Yesterday.

I almost laughed as Paul climbed up the big tree in my yard, and stumbled head first into my room. It was funny, but the situation wasn’t. Paul was a good friend of mine, and he’d been acting like he resented me.

“What Paul?” I asked, as he sat down on my bed and picked a few branches out of his hair. He looked at me, and gulped. He straitened up, puffing out the collar of his leather jacket. I cocked my head, all of my hair flinging to one side of my face.

“Well. Um.” He was looking around my room nervously. He hadn’t been in here for about 5 or 6 years. Now my walls were covered in art work, and crickets posters. He was bobbing his leg around uncomfortably.

“Yes?” I asked again, staring intently into his eyes. He caught them, and stared at them for a while.

“So, what were you drawing?”

“Paul!”

“Just curious!”

I sighed, “A birthday present for John.” I held up the picture I was drawing. It looked exactly like him, and I hoped he would like it. I was working so hard on getting every detail exactly right. But when Paul saw it, his face reddened, and he looked down.

“How nice…” He looked like he was in pain.

“Paul, what’s wrong? Are you okay…?”

“Peachy.” He retorted, then cleared his throat.

“What?”

“Listen, Anna…”

“I’m listening, Paul. I’m always here when you need me.” He glared at the floor, then regained his composure. I’d never seen him act like that before.

“I-I…”

“ANNA ELIZABETH! WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO, YOU LITTLE WHORE?”

“Shit.” I mumbled, standing up, opening my closet door. Paul jumped in and I closed the door just in time for her to burst in.

“Who?” She demanded.

“Myself.” I shrugged, sitting on my picture of John. She glared.

“You’re probably fucking some boy, aren’t you? You little slut.” She started heading for the closet, but I jumped in front and lead her out the door.

“You’re just delusional, Mum. Go to sleep.”

She mumbled something, then returned downstairs to her room. I sighed, and let Paul out.

“Your mom’s a bitch.” He sighed, sitting back down, “I guess we have to be quiet.”

“Yeah,” I whispered, “If you don’t mind.”

He shook his head.

“Anyway,” I urged, nodding.

“Yeah. Anna, I-“ He stopped, and glanced up at me, “I- I love you….”

My heart froze.

“O-Oh…”

“Yeah. But you don’t even have to say anything.”

He stood, and strode over to the window.

“Paul.” I said after him, though I had no idea what to say to that. Before he put his leg out, he turned back to me. We just stared at each other for a long moment.

“Fuck it.” He whispered, walking over quickly and crashing his lips into mine. My mind was screaming for me to protest, but my body melted into him. I’d never been kissed before. Embarrassing, I know, but I never really got the chance. It felt natural, good, like my lips fit into his. I felt his tounge skimming my bottom lip, and his face pressed even harder to mine. The word “JOHN!” Kept floating in and out of my mind, but my body seemed to ignore it. Not even John had kissed me yet.

Suddenly, he stopped. He looked at me, many different emotions running across his pale face. Then, he turned and jumped out the window, catching the tree and climbing down. I watched half in horror, half in amazement as he literally ran back into his dark house, my heart beat matching his footsteps.