“I’ve never kissed someone before,” I say, focusing on my pizza.
“Wait, you’ve never been kissed?” Clay asks, his eyes widening in surprise.
Sophia chimes in, “Don’t be mean, Cooper!”
“I’m not being mean. I just can’t believe it. How come you haven’t kissed anyone? You’re twenty-two!” Clay says in shock.
Dammit! Why did I have to open my mouth?
Trying to appear unaffected, I casually reply, “It just hasn’t happened.” The entire conversation bothers me, so I try to change the topic, asking, “Are you guys looking forward to Sunday?”
Clay refuses to let it go, probing further, “Are you one of those girls who is waiting until marriage?”
Caught off guard while taking a sip of water, I almost spit it out. Chuckling, I say, “Nope, not planning on getting married.”
He furrows his brow. “We’ll come back to that, but what is it then, kitten?”
Sophia jumps in to defend me, saying, “Maybe she simply wants it to be with the right person, in the perfect moment. Maybe she’s a romantic. Stop bothering her!”
I smile at her, thankful for her attempt at defending me. “That’s a sweet thought, but honestly, I’ve reached a point where I don’t care about the circumstances. I just want it to be someone who genuinelywantsto kiss me,” I admit, looking at Josh before quickly looking back down at my hands in my lap.
I’m surprised at myself for opening up like this. It’s not like me, but they already feel like friends. It’s as if I finally understand what friendship is supposed to feel like, even though I’ve never experienced it before.
Josh gently tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, causing me to turn and meet his gaze. Sitting next to me, he looks at me with such tenderness and warmth as he cups my cheek. My heart races in response.
Then, he softly says, “I would love to kiss you. May I?”
His eyes shift from my eyes to my lips, and in a whisper, I surprise myself by saying, “Yes.”
At that moment, time seems to stand still as Josh leans closer. With a gentle touch, his lips meet mine. The kiss is soft, sending a rush of emotions through my entire being. The world outside melts away, leaving only the warmth of his touch and the sweet taste of his kiss. My heart pounds in my chest.
Eventually, he pulls away, resting his forehead against mine, smiling.
The world comes rushing back as Del Moro shouts from behind us, “See? I told you guys, Lee likes fat, poor, emo girls.”
I quickly pull away from Josh and put on my indifferent mask, although it’s harder with my heart in chaos from that first kiss. Josh is fuming, and it’s obvious he’s about to stand and defend me, but I tug at his sleeve, signaling him to stay seated. He looks at me, searching my face for guidance.
I mouth,Don’t.
I gather my courage and rise to my feet, crossing my arms over my chest, my face void of emotion.
Facing Del Moro, I say, “Careful, your constant fixation with my body could lead others to think you want the fat, poor, emo girl yourself, and we can’t have that now, can we?”
“Go back to the ghetto you crawled out of, Costa.” He sneers at me.
Unfazed, I retort, “Oh, don’t worry, I will. And I’ll make sure to say hi to your mom when I get there.”
I know ‘your mom’ jokes are cheap, but it’s funny because his mother lives in the same building as me, and I often see her. It hits a nerve for him because he despises the idea that his own mother is no better off than he thinks I am.
“Fuck off,” he spits out before storming off with his partner.
Clay begins to slow-clap from the table, saying, “Iconic, kitten… as always.”
I glance over at Josh, and his expression is filled with unease. My heart sinks. He must regret kissing me and the attention it has brought upon him. He’s such a sweet and shy person, and I’ve inadvertently made him a target.
I bite my lip.
“Carolina…” He starts, getting to his feet.
