Underage

[5] A Kissing Game

Underage

[5] A Kissing Game

The game is quite simple. Every time the happy couple kisses one another, we drink. Every time their hands roam, we drink. Every time Grace giggles like a middle school girl with her first crush, we drink.

It's darker now, but the almost full moon gives just enough light. There are a few couples around the pond, the darkness covering up their fun. Ethan and I had to circle the small pond twice before finding the couple we were looking for. We stepped lightly, pushing away the branches from the bushes to step through and onto the grass. We got as close as we could to the couple who were whispering back and forth, their heads only inches apart. We both dropped down onto the slightly wet grass, the bottle of dark liquor in-between us.

Ethan pops open the bottle as quietly as he can, taking the first gulp. He's looking out towards the water, his jaw clenched.

"What's wrong, can't hold your liquor?"

He doesn't say anything, gesturing towards the kissing couple and thrusting the bottle into my hands. I take a gulp, a fire burning in my chest. I cough into my elbow to muffle the sound. Ethan jabs me in the side with his elbow to quiet me down, and takes another gulp of the liquor. It goes like that, back and forth, until I know I need to stop.

We shuffle backwards in fits of laughter. I don't know why we are laughing but as soon as he starts it's almost infectious. Ethan has different laughs—a fake one he uses with girls when they're flirting with him and trying to be funny, a loud one he uses when he wants someone to know he's laughing, a chuckle he uses when I do something embarrassing, and a real one he uses only on occasion. It's a laugh where you can't help but just look at him and laugh along. The skin around his eyes crinkles and his eyebrows furrow, and he has the largest smile on his face. It's the only time he shows off his one dimple.

He likes to say he only has one because he was too perfect when he was made, so God gave him his one and only imperfection. A load of crap, but girls vying for his attention buy it.

Ethan and I, as quickly as we can, hide in the cover of the bushes when both Cooper and Grace leave their spot on the grass and make their way back to the fire. I stumble over myself as we make our way towards the water. Ethan tries to wrap his arm around my waist but it only makes us both fall to the ground and roll down the hill until we're on the shore of the pond.

"We should probably get back to the fire." My words are strung together and slightly slurred. I try to sit up, but a quick hand to my shoulder has me flopping back down onto the ground right next to Ethan. My head spins slightly. Ethan lays flat on his back with his arms down at his sides, and for once he's not touching me. I settle in next to him.

"Let's just lay here."

I nod my head, but I know he doesn't see it. Instead, I stare up into the dark sky. The cloudless night lets the stars shine through. It's filled to the brim with shining, bright pearls. I like to think that each star is a lucky soul in Heaven. They watch over us, even when the sun takes over the sky and shines brighter than the stars. They're still there, watching. Maybe each one represents a guardian angel and every one person has a special star that's just for them. Maybe it's a loved one who passed on, or maybe it's just an angel who has taken a liking to you. And maybe when you die that star flickers out, burning away with you. Maybe you take the place of the guardian and pick somebody to watch over. Maybe that guardian just moves on. Who's to say?

We're lucky, here in Berband, to live far enough away from the bigger cities that we can still see the stars at night. I've always been scared of the dark, ever since I was little, but when the stars shine through I know I'll be okay and I know that not everything that comes out at night is scary.