Inodded feebly between her palms. “I know.”
“Don’tdo it again.”
Andwith that final word, she kissed me.
Iguess I thought I’d be the one to kiss her first. The element of surprise setmy body into shock, my response was delayed in the stupidest way, and when Ifinally came to, I was acutely aware of a feeling of weightlessness cocooningmy body. Call it endorphins, call it adrenaline, but for those few seconds, Ifelt nothing but serenity. I was completely free of pain, and I breathed.
Myarms wrapped around her, as I outstretched my legs and pulled her into my lap.Trailing my fingers down over her back and pressing kiss after kiss to herwine-colored lips, I broke out in a grin, and she giggled. Nothing was comical.Nothing was amusing. Nothing was remotely humorous in any way whatsoever. ButGod, we were laughing through a shower of tiny, perfect kisses, and in theabsence of pain, I was struck with the awareness that this was happiness. Itwas euphoria. And if I could just stop time from carrying on, I would never,ever choose to leave this moment for as long as I lived. Just to be free andhappy, with her.
“Oh,my God,” she breathed, touching her forehead to mine and draping her arms overmy shoulders. “Do you even know how happy our mamas aregonnabe?”
“Ireally don’twannatalk about either of our mothersright now.” I was still chuckling as I circled my arms around her waist.
“Mm,”she nodded, biting her bottom lip. “Then, what should we talk about?”
“Well,really, we don’t have to talk at all,” I suggested with an innocent shrug. “Orwe could finish our dinner and then move to the second part of our first date.You’rekindathrowin’things off track here.”
Gigglingagain, she leaned back and looked into my eyes. “So, wait. If you had this allplanned out, at what pointwereyougonnakiss me?”
“Guessyou’ll never know now.”
Mollypouted. “Great. I went and screwed it all up.”
“Nah,”I shook my head. “Trust me. This was better.”
“Well,shit. If you thinkthatwas good,just wait until weactually makeout,” she teased,edging closer and kissing me again. “But old habits die hard, so first, I’mfinishin’ that food.”
26
FindHer Again
MOLLY
“COMEHERE, BABY GIRL,”Mamasoothed, outstretching her arms.
The jagged lines of mascaraand eyeliner ran over my cheeks as I rushed into the house and collapsed intoher embrace. I felt stupid for crying and letting it bother me. But God, thoseboys were so mean, and Chad …
I couldn’t even think abouthim without sobbing.
“What happened, sweetheart?”She ran her hands over my hair, tangling her fingers in the curled knots. Itwas out of control and another piece of fodder for the bullies at school to useagainst me.
“He hates me,” I blubberedinto her shoulder.
“Who?”
“Ch-Chad.” There I went again.Sobbing loudly.
“He doesn’t hate you, baby.”
I pushed away from her andstared. Incredulous. What the hell did she know? She wasn’t there. She didn’tsee his blank stare or the way he turned from me like I was nothing but a pieceof gum at the bottom of his sneakers. She didn’t hear the way his friends hadtalked about me,tome,and she didn’t see the way Chad did absolutely nothing in my defense.
“Yes. Hedoes.” Istomped into the house and dropped my backpack in the middle of the living roomfloor. Mama hated when I did that. That’d show her.
“Molly, listen to me, okay?”She ignored the backpack, lying in a crumpled heap on the floor, stepping overit to approach me with sympathetic eyes. “Sometimes, people change and it’spermanent. Like your father.”
I dropped my gaze at themention of Daddy. I hadn’t seen him in sevenyearsandI didn’t expect I’d ever see him again. It didn’t bother me the way I knew itshould. He was never a very good father, and I knew we were better off withouthim.
“But,” she continued, speakingsoftly, “other times, it’s temporary and just a phase.All ofthis high school stuff, sweetheart; so much of it istemporary. Andright now, Chad’sgoin’ through a phase, just likeyou are.” Her gaze washed over my fishnet tights and black shirt held togetherwith safety pins, and I rolled my eyes.
