Kisses Exchanged

Savannah leaned heavily on the palm of her hand, slouching over her desk desperately trying to remain awake in her Biology class. Her teacher, Mr. Phelm was not exactly helping her cause due to his monotone voice and the long dreadful notes he was reciting, while some students wrote them down.

Savannah had given up on taking notes fifteen minutes prior, and was dead set on just contently looking around the classroom, at anything that would keep her awake so that she wouldn’t fall asleep. Phelm was a total dick, and if he even caught a glimpse of her dowsing off, he’d be running off to tell Mr. Gray, another teacher in the school, and the coach of the girls basketball team, for which Savannah started.

Of course, basketball season was over, but that didn’t stop the open gyms and conditioning practices, which the coach’s say aren’t mandatory, but really are. So, if Mr. Phelm did tell Mr. Gray about Savannah’s nap in his class, Gray would make her pay for it by making her run in tonight’s conditioning practice.

Since it was the off season, and Savannah only played basketball, she really didn’t ever have anything to do after school, except go to basketball at 2:30 and leave at 5, which is usually when she went home and played basketball on her own hoop in her driveway.

Savannah, who had been deep in thought, let her eyes wander from where she stared at a poster of the Scientific Method, to the open door of her classroom. All the while still lazily leaned upon her palm.

Just as her eyes landed upon the door, Ryan Moore passed by, most likely on his way to class, but just as he passed the door, his and Savannah’s eyes met. And then he was gone.

Sudden. Brief.

Just like every other time that they had locked eyes, which to say had been a lot recently. In the last week, Savannah had started spending the first twenty minutes of school with her two close friends Justina and Brittany in their Spanish 3 classroom, before heading to her own first period Biology class. The two friends, along with Ryan, were all Juniors, Savannah being a Sophomore, and they were all very close. While the three waited for school to start they sat in the classroom talking. Ryan was in the same class, and every morning he would walk in and take a seat on the opposite side of the room.

In the week that Savannah had began doing this, she had caught Ryan staring at her from across the room many times. At least four or five times a day. Each time, seeming to make her heart beat even faster with nervousness than the time before.

As she sat in her Biology class, she couldn’t help but smile with giddiness. Not to sound cliché, but Ryan was definitely the most wanted guy in school. Not to say he was the most popular, because he wasn’t. There were richer guys, more popular guys, guys who played more sports, but none of them were quite like Ryan.

First of all, he was amazing at basketball. Second, while he wasn’t the most popular guy in school, he definitely was the sexiest. From his dark molten chocolate brown eyes, to his dirty blonde hair that was in between shaggy and spiky, that seemed to be just perfectly tousled on his head. He was skinny, but built, and had the cutest, sexiest, and most charming smile any girl had ever seen. The way he could just smile, and it seemed as if there could be no bad in the world, as long as he was there.

All of this going through Savannah’s mind just seconds after their eye connection.

Savannah sighed and took her cheek off of her hand, looking down at her blank notebook page.

Of course she knew that Ryan would most likely never show interest in her at all, but hell, a girl could dream.

Savannah tilted her head to the side, deep in thought.

It really would be perfect, thought, she thought to herself.

It would be perfect because they literally live right down the road from each other. Their road stretch long, and she was in the middle of it, and he was at the end. No more than a thirty second drive.

Of course, Savannah knew that Ryan probably didn’t have the slightest clue that they lived so close to each other.

Savannah was pulled from her revere when the bell rang, signaling first period was over.

But even as Savannah walked out of that classroom, knowing full well that there was never even the slightest chance that Ryan would even notice her, she couldn’t help but hope, and think, If only…

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Ryan was late to school, again. And he was screwed, because he had been late one too many times this month, earning himself a two and a half hour detention tonight.

After he received the detention notice for after school, he walked slowly to his locker, figuring that he already had detention, so there was no point in hurrying to class.

After he got his Spanish 3 books, he began the walk to the opposite side of the building.

As he passed the open Biology class door, he couldn’t help but look into it as he walked by. Just as he did so, he met eyes with one of the girls in class, but then he had passed the door, and their eye contact was over.

