First Sight

Seven

I couldn't talk to him for the rest of the night. For the next few days. I avoided both him and Mira as much as I could. I couldn't afford to look at either of them in fear of crying.

Lucky for me, no one at school seems to remember that night. Everyone was only talking about how Samantha got caught in one of the rooms making out with Trent's best friend in only her underwear. She doesn't remember it ever happening and now she and Trent are "taking a break." But out of everyone in the party, my friends and I didn't have a single drink and were probably the only sober ones, so there's no denying the fact that both of them remember that kiss.

Oh, that kiss. He was so delicate like he knew exactly what he was doing. But what if he just did it for the game? He might not even have feelings. He might have just done it for the peer pressure. And I should respect that but oh gosh I just want to kiss those lips again and again.

I sit in my usual seat in first hour English when I hear a familiar voice. "Hey, stranger."

And there he is, towering over me, backpack slung over his shoulder. His hair is down today, covering most of his face. He sweeps it to the side.

"Oh, uh, hey."

"Where've you been? You haven't messaged me in forever and even Mira says you've been distant."

"Oh, yeah, uh, I'm sorry about that. I've just not been feeling good."

"Since the party?"

"...Yeah."

Grant is silent for a few seconds. "Wanna come to my place after school? We can catch up." He smiles.

I return a side grin. "Yeah, I can do that."

Hours turn into years as I wait for the day to end. When the final bell rings, I grab my things and get in my car. Grant's car is already in his driveway when I arrive. I knock a few times and walk in. "Hey it's Sean," I call out.

"In my room!" I hear Grant's muffled voice yell.

I walk down the stairs and through a hallway. His door is half closed, so I knock twice and slide it open. And oh my lord, he's only wearing a towel around his waist.

"Hey! Sorry, I just got out of the shower. I was just lifting and I felt super gross."

He is the fittest person I've ever seen in my life. The entire package. Abs, biceps, triceps, every other "ceps," he's got them all. His towel rests low enough that I can see the V-line where―

I lift my jaw. "Oh, it's okay."

He slips a shirt over his head and I feel my entire body loosen with relief. He talks while he walks into his bathroom. "So what's been going on? Why're you so distant?"

I sit on his bed and clear my throat. He exits the bathroom a few seconds later, now with jeans instead of the towel. He's buckling up the belt across his waist. "Well?" he asks.

"I... I don't know," I lamely lie.

"Come on, Sean. You can be honest with me." Grant smiles.

"I don't know..."

"Is it about the night of the party?"

I nod, and so does Grant. He purses his lips. The same lips I've dreamt about kissing every since I had my first taste.

Grant hums. "How about a game?"

"You really think this is a good time for a game?"

"Truth or dare."

You're not getting it out of me that easily, I think to myself. "Fine. But I ask first."

Grant stretches his arms out as if inviting me to go ahead.

"Truth or dare?"

"Dare," he says with a smirk.

"I dare you..." I hesitate while I think of something to say. I notice the energy drink on his nightstand that hasn't been opened. "I dare you to chug that energy drink as fast as you can."

Grant strides over to his nightstand, cracks the drink open, and guzzles it down. "I'm going to be awake for days after that," he says with a burp, and I laugh. "My turn, truth or dare?"

"Dare," I say.

Grant smiles. "I dare you to order me a pizza and pay for it."

"Really man?"

"Do it, Sean!" Grant laughs.

I pull out my phone and call a local pizza parlor who makes the best crust in town. Grant didn't tell me what kind of pizza, so I took it upon myself to order his least favorite, Hawaiian. This gets a reaction out of him, and he almost smacks my phone out of my hands before I'm able to finish the order.

I hang up the phone and say, "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," he says.

"Have you ever been drunk before?"

"God no. When I was a kid, my dad let me have a sip of his beer and it was the most disgusting thing I've ever had, so I told myself that I'll never drink it again for as long as I live. Truth or dare?"

The game goes on for a while, and I almost forget why I was being so distant in the first place. Things feel so normal now. We're laughing and having fun, the only thing that's missing is Mira to boss us around. And then I make the mistake of saying, "Truth."

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

"Yes," I say, almost too quickly. "Do you?"

"I might. So who was your last love?"

"No, no, you can't ask two truths."

"New rule, I can ask as many truths as I want. Who was the last person you fell in love with?"

I don't say anything.

"Okay Sean, I won't force you to say anything. Can I ask one more truth though?"

I nod, thinking this is when he asks about my sexuality. This is when I come out and this is when I lose my best friend.

But then he throws a curveball and asks the most unexpected question. "Can I kiss you again?"

I freeze. My heart is pounding and I feel my cheeks flush. My lungs won't let me let out the air needed to speak, so I just nod my head again. He leans over me and grabs my face just like that night and kisses me so deeply. Then kissing leads to making out, and soon he's on top of me. Oh lord, he's on top of me.

"Is this why you've been distant?"

I nod again. Grant places another kiss on my lips.

"I do believe in love at first sight, Sean. I did ever since the first time I saw you."

That poor delivery man. We forgot about the pizza.