The Stealing of Half a Kiss
Prologue
The sunrays fully entered and illuminated the empty school corridor. The atmosphere had turned nostalgic and for the first time did Penelope even thought about how much she would miss it. The lack of students certainly made the old building shine through the time and made it a lot more appealing than ever before.
But, she had little time now to appreciate how beautiful it really was the place she had been praying to get out for years now. Her steps resounded through the whole corridor and she grinned at the sound. Her hand was clutching the precious object she had hidden many weeks before and that, on the day of graduation, she finally had the time to go fetch it.
Just before making the last turn that would take her to the school entrance, she stopped. She held the small figurine closer to her heart and faced the door that led to class 107. She gently grasped the knob, wishing for it to be unlocked, and turned it. The door clicked and opened. With the first step, the dying orange sunlight hit her full on the face, and she felt a warm surge of happiness going through her whole body.
Before she knew it, she was standing right in front of the big window that seemed to have never been cleaned properly. Penelope just stood there, watching the deserted school grounds. By that moment, all of the graduating students and their families had left and she felt no remorse for not leaving with them. Her father understood that she had to stay for a little while more and was surely waiting for her in their house with a large pizza for them to celebrate.
A few minutes must have passed when she finally sighed and started to turn around. She was ready to say goodbye to the school when an unknown hand slipped in her free one. She gasped as the one responsible came closer and hugged her. At first instinct she was about to yell, but she recognized the warmth and the scent of the boy. It was the one that gave her the figurine she so dearly was grasping. It was Greg.
They stayed in silence for a few seconds, Penelope looking straight ahead through the window, and Greg burying his face on her hair and neck; both really unwilling to let go of the other.
“Greg…” Penelope managed to whisper in a soft, almost inaudible voice.
Silence again. The sun had diminished its intensity and the room was growing darker.
She was about to say something when she felt her hand being caressed by his. Finally his voice came out, somewhat raspy. It sent shivers to her body.
“You drive me insane” he said calmly, talking directly to her ear. She stayed silent. “I can barely pass any minute without thinking of you. And when that lonely miserable minute happens, and I momentarily forget about you, I just wish to be thinking of you again”
“Greg. . . I. . .”
He interrupted her “When you’re near me, I have to fight the urge to just hold you close, but I know I have no right to do so”
Penelope was about to protest, but again, he gave her no chance to utter a word.
“No, let me talk, please” the urgency in his voice made her keep quiet again.
He took a deep breath and swiftly, gently, slowly he turned her around; his face facing hers and just a few millimeters away. He inclined his head and let his forehead touch hers, without breaking eye contact.
“Penelope, I love you” he said firmly and she was without words. Her only reaction was her hand gently stroking his cheek. He smiled sadly.
“I came to realize months ago that I can’t live without you. You’re the only precious thing that this damned town has and the only one I’ll miss” he took another deep breath “God, you’re so beautiful”
His eyes were glazed and she smiled. She was fighting the urge to kiss him.
“Yet, even though I cannot bear to be without you, I don’t deserve you. . .” at that moment, Penelope got alarmed.
“What are you talking about?” she managed to choke out.
“I’m saying that I’m not worth it” this time, it was him the one caressing her cheek. She looked at him defiantly.
“You’re not the one that decides who’s worth it and who’s not. Greg, I …”
He put his thumb on her lips, and made a silent request with his brown eyes for her to let him continue.
“I so want to kiss you right now” he whispered “But I’ve decided I’m not really ready to do so. You’re too precious for me and I cannot risk ruining anything with you”
He tenderly moved his thumb down, leaving her lips free. He finally moved in and slowly, really slowly, he kissed her. She had closed her eyes for the kiss and she clearly felt that his lips only made contact with the right side of hers. Before she had even opened her eyes, Greg had already moved closer to her and was whispering in her ear.
“I promise that someday I’ll complete that kiss. That’ll be the day when I’ll become worthy of you” he then kissed her on the neck and took a step back. He looked at her intently and finally, without one more word, he walked out of the room, leaving Penelope speechless and confused, still holding onto her beloved fairy figurine in the already dark classroom.
