I was at my aunt’s family reunion. I thought I was going to have a miserable time because I didn’t know anyone. But I met, I mean, saw, this boy.
He was gorgeous. He was mysterious. The fact that he didn’t come out right and talk to me made me even more interested. But I was a little nervous about being around such a beautiful, not to mention OLDER guy.
At first I tried to ignore him. Then I started looking at him. “staring” is a better word for what I was doing. He caught me a couple of times. I’m sure I was visibly blushing.
But his facial expressions. He looked as though he would be happy to punch me out. It kind of scared me. He was always so silent, which gave him an even angrier vibe.
I started to inch toward him, and every time I got anywhere near him, he would walk away. Finally, I just gave up. No guy is worth this much effort.
I saw him sitting in a beach chair by the pool. Next to my aunt. I walked over and started talking to her. My aunt I mean. When he realized that it was me talking to her, he started to get up. I stopped, mid-sentence, looked at him and said,
“Don’t bother. I’ll go.” I turned on my heel and walked away. Of course, he didn’t say anything.
For almost the rest of the day, it was ME catching him stare at me. Me walking away every time he stepped in a 30 foot radius. ME who didn’t say a word until he was out of ear-shot. It felt great. Pay back sucks.
Toward the end of the day, I went down into the basement to watch some of the boys play air-hockey. They were playing for a few minutes. When He came down to tell the boys that they had to go home.
That was the first time I heard his voice. Of course, it was beautiful. It was like music. All three of them went upstairs and were getting ready to go home. I heard them saying goodbye to everyone. Then He said, “Give me a minute, mom. I forgot something….”
He came back down the stairs and stepped in front of me. We just stood there for a few seconds. Just staring at each other. Then, the second most important words escaped his lips.
“I’m sorry.”……
”sorry for what?” I asked.
“For whatever made you upset.” He replied. Wrong answer. I didn’t know what the right answer was, but that wasn’t it. It made me mad.
“Don’t be sorry!!! Just tell me why you hate me so much. What did I ever do to you?” While I asked him this, and from the second he came down the stairs to this moment, he still had that angry facial expression.
“I don’t hate you, and you didn’t do anything. I don’t know what you’re talking about” he said. Still, with an angry look. I stared into his eyes. Trying to get something. Anything out of him. I was so confused. I couldn’t find anything. But slowly, his walls broke down and he visibly became softer. I actually thought he was going to tell me.
But then, he just said, “I’m sorry.”
The words that were previously the most meaningful words to me, then became my most hated. I was so angry. I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I tried to wipe it away before he saw it.
“What ever. I don’t even care anymore. Just leave me alone.” I said. “yelled” would be a better word. I turned my face to the side so he couldn’t see my silent tears. Nothing happened for a few moments. I thought he left, when I felt his finger tips like fire under my chin, tilting my face up.
He looked straight into my eyes. It was as if he could see into my soul.
I don’t really know what I felt, but apparently I was crying, because with his other hand, he wiped my tears away with the burning touch of his fingers.
“I’m sorry.” He said, and that’s when it happened. He bent his head down and he kissed me.
Just a gentle touch of his lips on mine. It is indescribable. It was not like the kisses of past boyfriends. It was a light kiss, but not greedy at all. He wanted to give, not take.
It started off mild, but it got deeper. It was like an electric shock going through my body. Over and over. His kiss gave, and didn’t take. It led the way, but was more than willing to take the wheel. It was hungry, but not greedy. And most important of all, it taught me something.
It taught me that a kiss should come gift wrapped. Not stripped naked.
The sound of his mom calling him interrupted us. He gave me one final kiss and then walked back up the stairs.
A few moments passed. I touched my lips. They were a little swollen. The taste of him lingered on my lips. What happened confused me so much, that I didn’t know what to do.
So I went to sleep........