Playing the Field [TOAO Spinoff]

one

two years ago

The rain covered my window in a silver curtain, stained with street lights and blurred stop signs. The sky was such a dark gray that i was questioning whether a sun even existed on a day like this one. Blurry children played in the puddles on the streets, hair sticking to their foreheads, clothes outlining their tiny figures. They looked so happy. I don't remember how long i watched them play, but it wasn't until their parents came out with towels and called them in for dinner that i could finally tear my eyes away. Even then, it was hard not to think about their smiles shining through the grim weather and not be jealous of what they have. A family, a home.

I closed my blinds, running a cold hand through my dark brown hair. I mean, sure, I have an alright mom right downstairs, but we don't really connect. There's something off about being here with her, and i don't know if it's because we look nothing alike for her to be my mom, or if it's because she doesn't know a damn thing about me. I guess it doesn't really matter anyway, it's not like I can do anything but sit here and wait for some sort of redemption, something that'll make me smile and laugh like those kids. There's nothing i can do but wait for my home to finally feel like a home.

~~~

present day

Soft, passionate, hot...addictive. These were all adjectives I could use to describe what kissing Mackenzie was like. Our hallway make-out sessions were the only things I looked forward to during school hours. In between classes, during lunch, right after school...we just couldn't get enough of each other. Kissing her was purely magical.

In fact, in this very moment she's pinned to her locker, her mouth locked with mine unashamedly. It was right as I slipped my hand a little ways under her plaid skirt that the bell for third period decided to ring. With regret, I released my lips from hers, but staying close enough so that she was still trapped against the lockers.

Her emerald eyes looked up at me, glinting and seemingly endless. A playful smile crossed her features as she whispered to me, "What are you doing this weekend?"

"Babe, you know I fill my weekends with baseball. I have to stay sharp if I'm going to get any scholarships for college." My fingers found themselves twirling stray pieces of her hair that had fallen from her ponytail. Mackenzie may dress like an innocent schoolgirl, but my goodness is she anything but innocent.

She fake-pouted. "I know, but can't you take just one weekend off? I was hoping I could come over," her fingers traced the hem of my jeans, her eyes batting innocently, but the look in them was pure mischief. "And you know," her pointer looped just inside the waist of my pants, but that was all it took to make me blush. "Hang out."

I blinked several times, astonished at her blatant suggestion. I just had my first kiss a few months ago, and she already wants to do things with me? Of course, I did the only thing a frightened teenage boy in my situation could do: I lied. "Yeah, um," a nervous chuckle fell from my lips as I quickly thought of an excuse, "you know, I just remembered that my brother is coming in to visit this weekend with his girlfriend. Can't miss out, something about uh, family time, or whatever." My attempts at being casual were sliding down the drain faster than my stale coffee from this morning. I was almost positive that she was onto me, yet she did not show it if she was.

She smiled up at me, releasing her finger from my pants. "Okay, well maybe some other time then." The smile on her face told me she was not disappointed, but in fact hopeful that i was actually going to sleep with her. I'd love to and all, but I'm not my brother, I take intimacy very seriously. She gathered her things from her locker and gave me a farewell kiss on the cheek. "Tell Andrew I say hi."