But, she had little time now to appreciate how beautiful it really was the place she had been praying to get out for years now. Her steps resounded through the whole corridor and she grinned at the sound. Her hand was clutching the precious object she had hidden many weeks before and that, on the day of graduation, she finally had the time to go fetch it.
Just before making the last turn that would take her to the school entrance, she stopped. She held the small figurine closer to her heart and faced the door that led to class 107. She gently grasped the knob, wishing for it to be unlocked, and turned it. The door clicked and opened. With the first step, the dying orange sunlight hit her full on the face, and she felt a warm surge of happiness going through her whole body.
Before she knew it, she was standing right in front of the big window that seemed to have never been cleaned properly. Penelope just stood there, watching the deserted school grounds. By that moment, all of the graduating students and their families had left and she felt no remorse for not leaving with them. Her father understood that she had to stay for a little while more and was surely waiting for her in their house with a large pizza for them to celebrate.
A few minutes must have passed when she finally sighed and started to turn around. She was ready to say goodbye to the school when an unknown hand slipped in her free one. She gasped as the one responsible came closer and hugged her. At first instinct she was about to yell, but she recognized the warmth and the scent of the boy. It was the one that gave her the figurine she so dearly was grasping. It was Greg.
They stayed in silence for a few seconds, Penelope looking straight ahead through the window, and Greg burying his face on her hair and neck; both really unwilling to let go of the other.
“Greg…” Penelope managed to whisper in a soft, almost inaudible voice.
Silence again. The sun had diminished its intensity and the room was growing darker.
She was about to say something when she felt her hand being caressed by his. Finally his voice came out, somewhat raspy. It sent shivers to her body.
“You drive me insane” he said calmly, talking directly to her ear. She stayed silent. “I can barely pass any minute without thinking of you. And when that lonely miserable minute happens, and I momentarily forget about you, I just wish to be thinking of you again”
“Greg. . . I. . .”
He interrupted her “When you’re near me, I have to fight the urge to just hold you close, but I know I have no right to do so”
Penelope was about to protest, but again, he gave her no chance to utter a word.
“No, let me talk, please” the urgency in his voice made her keep quiet again.
He took a deep breath and swiftly, gently, slowly he turned her around; his face facing hers and just a few millimeters away. He inclined his head and let his forehead touch hers, without breaking eye contact.
“Penelope, I love you” he said firmly and she was without words. Her only reaction was her hand gently stroking his cheek. He smiled sadly.
“I came to realize months ago that I can’t live without you. You’re the only precious thing that this damned town has and the only one I’ll miss” he took another deep breath “God, you’re so beautiful”
His eyes were glazed and she smiled. She was fighting the urge to kiss him.
“Yet, even though I cannot bear to be without you, I don’t deserve you. . .” at that moment, Penelope got alarmed.
“What are you talking about?” she managed to choke out.
“I’m saying that I’m not worth it” this time, it was him the one caressing her cheek. She looked at him defiantly.
“You’re not the one that decides who’s worth it and who’s not. Greg, I …”
He put his thumb on her lips, and made a silent request with his brown eyes for her to let him continue.
“I so want to kiss you right now” he whispered “But I’ve decided I’m not really ready to do so. You’re too precious for me and I cannot risk ruining anything with you”
He tenderly moved his thumb down, leaving her lips free. He finally moved in and slowly, really slowly, he kissed her. She had closed her eyes for the kiss and she clearly felt that his lips only made contact with the right side of hers. Before she had even opened her eyes, Greg had already moved closer to her and was whispering in her ear.
“I promise that someday I’ll complete that kiss. That’ll be the day when I’ll become worthy of you” he then kissed her on the neck and took a step back. He looked at her intently and finally, without one more word, he walked out of the room, leaving Penelope speechless and confused, still holding onto her beloved fairy figurine in the already dark classroom.