That Summer

Paul had never imagined in a million years that he would be kissing Evangeline Donahue. Okay, well maybe he imagined it but he never thought it would actually happen. And if Paul never thought that would happen in a million years, then he never in ten billion years thought Evangeline Donahue would be the one initiating the kiss.

He didn't know if he should pull back or keep going with the kiss. On one hand, this is something he'd been dreaming of since he was about eleven. He would envision this during boring math classes or family get-togethers when he was supposed to be listening to his Aunt Mae talk about her cats. This was something Paul DiGiovanni had wanted for a very, very long time.

On the other hand, he was confused. Evangeline had never liked him, or alluded to the fact that she might like him as anything more than a peon in her kingdom or, at best, an occasional friend that she needed every now and then when things became too much. But a lover or a crush? Never.

Aside from mentally, Paul was physically torn. The way she was touching him - her hands grasping as his neck and hair, her body flush against his own torso - felt so devastatingly right. It set his body on fire and took his breath away. But something still felt wrong.

She was so thin, so weak, even as she grasped at Paul as hard as she could. It seemed her strength was never enough and Paul longed for her to be held against him tighter, but he was afraid to pull her any closer. He was afraid she may disintegrate in his arms.

But Paul didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Evangeline had him backed up against his desk and if he pulled his head back, she'd only get on her tip-toes and make sure they stayed attached. He could have pushed her away but he couldn't bring himself to, even gently. He felt like he was soaring, like he was king of the Earth, the solar system, the galaxy, the universe. He felt amazing.

And if Paul knew that Evangeline felt the same way, a way in which no boy had ever made her feel through a kiss, or anything else for that matter, he'd have only been made happier.

The two broke apart when they heard a door slam downstairs. Evangeline jumped back in shock, her eyes wide like she couldn't believe what just happened.

"I-I. I'm-I don't..." she tried, staring into Paul's smoldering chocolate irises. He looked stunned, dumbfounded even. Evangeline glanced at his lip ring, that stupid lip ring that she thought was so ugly, remembering the way it sent chills down her spine when it pressed against her lips. She had just kissed Paul DiGiovanni and now she was panicking, and she was running.

She was about a foot from the doorway before Paul caught her around the waist and pulled her back, moving her out of the way as he shut his bedroom door and leaned against it before she could try and reopen it.

"Oh, no," he shook his head. "You do not get to do that and then leave."
"I'm sorry, I don't know what happened," Evangeline murmured, backing away from Paul. Her eyes darted around the room as if looking for an escape, but there were none.
"You kissed me," Paul informed, though his voice sounded slightly disbelieving still.
"I know," she whispered. He stared at her in silence for a while, the room now graced in silence as the CD had long stopped spinning in Paul's stereo.
"Why?" he asked finally.

Evangeline just shook her head and wrapped her arms around her thin body. It broke Paul's heart to see her like this, so unsure and confused; so small and helpless.

"Evan," he whispered, half exasperatedly.
"I don't know, Paul. You were just standing there and I started feeling all warm and I just couldn't stop," she said haltingly, stopping at random intervals to take a deep breath or work out her thoughts. Paul stared at her oddly. He didn't know what that meant anymore than she did.
"Do you...," he trailed off and laughed slightly. He couldn't force himself to believe it. "Do you like me?"
"What?" Evangeline exclaimed. "No. I-I hate you. I hate everything about you and your tight pants and your lip ring. It's, it's disgusting. Doesn't make any sense, wearing girl's pants," she ranted more so to herself than the boy in the room with her.
"But you kissed me."
"I know," she whispered.
"And you," Paul paused, studying her face for a moment before continuing unsurely, "liked it?"

Evangeline didn't trust herself to speak. She only nodded her head, her blonde locks falling into her big grey-blue eyes. Paul stepped forward cautiously until he was directly in front of the girl and he gently pushed her hair from her eyes.

"But you don't want me anymore," Evangeline breathed.
"What?" Paul questioned with a laugh to his voice. "Evan, I've been in love with you since puberty began. Why would I stop now?"
"But you went away. You didn't come back for two weeks," she whimpered.
"I thought that was what you wanted," he stated simply. "I thought I was doing both of us a favor."
"You were very wrong," she murmured, unable to elevate her voice as her eyes were held captive by Paul's.
"Evan, do you want me now?" he asked softly, placing his fingers to her cheek bone gently.
"I'm not sure. I've never felt this way before," she admitted.

Paul's eyebrows raised and he studied her face more closely. He'd never thought he could make Evangeline Donahue unsure about anything, but he decided it was probably a good sign. But that didn't leave him unconfused.

"Haven't you ever been with other boys?" Paul questioned.
Evangeline shook her head, "Never."
"Have you ever kissed other boys?" he asked, his curiosity now piqued.
"Yes."
"Have you ever done anything other than kiss a boy?"
"No," she shook her head again, now looking down as if she were ashamed.
"Oh, Evan," Paul murmured and pulled her body close to his in a hug. "That's not something to be embarrassed about."
"It feels like I'm on fire," Evangeline confessed into Paul's chest. "I've never felt something so strong before. Except, maybe-" she cut herself off.

Paul pulled back and looked down to her face sadly. He knew exactly what she was going to say and he brought his hand up to touch her chin softly.

"You're so small, Evan," he murmured. "Sometimes I'm afraid you'll just break."
"Me, too," she responded without missing a beat. They stood together in silence for a few moments until Paul broke it.
"Evan," he said. She looked up to his face in curiosity. "I'm going to kiss you now, and I'm going to be ready this time."
Evangeline smiled softly, "Okay."

Paul lowered his lips onto hers and, suddenly, they were flying again.