Contact {#wattys2016}

Chapter 28

"Call me when you girls are ready to be picked up." My mom smiled, dropping Barbie and I off at the mall.

"I will, Mom. We're just getting manicures and pedicures and we'll be done."

"That's usually an hour and half. I'll be waiting for that call." She blows a kiss before driving away.

"Oh my God, what happened last night?"

"Honestly, I don't really know." I reply, entering the mall. Barbie's face lights up as she follows.

"Oh my God, he kissed you." She guesses.

"Nope." Although it felt like he was going to.

"Then what?"

"Let's just say that my choices were very effective." I enter the salon, going to the receptionist. Barbie squeals and swats at my arm. I ask about our appointments and we're whisked away to nail tables.

"Explain." Barbie grins.

"Well he couldn't take his eyes off me. And I proposed a truce between us. And he agreed. We're officially friends."

"Probably closer to more than that." Barbie winks.

"Well I learned more about him and he learned more about me and we just sort of had fun. And then his mother left and my parents went inside."

"Go on."

"And we started talking about obligation." I sigh dreamily.

"Obligation?"

His obligation. He asked me what Brandon would think of last night. And I told him it was his obligation to come over for dinner. My parents demanded it. And he started going on about warming my hands, and sharing a blanket, and forming a truce, all his obligation. I told him we were instructed to make peace and play nice. And that's when-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA!" Barbie cuts me off. "Go back to his obligations."

"Well he offered to warm my hands and blew on them. And then my mom only brought out three blankets so we had to share."

"Were you two close?" Barbie asks as the manicurist moves to my nail beds.

"Very. And then he said it's his obligation to not let go of my hand. I said, "It doesn't have to be." "Wouldn't you like that?" he said. And I admitted that I would." I wince.

"Oh my God. You were so smooth." Barbie compliments.

"Not as smooth as him. I pulled away because we were so close to..."

"To?"

"Kissing." I reveal. Barbie gasps and I momentarily look away, deciding what color for my nails. I pick out a perky pink, contrasted with gold chevron.

"No way! You were going to kiss Brendon Stone!" I can barely formulate a thought. His eyes flash into my mind and I shiver.

"I didn't."

"But you wanted to."

"I never said I wanted to!" I snap.

"That answer just told me you wanted to." She deciphers as I blush furiously. I hear her pick out a black sparkle for her nails before addressing me.

"Is there anymore?" She bites her lip.

"Once I looked away, we both stared into the fire. And...he..."

"HE!?!??!"

"He called me beautiful." I whisper.

"SHUT UP!" Barbie nearly screams.