Kissing You That Friday Night

I walked down the hallway after school on Thursday. It was 5:25 and almost everyone had left school or was in the gym for after school sports. Half the lights were turned off in the art hallway which is where I was. Ms. Campbell asked me to put a few pots in the kiln for her that night and tidy up. She offered me fifteen dollars to stay after school for a couple hours. I couldn't say no, Ms. Campbell was my favorite teacher and I could tell I was one of her favorite students.
I placed the last pot in the kiln and shut the squeaky lid. I set the timer on the kiln and raised the temperature to meet the needs of all the medium sized pots. I slid off the gigantic oven mit and placed it on the shelf next to a bunch of finished art projects. I turned off the lights and walked out of the room and down the art hallway which soon lead me to the music hallway. All the doors were closed and locked except one room at the end. It was a practice room next to the band room for audition type things and choral practice. I raised my eyebrow, wondering why the light was on. As I neared the door I heard faint music playing. The instrumental tones coming from the room were from none other than an aucustic guitar. The sound was gentle and sweet, not loud and crazy. I put my ear against the door and the sound became more clear. The player of the guitar seemed to strum effortlessly and produce amazing lullaby like chords. I closed my eyes and felt the sound enfold me before I peered my head in through the door. As I did the playing got louder and words began to come out of the players mouth.

This inflamed kiss
Burns on my lips
And I want to know
Why it happened.
Yeah. Yeah.
We've only been around for a hundred years.
All the pain that jeers-
Inside me.
Why did you have to go?
Go, go go...
(ohhhhhhh)

I listened to the words and knew they were original. I looked at the guitar player, his back facing me. His dark hair hung just above his shoulders in a knotted mess as though he had just gotten out of bed. I came toward him and began to wonder if I had known him. He looked so familiar.
"Who's here?" I heard him say as soon as his fingers slide down the neck of the guitar producing a loud screeching noise.
I said nothing, which was a stupid move because he turned around anyway. His face was slightly tanned and dark hair hung in this face. It was then I noticed who it was... Aiden.
"I'm sorry, AIden, I...I didn't know it was you playing guitar and I just came in to-," I stopped myself and realized Aiden and I hadn't spoken to each other since the beginning of the week. Instead of speaking, Aiden began to play again. His back faced me.
"I'll just be leaving then," I said and backed away.
"Laila, wait!" He yelled at me as I neared the door.
I turned to face him.
He hopped off the stool he was sitting on and leaned the guitar against the wall. "Can we talk?"
I nodded and I joined him on a stool next to the one he was sitting on previously.
We sat there in silence. He looked at me and I looked at him. I would think staring at someone who was staring back at me would be awkward, but it wasn't. I felt comfortable in Aiden's presence. I looked into those dark eyes of his, but they looked pained. I could see him looking down at my hands. I looked down and noticed I was nervously picking at my old manicure. I stopped and he looked at me.
"Lai?"
"Yeah?" I questioned. I was surprised he was speaking to me.
"I over heard you and Jen talking the other day in Bio," He said and rubbed a hand on the back of his neck, "Thanks, for sticking up for me."
I smiled and he returned it. "No problem."
We sat there for a moment, no voices, just silence. So many questions were running through my mind that I just some how couldn't force into words.
"I told Jen I heard what she said and told her I don't want to go with her to the Spring Fling anymore," He said and scratched his head.
God, can't he sit still?! I laughed at my own comment in my head. I had remembered saying that before when he was at my house for the first time and couldn't sit still on the couch. I couldn't have had worse timing with the laugh because Aiden looked at me and a frown began to form on his grogeous, angular structured face. I had then noticed I laughed just after he told me sad news. I quickly threw a frown on my face and apologized. He looked down and said nothing.
"Aiden, I'm sorry about everything-" I began and was then cut off by Aiden.
"Sorry for what Lai? Sorry for breaking my heart? Going to the dance with some guy, kissing me, and not letting me know you had a crush on him?!" He yelled.
I felt a tear come to my eye and tried to hold it back. I hated when he was angry. "I'm sorry, Aiden. It slipped my mind..."
"Oh, going to the dance with Ricky just slipped your mind when you were around me, huh? Sure, Lai, sure..." He began to stand up.
"Wait!" I pulled him back down. "You didn' even let me explain!" I wailed.
"What's there to explain, Lai?" He snarled.
I began to speak the most open honest truth that I could. "Aiden... To be completely honest, when I was with you I did forget about Ricky." That was actually the truth, but I didn't know if Aiden would understand so I continued to explain myself. "Ricky asked me to the dance for some lame ass reason and I didn't even care to notice it was odd for him to ask me until you came along and I noticed you took my mind off everything in my complicated life." I swallowed hard and looked at him. He gave me a weird look like I had to explain myself further. "Kissing you that Friday night opened my eyes to what-" I thought long and hard before I said the next word. The next word was a word that could make or break a relationship with Aiden. "What love is..." I finished.
His mouth opened slightly as if in shock but he quickly closed it and listened.
I looked down and remembered the picture he drew of me. I had forgotten all about it. "You're a great artist, you know? Musically and with sketching."
He looked at me and scratched his forehead as if he was confused, "You've never seen my art work..."
"That's what you think," I smiled at him.
He had a worried look on his face. I grabbed his hand and held it in mine. He looked down at our hands. I ran my fingers over the inside of his palm. His skin was soft but his fingers were rough and had formed calisis, probably from playing guitar.
"Well, what did you see?" He questioned finally.
"You drew a very realistic picture of a girl. It kinda looked like me," I winced, waiting and hoping I was right.
He smiled, "You have an amazing bone structure. I couldn't resist," He chuckled a little under his breath. I giggled softly.
"Are you two almost done in here?" I heard a voice coming from behind us and I gasped. I looked over my shoulder and let go of Aiden's hand. It was the janitor.
"Yeah, we were just about to leave." I replied as I stood up and headed toward the door.
"Our project is due on Monday. Should I come over tomorrow after school to show you what I've acomplished?" He said.
I closed my eyes and bit my lip, then turned around and calmly said yes.
"Great. I'll be there by four."