Page 6 of The Death of Kisses

“Mike, you got her?” He nodded to the new guy. I shouldn’t have said “new”, he’d followed us from Coldwater and had been with us over six months, enough time to see the fracture I created in our family. Hell, before that he was slowly working his way to being good friends with Lee.

“Yes, boss.” Mike stood up and headed towards me.

“Thanks,” I muttered.

“Dad wants you at dinner tonight, don’t be late!” He shouted as I brushed past Mike towards the back.

“You shouldn’t anger him like that.” Mike commented, as he tossed me a helmet.

“Oh give me a break, you don’t care about Lee’s anger any more than I do.” The helmet sat like a glove on my head as Mike peeled off into the streets, headed for the school. He blew through an intersection going sixty, and I squeezed tight to his frame.

“What’s wrong princess?” He laughed in my ear, and I pinched him hard.

“Call me princess one more time and you’ll find your dick up your ass before you can say mommy.”

“Relax Charlie, I’m just fucking with you. Therapy that bad?”

I shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it. He didn’t say anything after that, and soon we’d pulled into the parking lot. He pulled up to the curve, and I dismounted. Shoving him my helmet and turning before he’d turned off the engine.

My nerves were shot, and school was the last thing on my mind. A strand of blonde hair caught my attention as Mike looked around at all the highschoolers flocking to his bike. I flipped him my middle finger as I pushed through the gaggle of students to get another glimpse of the blonde. Maybe school would be entertaining after all.

4

WHAT’S THE POINT IN LIVING WITHOUT RISK?

Present day - October 15 - Town of PineRidge - Population 5025 - 18 yr old

Idropped my bag into my locker pulling the skirt down and off my ass. Why in the fuck are these such wedgie makers I will never understand. Like bloomers aside fuck this outfit. Slamming the locker closed, Jake’s face meets mine. In his hands was a bundle of lilies and I grabbed them, giving him a roll of my eyes.

“You are not winning me over with my favorite flower,” I kept walking, the yellow lilies gripped between my fist.

Spotting the trash can near mathematics I threw them in forcefully.

“Anna please,” He grabbed my arm and pulled me to face him.

“Let go,” I whispered as students started to gather in the halls. I really didn’t want to cause a scene but he wasn’t letting go.

To anyone else it would look like we were having an intimate moment but it was the opposite.

“Jake this isn’t funny, let me go,” I smacked his chest.

“Not until you hear me out,” he smirked.

Panic rose in the back of my throat as he clutched my hand to his chest, his head bent towards mine. My fist beat against his chest as he closed the distance⁠—

Splash.

“What the fuck bro?” Jake yelled, instantly pulling away as water splashed against his body, narrowly missing mine. He turned around ready to punch who’d done it but his fist stopped shy when the black hair came into view.

“Fucking move out of my way next time,” she grumbled, it wasn’t a voice I’d heard before but I slipped away before I saw the person that matched.

I ducked into social studies before anyone else could register what happened. My heart thudded in my chest as I took my seat. I almost didn’t realize Mrs. Harris was speaking to me until I saw the black skinny jeans standing in front of my desk.

“Oh,” I stood up, swiping my hands against my skirt, “you must be Charlotte?”

In all the rush this morning I forgot I was supposed to be escorting the new girl. Fuck, this was already totally embarrassing.

“Charlie,” she bit out sliding into the seat next to mine.