Savannah Cole. Ryan thought to himself as he directed his gaze back forward to see where he was walking.

Of course, now that he had seen her, his thoughts drifted to her too.

Savannah Cole. The best girl on the Varsity girls basketball team, even though she was only a Sophomore. Probably one of the shortest girls in school, at that. Ryan didn’t know for sure, but he guessed she was probably about 5’1’’, much shorter than his 6’0’’. Savannah was definitely the prettiest girl in school. Ryan knew that for a fact. She wasn’t the most popular, the skinniest, or the bitchiest… Which seems to be the only way you get to be the most popular as a girl…but she was perfect.

From what Ryan had noticed about her, which was a lot, actually, was that she had about three best friends, those of which she mainly hang around. And her looks. Oh, God. Ryan thought to himself in the hallway, Her looks.

She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. From her eyes that were bluer than the ocean, but just as deep, to her hair that was so beautifully natural. Resting at the very top of her butt, her honey blond hair had a natural wave to it that made it ripple down her back. She was a very petite girl, short legs, short torso, but that didn’t stop her from being curvy, or sexy. She had her own sexiness to her, but she made it adorable, natural, cute. She… Rocked the hell out of it. And her smile. Her smile. When she smiled, it was like the universe shifted, the clouds parted, and the sun shined again, a whole new, brighter shine than ever before.

Her looks weren’t the only thing that attracted Ryan to her. It was just…her. Everything about her. The way she could wear anything, and still look just as amazing as ever. The way she gnawed on her bottom lip when she concentrated really hard. The way when she was doing school work, and concentrating, she’d have to hold her right side, side-swept bangs with her left hand so that she could write and see what she was doing. The way basketball came effortlessly to her. The way she didn’t need attention, or even want it, really. The way she could sit and talk to her friends, and be perfectly happy.

Ryan’s favorite thing about her, though, was the way she loved music. Savannah loved music, and used it for everything. Ryan loved to see her sit in the stands during the JV basketball games, listening to the music pumping through her headphones, eyes closed, head bobbing, getting pumped. On rare occasions, Ryan would even catch her doing it in the hallway in the mornings. Sitting on the ground next to her locker, eyes closed, head back resting against it, and letting herself drown in it. That hadn’t happened in a while though, at least a week, because instead of sitting at her locker she had been going into Ryan’s Spanish 3 class talking to her friends before school. Which Ryan didn’t mind, because for a whole ten minutes she was just there. Across the room, within earshot, and there for Ryan to look at, to admire, to study. He had actually been caught doing so a lot in the last week, which he didn’t really mind anyway, she might as well know how he feels about her.
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Savannah, drenched in sweat, quickly ran into the locker room to get changed. She didn’t have time to take a shower, so she toweled herself off to remove the sweat, threw her hair up into a messy bun, and put on yoga pants and a shirt.

She quickly hurried outside so as not to keep her mom waiting. Savannah’s mom was picking her up from practice that day, because Savannah’s car was in the shop getting repaired.

However, Savannah’s mom’s car was no where in sight. Savannah quickly looked down at her phone to call her mother, but instead was stopped when a message appeared on the screen.

So sorry honey, can’t pick you up, meeting is running super late. Try and get Justina to give you a ride home!

Savannah let out a frustrated sigh.

No, she couldn’t get Justina to take her home, because she had already left. Along with every other person in the school.

Pissed off, Savannah took a step towards the exit of the parking lot to walk the long walk home, when the last car that was in the parking lot, one she didn’t recognize, began towards the exit, too.

It stopped along side of her, the window rolling down, “Hey, Savannah.”

Savannah looked over in shock, seeing Ryan sitting behind the wheel and looking at her, waiting for a reply.

“Oh, hi.” She said, giving a weak smile, already nervous.

“Did you need a ride home?” he asked, gesturing at her walking.

“Uhm, yeah, I kind of do, actually.”

“Here,” Ryan said, braking the car to a stop and leaning over to open the passenger door for her. “I’ll take you home.”

