Just a Kiss Away

Noah

I drag my feet to my front door with an avocado toast in one hand and the TV remote in the other. What kind of person is knocking on my door at 8 in the morning on a Saturday? I unlock the door, not even bothering to check who it is or to put a shirt over my tank top, and see a girl wearing my favorite hoodie standing on my doormat with her phone and wallet in her hand.

"Hey," she says, smiling up at me.

"Hey," I grumble back, just now registering who she is. She locks eyes with the avocado toast in my hand and takes it from my fingers, walking right past me into my house. "Come right in," I say.

"Thanks for breakfast," she says back, sitting down at one of the stools under my kitchen island as if she's been here thousands of times before. "So," she starts her sentence. I walk into the kitchen and grab the second slice of bread from the toaster. She continues, "I was thinking, we should go get coffee together." I spread my toast with the other half of the avocado and sprinkle salt and black pepper on top. "Just because... it would be sad if I ruined another one of your shirts."

"Don't you have school?" I ask her, still confused about how this girl is in my house without an invitation.

She smiles, "class got canceled." She's in a good mood. She takes another huge bite out of the bread. I continue to make and eat my toast. "Hellooo? Do you wanna go or not" she looks at me with an eager smile on her face. She licks her fingers after finishing my toast and hops up.

"Lemme get dressed," I tell her.

"Kay," she says. "I'll wait in the car." She extends her arm reaching for my other slice of toast, but I snatch it away before she can get it.

"Man, get your food," I say, shoving her away while smiling.

"Ugh," she walks into the kitchen and slices another avocado in half as I head to my room to change.

**********

I walk out my door, making sure to lock it behind me. I reach into my pocket to get my keys, but they're not there. I search the kitchen, my room, the couch, the shoe rack, my winter coat, nothing. I walk outside and see Lily sitting in the passenger seat of my car. When did she even- She opens the car door and yells out.

"Hurry up! I need coffee in my system, now!" I walk to my car and open the door.

"When did you even get my keys?" I ask her, picking them up and starting the engine. I look over expecting an answer. Instead, I see 2 avocado toasts on a plate, cradled in her lap. She has one in her hand too. "I was changing for like 5 minutes," I say, dumbfounded.

"I'm a quick cook," she says, shrugging her shoulders. "Hurry up and start driving, I haven't had coffee in 48 hours," she complains.

We pull into the parking lot of Starbucks and Lily flings open the door before I even have time to park the car. She throws open the door and quickly walks inside, not even glancing back to see if I'm with her. I walk into the shop and the familiar scent fills my lungs. I look around the store, trying to find her. After a few minutes of searching, I see her in one of the many long lines of customers. I walk up to her and place myself in between her and the guy behind her.

"Ay! You can't just get in line whenever you want, I got here before ya, beat it, kid!" I turn around and see a guy about my age, maybe 3 or 4 years older, standing behind me. Lily turns around too, confused, and so does the girl in front of her, the next person, and just about everyone in the line. Then Lily's eyes drift to me. I open my mouth to talk back to the guy, but Lily beats me to it.

"Hey babe," she says, babe? "How are you, I saved you a spot in line so you wouldn't have to wait since you're running late for work," she smiles at me all sweet-like.

"Thanks?" I say, and she gives me a look that translates to, I swear to God if you don't play along and make me look like an idiot, you're done for. "Thanks!" I repeat, in a more cheerful tone, "What would I do without you?" I smile down at her. Why did I have to cut the damn line?

We get to the front of the counter and I hear a familiar voice, "Welcome to Starbucks, what can I get for you-" The cashier looks up from the cash register and her eyes widen when she sees me and widen a little more when she sees Lily standing next to me. Bella, perfect. She looks back up at me and her eyes pierce through me. Lily looks confused but orders her to drink anyway.

"Can I get a grande iced white mocha with vanilla sweet cream cold foam and extra caramel drizzle?" Bella smiles at her and turns to me.

"The usual?" she asks me. I'm about to say yes, but then I get why Bella looks so angry- I'm not hungover, and there's a random girl with me. I smile, amused. She's jealous. Her face shifts and her glare becomes colder as if she can hear my thoughts.

I smile and tell her "Nah, I'll have what she's having," I say with a smirk playing on my lips. Bella's face twists as she hits +1 on the tablet for our order. I see Lily reach for her wallet, "It's okay, I'll pay." She smiles at me. I'm losing count of how many heart flips there have been. I take out my wallet and hand Bella my card. She snatches it aggressively and swipes it through the slit.

"I'm gonna go find a table," Lily says, turning around. I suddenly grab her hand pulling her back to me. Bella looks down at our hands quickly, and hands my card back to me.

"Make that order to-go," I say to Bella.

**********

I lock the doors of my car after me and Lily settle down. I take a long sip of the light drink.

"Why is everything you order so good?" I ask her, taking another sip.

"What can I say, I'm just too amazing." she sighs as if she's tired of being the best person to exist on the earth. "So," she says, "tell me about yourself."

"What do you want to know?" I ask her, going along with the script from last night.

"Everything," she says, echoing my words. So I do. She sits there sipping her coffee now and then, laughs at the funny moments, and saddens her expression at the parts where she feels bad for me. I tell her about my life growing up. I tell her about Bella. I told her about my drinking situation. I tell her everything. And it felt good to let everything out. I take a long look into her eyes. I've barely known this girl for two days, yet it feels like she's the greatest thing that has happened to me in the past few years. It's so easy to talk to her, without being judged. So easy to laugh around her, without being laughed at. I come back to focus. She looks back at me with her hazel eyes. Something clicks in my brain: I like this girl, a lot.