Don't Get Me Hooked

Red.

The first few days of classes were bearable. I hadn’t had time to go get the things I needed for my room, though, so I was going today. Cassie got invited to some party for this Friday night, so I was all alone in decorating and shopping. I didn’t mind, sometimes people need alone time, and I needed alone time.

I found the closest Ikea to my place and went nuts, sticking to a simple white and black theme. I chose a few brightly colored items to give the room some pop, like a bright purple pillow set.

When I bent down to grab up some of my purchases, I saw a pair of Converse coming my way. They were too big to be Cassie, plus she was already at the party. I thought maybe it was a worker for the store, so I popped up and my head bashed whoever it was. I heard the man say ow and I finally looked up in embarrassment.

“Nice defense tactics, but I don’t think you’ll be bent over every time someone comes at you.” Kian giggled, holding his nose. I could feel my face turning fifty shades of red.

“I am so sorry.” I tried reaching for his face, but he stopped me, making me realize, he probably thinks I’m a safety hazard now.

“It’s okay, really.” He chuckled. “What are you up to?” He asked, now rubbing his nose and removing his hand.

“Shopping for furniture for my apartment.” I said looking around me. “What are you doing?” Small talk was not one of my things, long conversations by the moonlight was my thing.

“Same, just moved into a new place that’s bigger.” In boy code word I know he just admitted to me that he moved out of his parents’ house. It made him seem sweeter to me. “I’m actually glad I saw you, I meant to get your number last time.” He smiled, his cheeks now matching mine.

“Oh. I will do you one better then, I am all alone tonight, want to go have a coffee?” He picked up my bags and looked at me.

“After you.” He smiled, his perfect teeth gleaming and I wondered what he tasted like.

We walked to a corner café after dropping my things off at the apartment and ordered. Sitting down, we started gabbing about our past lives. I told him all about Missouri and he gave me a little bit about his heritage and parents. I smiled thinking about what he must have been like as a child.

My heart started running away with my mind when I asked “So you were glad to see me?” I wanted to wince and walk away from the situation as fast as possible.

“Yes, actually.” His eyes became playful and a coy smile came across his lips as he took a sip of his hot beverage. The look he gave me floored me so hard that I had a difficult time coming back up for air. “Where to now?” He asked.

I took a moment to answer, trying to recover from that gaze. “Um, we could go talk?” I shrugged. I was actually at a loss because I had never had time for boys back in Missouri, so this was all new to me. He took my hand and we walked to a close by convenience store. He grabbed a few bottles, still hand in mine, and paid.

He rushed me to a classic car that made me jealous of him even having a car. He opened the passenger door for me and I got in, smiling at his chivalry. He set the bottles in the back seat and got in to drive. I wasn’t much of a drinker, but it was a Friday, my week was stressful, and Kian gave me false confidence.

Or was it real confidence? Was he getting to me? I can’t afford to let someone to get in the way of what I had going on, but he was a very nice distraction.

“Let’s put the top down.” He smiled that stunning grin again and my heart sank even further for him. My mind was screaming to run away and do homework, but my heart was fully in this moment.

“Okay.” I smiled back, fixing the glasses on my face. I was feeling very self-conscious, wondering why he picked me to hang out with tonight. He seemed like the type to have a ton of friends to be around, but he saw me and chose to hang out with me.

We drove for a good hour, meandering roads that traced the coastline, watching the sunset. My hair was becoming a mess, but I didn’t mind because Kian kept the mood light. He seemed to be good at that. I smiled thinking about a possible future with him, but then mentally chastised myself because I’ve only just truly met him.

He stopped in a barren parking lot, closing the top of the car and killing the motor. “Let’s go get a better scene of the sunset.” He smiled looking at me and I blushed. “I could see you change that color forever.”

“What?” I giggled, the blush deepening.

“You’re cheeks, that rosy red.” He brushed his fingertips against my skin and my heart paced so fast I thought it might leap out of my chest. “Come on, let’s not waste this beautiful evening.” He got out, grabbed the drinks and a blanket, and then came around to my side to open the door for me.