“Thanks.” Savannah said, a smile lighting up her face at the new revelation that she wouldn’t have to walk home after all.

“No problem.” Ryan said smiling back. He watched as she walked around the front of the car to get to the passenger seat.

When she was in and the door was closed, Ryan took off.

It was awkward at first, but Savannah was trying desperately to find a conversation starter.

“So, why are you at the school so late?”

“Detention,” Ryan replied, looking over at her.

“Oh.” Of course, Savannah didn’t want to ask why, it could have been personal.

“Yeah, I was just late a lot this month, guess there’s a limit.” He said, smiling over at her.

“Guess so,” Savannah replied, because she wasn’t too sure on what else to say.

And that’s where the conversation stopped. But it didn’t really get awkward, because just then Ryan turned on the radio, knowing how much she loved music.

Ryan couldn’t help but smile at the way Savannah put her window down, letting the wind blow her hair and bob along to the music.

Once Ryan got to her house to drop her off, she got out and said thank you.

“Thank you so much for taking me home!” She said to him as she climbed out. “It saved me a lot of walking.” She finished with a smile.

“Anytime.” Ryan said, smiling back at her.

Then he pulled out and headed down the road for his own house, and Savannah punched the code in for the garage door to open.

It was only when she got inside her home and set her bags down that she realized she had never told Ryan where to go to drop her off. It was only then that she realized he did know they lived near each other.

Then she let a smile slip onto her face as she got ready for a shower.
________________________________________________________________________

After that, she hadn’t spoken to Ryan in nearly a week. Savannah’s car was out of the shop, and Ryan didn’t get any more detentions. The only time they saw each other was in the first ten minutes before school started.

Realizing this, Savannah’s mood kind of dampened. But then again, what did she expect?

So Savannah just got into her car and drove home after practice, knowing that when she got home she would take full advantage of the beautiful May weather, and shoot baskets in her driveway.
________________________________________________________________________
On his way home from dropping his younger brother off at baseball practice, Ryan passed Savannah’s house, seeing her outside in short tight fitting black shorts with a tank top on, her Nike shoes, and hot pink sunglasses, her hair flowing down her back as usual, playing basketball.

Ryan didn’t get two houses down farther from Savannah’s before he turned around and pulled in her drive way.

At first, Savannah didn’t pay attention that he pulled in, not even looking at the car and think that it was someone who was turning around, it wasn’t until Ryan had gotten out of the car and leaned against the driver’s side, door still open, and shouted out her name.

“Savannah”

Her head whipped over as she heard Ryan’s voice say her name.

She was shocked to see him standing there, but she just wanted to play it cool, or at least as cool as she could play it with her heart beating a mile a minute.

“Hi,” she said smiling at him, walking over, and closer to his car.

“Shooting some hoops?” he asked her, gesturing towards the hoop.

“Yeah,” she replied, smiling.

“Well, since you have a lot of cars in your driveway, do you want to come to my house and play? I have a bigger driveway, and my parents aren’t home so there aren’t any cars, except mine.” He said, gesturing towards the three cars that were taking up all the space of the driveway, and then gesturing down the road towards his house.

Savannah couldn’t believe this was happening, but let it nonetheless.

“Yeah,” she said smiling, “I’d like that.”

After she had quickly told her parents that she was leaving, she was in Ryan’s car for the thirty seconds it took to drive down the road to his house.

Once they got there, they just started shooting together, one rebounding for the other, and vice versa.

Eventually, Ryan offered up a game of HORSE, where you shoot the ball and if you miss you get a letter, until you spell the full word.

They started, and since both were good players, they were both sinking shots left and right, so after about forty-five minutes of playing, the score was HOR-HORS with Savannah losing.

“All right, now it’s about to get serious.” Ryan said, smiling mischievously over at Savannah.

“Oh no,” she said, giggling.

Ryan walked over to a spot on the drive way that was probably just a little farther than a three point shot, and was about a foot away from the siding of Ryan’s house, the very edge of the driveway.

Savannah just shrugged when Ryan established that that is where he would be shooting, because she had faith that she could probably make that shot, but then Ryan added, “With your eyes closed.”

