Seeing Shane Gray ✓

thirty two | date

*.*.*.*.*.*

November 25

"Okay, spit it out. What's going on between you and Shane?"

I look at Marla to find her watching me and waiting for me to respond to her quite direct question.

"What do you mean?" I ask, leaning back in my seat and pretending to be completely at ease.

Marla isn't fooled. "Don't play dumb," she says. "You've looked at his table thirty times in the past ten minutes."

She's right. Ever since we got into the cafeteria, I've been waiting for Shane to show up. Carlos and the rest of the team is busy devouring whatever food is on their table but Shane is nowhere to be seen. I can't help but wonder where he could be.

Marla raises her eyebrows and Riley and Racheal frown at me. I'm sure they've noticed too but aren't as bold as Marla to ask.

I look at all three of my friends before sighing.

"Okay, well ..." I pause. "I kissed Shane Gray."

I grimace, waiting for the uproar. As expected, the table nearly blows up under the sudden lurch of my friends.

"I want all the details now!" Marla snaps.

"What? How? When?" asks Riley.

"Wait!" Racheal interrupts and we all look at her. "On the lips?"

We stare at her, lost for words. She doesn't blush, apparently genuinely confused.

"Yes, Rach," I say softly. "On the lips."

She finally cracks a smile and I laugh. As for Marla and Riley, they keep bombarding me with questions until I raise both my hands and very politely tell them to take a breath.

"Can you losers shut your traps so I can actually answer?" I ask.

Riley narrows her eyes at me and pointedly closes her mouth while Marla rolls her eyes and gives me an exasperated look.

"One question at a time, ladies," I say smugly.

"When did this happen and why did you not tell us?" Marla asks.

"It happened last night and I'm telling you now," I answer truthfully.

"You were with Shane last night?" Riley picks up. "Details!"

"There are no details," I tell them. "We were just sitting together in his car and it sort of happened."

"Happened?" Riley raises her eyebrows.

"Yeah, he was just talking and I don't know what happened, I leaned over the middle and just kissed him." I shrug, cringing at the memory. "It was awkward and weird and I'm pretty sure he's avoiding me because it was so bad."

"I can't believe Shane is a bad kisser," Marla intervenes.

"He's not, it was me," I admit. "I mean, I'm pretty sure I tasted like sleep-drool and bed-sweat and it was just so insane. I don't know what came over me."

"What did he say after?" Riley asks.

I lift my shoulders and drop them, thinking back to what he had actually said. 'Please just don't tell anyone.' Thinking about it now, I can't help but wish I hadn't kissed him. He was probably so caught up in his own head and worried I'm going to expose him. That was not the time for an impulsive kiss.

"Will you talk to him?" Marla asks me, probably gauging my reluctance.

I think about it. "I don't know," I admit. "Maybe I'll just wait for him to talk to me."