We had a bit of a walk, but we ended up on a rock looking over the ocean. It crashed beneath us as we sat safely atop the boulder watching the sky become painted by a rainbow of colors. He popped our drinks open and handed me one.

“You know, I don’t drink much.” I said as I took the liquid in. It burned my throat, but I kept that to myself.

“I promise I won’t let you do anything stupid.” He chuckled as he swished back the drink. I watched as he took in the drink and felt heat that I had never felt before just below my skin. It might have been the alcohol, it might have been him, but at this point, I didn’t care which.

My heart was doing that thing again where it gets way ahead of my brain and I said, “This is amazing.” I was trying to stay quiet and let him lead, but my heart kept kicking my ass.

“Yes it is.” He said as he sighed and looked off into the distance. The blanket was soft, so I laid back to look up at the sky, stars starting to glitter the dark oncoming night. I felt him shift beside me and do the same thing. I took another swig of my drink and looked over at him. He smiled and brushed my cheeks again with his fingers.

I moved into his touch and at my response, he cupped my cheek. When he removed his hand, he moved closer and invited me to cuddle into his arm. I gladly took the opportunity and sniffed in his cologne. “Can we do this again?” He asked me as he played with my blond locks.

“Anytime.” I sighed and put my hand on his chest. I felt his heart beating just as fast as mine and closed my eyes at the thought.

“Hey Carley?” He spoke up after a moment of silence, the only sound was the waves crashing against the rocks.

“Hmm?” I said, almost in a slumber because I was so comfortable.

“Thank you.”

“What for?” I said lifting my torso up and looking at his face.

“This has been a good day.” He smiled and looked at me in the eyes. As I was forming a response, his soft lips crashed against mine and I felt the ground beneath me shake. He broke the kiss off as fast as he started it, and I probably looked ridiculous still sitting there with kissy face. I stopped what I was doing to open my eyes and look at him. “I am so sorry.” He said, covering his lips.

“No, no, it’s fine.” I smiled and felt the warmth beneath my skin blossom into a heat that was raging deep down.

“In that case.” He chuckled and went back in for another kiss. I felt his tongue prodding for entrance, but I had to stop him. I didn’t have a nice way to tell him that I wasn’t ready for much more than a simple kiss, so I just said it.

“I am very inexperienced and I am not ready…for anything.” I felt embarrassed. I felt ashamed. He started laughing a deep hearty laugh that made me feel even worse. I felt frustrated with him and got up to walk away. He stopped me by grabbing my hand while he was still laughing and sitting down.

“Carley, are you telling me…that was your first kiss?” His laughter died down and I was still flabbergasted.

“Maybe.” I stomped my foot slightly, feeling like a child again.

“Okay, first, I am not laughing at you. I’m laughing because you are so fucking adorable. Second, its fine, I understand.” I rethought my reproach.

“It is?” I asked, astonished that he gave a shit.

“It is. Sit down, let’s talk about it.” He smiled, while pulling on my hand more. I mimicked his sitting and folded my legs in front of me. “Why the first kiss?” Was all he asked.

“100 percent? Truth; I was a band nerd and cared more about my school than boys. I never had time.” I shrugged.

“I’m sure there were lots of guys asking, though.” He said, drinking more of his drink. I took a swig of my liquid confidence and answered him.

“Not that I knew of. I just didn’t pay anyone any attention besides my closest girlfriends who were all into the same stuff as me.” I shrugged again.

It took him a moment to form a response, so I waited patiently, enjoying the dark, hot feeling the beer (I think it was) had given me. “Well, let’s go slow then. I promise to be a gentleman.” He beamed a pearly smile.

“Thank you, that really means a lot.” I smiled, wondering if my cheeks were going to melt off from being so hot all day. I hoped I hadn’t pushed back his want to kiss me, though, and the beer gave me enough courage to say something about it. “But we’re totally over the freaking out over kissing part, we can do that again.”

His laughter seemed to echo off the sky and come back down to flood me with amusement.
♠ ♠ ♠
I do not condone underage drinking, even though our drinking age limit is stupid in America.

-HammiSanz