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“I don’t know if this was a good idea,” I tell him. “We’re supposed to be taking care of all the kids here. That’s a big responsibility, and I just don’t know if—”
“Did you like it?”he interrupts.
I look down. “Yeah.”
“You don’t have to be responsible all the time, you know.”
I meet his eyes and think about those words. Don’t I? That’s certainly how it’s always felt. It’s not just the kids, either. It’s everything. When do I get the chance to not be responsible?
And then, without me even thinking about it, I’m pressing my lips against his. And that’s the answer. Right now. I get to do what I want to right now, and it feels good. He feels good.
He pulls off this time. “There you go. See what I mean?”
I smile. “Well, I guess you would know about being irresponsible.”
“Oh, come on. That’s a bit uncalled—”
And we’re kissing again. It’s a full moon overhead, and the light from it makes the whole forest seem just a little bit fantastical. Like we’re sitting here kissing in a silver-tinted daydream, rather than in real life. But it is real, and that’s the best part. I’m really kissing him, and he’s really kissing me back.
We finally pull apart, his hand lingering on my cheek. The shadows cast by the firelight dance over his face. Everything is so still but also so full of life.
And that’s the moment that Tina appears.
“Are you twokissing?” her voice comes from the path behind us.
In a moment, the romance of the moment disappears. Suddenly, we’re just two adults sitting by a fire, heads pressed together. Jaromir jerks back and I freeze, face still awkwardly tilted for a kiss I’m not in anymore.
“It’s not what it looks like,” Jaromir says instinctively.
“It looks like you were kissing Aunt Melody!”
“Okay, it is what it looked like,” Jaromir admits. “It was worth a shot.”
Tina claps her hands together. “Are you two in love? Are you going to get married?”
I stand up and face Tina. “Let’s maybe not get ahead of ourselves. Sometimes adults can just kiss someone without meaning all of that.”
The moment I say it, I feel bad. Sure, some people kiss people they don’t love, but is that what I was doing with Jaromir? And maybe just as importantly, was that what Jaromir was doing with me?
I glance at him. I hope I haven’t hurt him by saying that. His face is as calm as ever. Would I even know if I had?
“I know, I know,” Tina says. “I’ve watched television.”
I’m going to have to keep an eye on what Tina’s watching on television.
“What are you doing out here so late, anyway?” I ask, partly to buy time to decide exactly what I’m going to say. “Is everything okay?”
“I was just looking for the Ice Ghost.”
“The what?”
“The Ice Ghost!” Tina repeats, as if I’m an idiot for not understanding her the first time. “Apparently, like, fifty years ago, there was a kid who decided to try and go skating on the ice even though everyone told him it wasn’t safe, and the ice gave way and he drowned! And now, at midnight, he comes out of the lake and tries to trick people into playing a game of hockey with him, and if you say yes, he drags you back to the lake and drowns you, too!”
I look suspiciously at Jaromir. “Do you know anything about this story?”
“One of the kids told me after I got banished to the back.” Tina nods seriously. Jaromir just shrugs.
“Let’s head back to the cabin,” I say and take her by the hand. The two of us are sharing a cabin, so at least it won’t be too hard to make sure she doesn’t sneak out again tonight.
