Pretend

Renny drove up to my house at 6:30 that night, her curly black hair pulled into a high ponytail and her gigantic blue eyes accentuated by dramatic eyeliner and mascara. Michael let her in and she charged up the stairs, her strappy silver sandals clacking on the hardwood.

"Bonjour, Cora-Corinne!" she squealed, charging into my room. I looked up at her from my prone position on the floor.

"Hi, Renny," I sighed, rolling over onto my stomach and checking my phone. Still no reply from Seb.

"Come on, lady, we have a party to go to!" Renny shouted, her loud laughter piercing my ears. I stood up and dragged myself over to my closet.

"I have no idea what to wear," I told her. Renny bumped me out of the way with her hip and examined the contents of my closet. She let out a squeal and passed me a bright blue tank top.

"Your boobs will look fantastique in this!" she said excitedly. I rolled my eyes, but took the tank top. I heard Seb's voice in my head: You look so pretty in blue.

"And this skirt!" Renny added, tossing a tight black skirt at me. I picked it up with the tips of my index finger and thumb, my lips curled.

"Renny, I'm not wearing this," I said. "I'll look like such a slut. And I'm pretty sure it's yours. You can pull this off, but I definitely can't." Renny burst into laughter.

"Babe, we're going to a party," she giggled. "You will look perfectly normal." I sighed and pulled on the tank top, but drew the line at the skirt, pulling out a pair of uninteresting black shorts instead. Renny forced me into a pair of pattered tights, followed by the shorts. Finally I tugged on my red Keds.

"Well, you don't look like you're going to a party, that's for sure," Renny said, her hands on her curvy hips as she looked me up and down. "You're lucky you're hot as is." She sat me down on the floor and pulled my hair up into a fishtail braid. Then she smiled at me.

"Seriously, Cora. You are magnifique," she said solemnly. I grinned.

"Thanks, Renn," I said, hugging her. She was insane and loud and obnoxious and annoying, but I loved her. Other than Seb, she was my best friend.

Fifteen minutes later, we were in Renny's bright red VW Bug, speeding down the road toward Pebble Beach. She was blasting Maroon 5 and the windows were down. It was 81 degrees, a shockingly hot night for October in Michigan. My hair was beginning to escape from its braid when we pulled into the Pebble Beach parking lot. We could see the glow of the bonfires and hear the sound of indie music flowing through someone's speakers.

"This is different," I said to Renny as we headed down towards the water. She grinned at me.

"I knew you didn't want to go to Southside, so I decided we'd come here instead!" she told me brightly. I threw my arms around her.

"You're the best, Renn," I told her.

"I know!" she laughed. We broke into a run and joined the mob of kids on the beach.

"Cora!" someone called. I turned and felt a pleasant rush of nervousness in my stomach. Marcus Lordie and Renny's boyfriend Adrian Mackinnon were walking towards me and Renny. I had a huge crush on Marcus. He was tall and dark haired with blue eyes and a dazzlingly white smile. He played basketball and baseball and he smelled like Old Spice.

"Mmm, get it, Cora," Renny muttered at me. I blushed and elbowed her in the stomach. She made a kissing noise in my ear, then threw herself into Adrian's arms. Marcus grinned at me.

"Hey, Cora," he said, his voice low and intoxicating.

"Hi, Marcus," I replied shyly.

"You look great," he told me. I was relieved that it was dark, because my face was burning bright red.

"Thanks," I said, my voice higher than usual. "So do you."

Marcus and I spent the entire evening together. I drank in his smell, his laugh, his deep voice. We got a little buzzed (actually a lot buzzed) on hard lemonade and talked about everything and then at the end of the night he walked me home. We held hands as we walked along the road towards town. His hand was strong and solid wrapped around mine.

When we got to my house, he kissed me. His lips were soft and warm and his breath was sweet and minty. My head was spinning. Marcus kissed me again and again.

"This was fun," he murmured in my ear. I shivered in delight.

"Yeah," I murmured back. "It was. Thank you."

"Thank you," he said. I smiled and kissed him on the cheek, then turned and hurried up the front steps of my house. At the front door I turned and waved at him.

"See you later, Marcus!" I called. He grinned and waved, then walked away.

I slowly made my way up the stairs to my room. I couldn't focus properly. I couldn't stop grinning.

Marcus had kissed me.

Me, Cora Monroe.

Marcus Lordie had kissed me!