his leg hair. I think that’s a little bit worse than you singing and dancing.”

“Shut up.” I growled, “Rodger, you’re my best friend. Don’t tell anyone about this.”

He held up his right hand, “Fine. I won’t.”

I stared at him for a moment, “Alright. I’ll see you later.”

He nodded, turning around and leaving. But not before getting one more word in just loud enough for me to head, “Whipped.”

“Asshole!”

He laughed.

I rolled my eyes, taking in a deep breath. I didn’t know how long Rodger would make it before he told someone. He wasn’t very good with secrets. But I had to have some faith in him.

I turned around to walk into the auditorium, when I came face to face with Rose.

She stood with one hip cocked, her arms crossed over her chest. Her hair was up in a high ponytail with a few strands hanging down. Her face was a mixture of disbelief and annoyance. I was positive that it was directed at me.

“Hey Rose.” I said awkwardly.

She narrowed her eyes.

“So ah… how was the dentist?”

“It was fine.”

“That’s good. I missed you this morning.”

“You’re ‘whipped’?” She air-quoted the latter word.

“Yeah… I mean, I’m not whipped. But you know Rodger; he’s such an idiot sometimes.” I laughed once, trying to break the tension.

“Please, enlighten me, who has you whipped?”

“No one.”

“Who does Rodger think?”

“...You…”

She groaned, “Stop telling them that we’re in a relationship! We’re not! We haven’t even gone out on a date!”

I grinned and opened my mouth to remind her of what happened Friday night when she cut me off.

“Don’t even say it.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything.”

“You were too.”

I grinned innocently.

“You’re unbelievable.”

I took a few steps towards her. I stopped when I stood right in front of her. I tilted her chin up so that I could hold her eyes.

“Rose, Doll, ignore him. He’s a douche bag. Don’t let him get to me.”

She was silent for a moment.

My fingers were still under her chin, pointing it up towards me. She was only a foot away from me. I found myself resisting the urge to kiss her again.

“Are you ashamed to be in the play?” She asked, surprisingly softly.

“What? No!”

“Then why did you tell him to keep it a secret from everyone else?”

“Because I’m just an understudy.”

She narrowed her eyes slightly as if she didn’t believe me.

I took a step back, smiling softly.

“We should probably get to practice before we’re really late.” She said, turning towards the door of the auditorium.

“Hey Rose?” I asked.

She stopped, turning back to face me.

I smirked, taking a step closer to her. “You’ve got a little something on your neck. It’s cute” I squeezed her ass affectionately before walking into the auditorium confidently.

There was something incredibly satisfying to see the hickey that I made Friday night still faintly there on her neck.