Head Over Heels

I spent the whole lunch period with Peri, just sitting under the stage. I liked the way his small body fit into mine, the warmth he gave off. Right before the bell rang I cleared my throat. “Uh, Oran Club is meeting again after school today. We have to ‘investigate’ more into the Chess Club. Are you coming?”
“Yes. I would like that.” I hesitated before asking the next question. “Um, do you want to come over my house afterwards?” Peri was quiet for so long when I asked that that I got nervous and started babbling. “Of course, you don’t have to if you don’t want to, really, I won’t mind, it’s totally okay, I wasn’t,”
He silenced me with a hand over my mouth. His skin smelled like oranges. “I would love to come. I’ll wait for you when the meeting is over.” Then he smiled brightly and grabbed my hand. “Let’s go. Lunch is over.” I followed him out in a fog of happiness.
I honestly can’t tell you how the rest of the day went; I was in such a daze. O.J. and Merri did most of the work in Oran Club while I mooned like a puppy over Peri. Something about him just drew me in, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
He wasn’t even doing anything special, just sitting there fiddling with the strap on his camera. I watched his thin fingers twist around the red cord, how he stared off into space while biting his lip. It made me want to know what he was dreaming about.
When the club was finally over Peri strolled over to me, hooking a finger in my belt loop. Just that simple touch made sparks shoot through my whole body. “Are you ready to go, Jacob?” he asked. Merri glanced at me and smirked, nudging Tommy in the side. Their snickering followed me from the room.
I was a bundle of nerves, sensing something important was happening, but Peri walked beside me whistling. Made me wonder if he felt any of the stress I was feeling. It was so bad it was difficult for me to talk around him. He was the only person who affected me that way.
We made small talk on the way home, but I hung onto every word Peri said, because he fascinated me. The small movements he made, his smooth mannerisms, how he laughed even when my jokes were lame.
We reached my house and my heart started pounding with excitement, or nervousness, I couldn’t tell. “So, uh, this is my house. I’ll get you something to eat, um, sit down, the couch is very comfy, we got it from my mom’s college room mate and he used to smoke pot on there, which,” Peri laughed and followed me to the kitchen.
“Are you always this….talkative?” I flushed. “Not really anymore. Only when I’m nervous or excited.” He stepped a little closer, until his breath washed across my face. My heart sped up. “Are you nervous right now?” “N-No,” I stuttered. Peri grinned and moved back. With suddenly clumsy fingers I threw together sundaes.
“C’mon. Let’s go to my room,” I said, balancing the bowls in one hand as I bumped my door open with a hip. Peri jumped to help me before something spilled. “Thanks.” “It is no problem.”
We finally settled down to play Black Ops, me sitting on a bean bag and him on the floor. I was losing, too distracted by Peri. On his side, with a pale flash of skin exposed at the bottom of his shirt, he licked ice cream from his lips. “Yum.”
All I could do was focus on one of his hipbones jutting out. I wanted to kiss him so badly. But it was more than that, I realized suddenly. I actually liked Peri, not just lusted after him. I wanted to learn more about him and what he thought of the world. Maybe, one day, this could be love.
I switched the game off and he turned to me with confused eyes. “Jacob?” I held Peri’s chin and stared him right in the face. “I’m going to kiss you now, alright?” He swallowed slightly and nodded. I could feel him smile when our lips touched, and he grinned as I eased him down on my bed, hovering above his body.
Peri tasted like oranges, and he kissed like a master. “You’re…mine now….kay?” I murmured between kisses. I could hear his breathy laugh in my ear. “Kay. Just keep kissing me.” So I did.
END