“Oh shit…” Savannah replied back.

Ryan smirked, closed his eyes, dribbled the ball once, and jumped, shooting the shot mid-air.

Swish.

Ryan opened his eyes in disbelief.

“Holy shit! I can’t believe I just made that!” he said, looking triumphantly at Savannah, who was getting the rebound and shaking her head, smiling at him.

“Me neither!”

But nonetheless, Savannah walked over to the spot, and stood exactly where Ryan had been.

Just as she was about to shoot, Ryan said, “Wait,” she opened her eyes and looked at him curiously. “Here,” he said, gesturing for Savannah to give him the ball. “I’ll give it to you.”

Savannah was confused as to why, but just went along with it anyway.

She gave him the ball, got set and closed her eyes, waiting for Ryan to put the ball in her hands.

However, Savannah didn’t feel the familiar grip of the ball on her hands. No, what she felt was completely different. She heard a few bounces, as if Ryan had just let the ball bounce down the driveway. Then she felt it.

She felt a slight tug at her waist, and a gentle hand resting on her jaw, both bringing her forward to meet the next thing that she felt. Ryan’s lips against hers.

Her first reaction was shock, to lean back in disbelief, but who the hell leaned back from a kiss from Ryan MOORE?! No one.

And Savannah wasn’t about to be the first.

Which is why she kept her eyes closed, breathed in his minty scent from her nose, and pushed her body against his, wrapping her arms around his neck as his arms dropped to lock around her waist.

Ryan ended the kiss, just to slightly tilt his head and kiss her once more. Ryan still wanted to be closer to her, though. So he backed her up the foot until her back rested against the house, and pushed himself against her, which she welcomed, arching her back into him.

One of Ryan’s hands, that had found its way up to gently cup her cheek, now lightly trailed its way down her body. From her cheek, to her neck, to her shoulder. Down her torso, past her hip, until it stopped behind her thigh. Then he tugged her leg up so that he pulled her against him even more.

Before long, he had done the same to the other leg, so that he was now carrying her, her legs locked around his waist, holding herself up as the kiss intensified.

Savannah’s hands found their way to his hair, where her fingers locked themselves in it. One of Ryan’s hands was helping hold her up, but the other was rested against the side of her torso, just below her breasts, his thumb drawing patterns on her abs. Just as his thumb traced the bottom outline of her breast, her body reacted. She moaned into his kiss, and her hands gave an unintentional tug of his hair, something that made Ryan moan in return, pushing her harder against the siding of the house, pushing himself closer to her.

Just then, Ryan unlocked his mouth from hers, and instead let it trail down her jaw to her neck, and back up again, while Savannah tried desperately to catch her breath between the moans escaping her mouth.

No one had ever made her feel this way before, this thought being proved every time he touched her. A new fire beginning to burn on her skin from his lingering presence. It felt to her as if every nerve ending in her entire body had intensified sensitivity. Her entire body was changing before her eyes. The nerve endings, a new shot of adrenaline coursing through her veins with every pump of her heart, hairs sticking up from the goose bumps left behind by his touch, how her mind seemed to be in overdrive trying to capture every second, yet was frozen in time trying to zone everything else in the world out.

And her mind almost succeeded in zoning everything else out, if her cell phone hadn’t began blaring a ring tone loudly, cutting them out of their revere.

Both of them seemed to realize what was happening at the same time, as they both stopped what they were doing and just looked at each other. Savannah looking down at Ryan from where he was holding her, Ryan looking up, both of their chests heaving against each others trying to catch oxygen, and their breath mixing with one another’s as they continued to look into each others eyes.

“Are you trying to sabotage my shot so you can win?” Savannah whispered, breathlessly, and Ryan smiled back at her, shaking his head no, but never breaking their gaze.

Savannah wasn’t sure if Ryan regretted what they had just done, but she didn’t think so, because when she took her hand out of his hair and rested it on his cheek, guiding his face up to meet his lips with hers, he just let his eyes flutter close, his grip on her tighten, and his lips return the favor.