Hadley
Age 17
Iturn in the passenger seat to face Kane while subconsciously playing with the bracelet around my wrist. “I had a really great time tonight.”
The inside of the truck is dark, with only the soft light of the moon casting us in a glow, and I hope he can’t see how flushed my cheeks are.
Reaching across the middle seat, he grabs my hand from my lap and laces our fingers together. “Me too.” He smiles at me, and the butterflies in my stomach begin to dance. “We should do it again sometime.” He says, continuing to rub his thumb over my knuckles.
“I’d like that.” My voice is a breathy whisper, and I pray to God he can’t tell how nervous I am.
Please kiss me, I think.
He reminds me of a young Chad Michael Murray with his short cropped blond hair and bright-blue eyes. There was amoment earlier when I thought he was going to kiss me, and God, did I want him to. I was slightly disappointed when he didn’t. A part of me was worried that maybe he wasn’t into me like that, but he continued to hold my hand all night and even mentioned a few times that he thought I was beautiful.
He gives me a little tug, and I slide across the seats of his pickup, trying to control my breathing so he can’t see how much he’s affecting me. When we’re thigh-to-thigh, I look up at him through the slit of my bangs and roll my lips between my teeth. Lifting his hand, he gently places a stray piece of hair behind my ear before trailing down my cheek and cupping my jaw. My heart is beating so fast, my eyes catching on his mouth as his tongue peeks out to wet his lips.
He starts to lean in, and my lips part. “Hads?” My name comes out of his mouth in a soft whisper, his warm breath hovering over my parted lips.
“Hmm?” I lean in closer, our lips grazing.
He swallows, and for a moment I can’t hear anything over the beating of my heart. “Can I kiss you?” he asks quietly into the dark.
“Yes,” I whisper against his lips.
He closes the last thread of distance, and our lips touch. His kiss is soft, and I let him explore with his tongue. I’ve only ever kissed one other boy before, and it never felt like this. Soft and caring. The butterflies in my stomach take flight, and I sink deeper into the kiss. Kane pulls me closer, and I grip his shirt until I’m practically on his lap.
After a few more moments and the steering wheel digging into my back, we pull apart and rest our foreheads together, our breaths mixing and our heart rates slowing. I can feel the heat of my cheeks, and my palms are sweaty.
“I should probably go inside. I wouldn’t put it past my parents to be watching out the window right now.” I tell him before we both turn to make sure that’s not the case.
“I’ll see you Monday?” he asks, clearing his throat and brushing my cheek with the pad of his thumb.
“Mhm.” I scoot across the seats and open the truck door, stepping out into the night. Trying to hold it together, I walk up my steps, fighting the giant smile that wants to overtake my face. When I get to the door, I turn around and wave before he puts the truck in gear and takes off down the long winding driveway. Once his tail lights are out of sight, I do a little dance and lean against the door, smiling up at the sky, then gather myself together before going inside.
Kane has been a friend since middle school and has always had a crush on me, but for the last six months, I was in a relationship with someone else. After I ended things, Kane finally took his shot, and I am so glad I finally gave him a chance. I’ve always thought he was cute, but I never saw him as more than just a friend until now. My parents adore him and have been pushing me to go out with him since the tenth grade. They were both overjoyed when I told them I was going out with him tonight.
“I’m home!” I yell, closing the door softly behind me.
I’m met with an eerie silence, the only sound coming from a soft hum somewhere in the house. The air has a slight chill, causing me to shiver and hitting me with a sense of unease.
“Guys! Where are you all?” I yell out.
Nothing.
Shaking it off, I continue to kick off my shoes and lock the door behind me before I silently shuffle down the hall to the stairs.
“Mom! Dad! I’m home!”
No answer.
“Crew?” I call out.
Silence.
“Where is everyone?” I mumble to myself as I start my descent up the stairs.
My whole body is on edge, and I can’t shake the feeling that something just isn’t right. With a rambunctious six-year-old brother, silence is an anomaly in our house. Even at 9p.m., there is usually a lot of activity happening.
