11-23-2015, 03:30 PM
May, 2005 - Age 15
I open the door and there’s Ian, standing on my porch with a bright blue streak in his hair. It takes me by surprise for a second, mostly because I never thought his mom would actually let him do it. “Hey! Dude, your hair looks awesome.”
“Thanks.” Ian smiles and brushes his fingers through the dyed section. I let him inside and he kicks off his shoes by the mat.
“Did your mom finally say yes?”
“Sort of? My dad convinced her to let me do it on a ‘trial basis.’” He does air quotes with his hands.
“Sweet. Now you just need a lip ring.”
Ian laughs. “Yeah, I wish.” When we get to the living room he hops over the back of the sofa. I walk around and sit like a normal person, because if I tried to do that I’d hurt myself.
“Where’d you go yesterday?”
“Oh. I skipped last period and went to Millennium Park.”
“By yourself?”
“No. I went with this girl Naomi from my algebra class.”
“Which Naomi? The tall one?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, I have English with her. She’s pretty cool.”
“Yeah, she’s alright.” He’s being cagey. I can tell by the way he’s picking at the frayed threads over the torn knee of his jeans that he wants me to change the subject. There’s kind of an awkward silence for a moment and something about it makes me feel nervous.
“So how was ballet?” I finally manage.
Ian shrugs. “It was fine.” He looks up and settles his hands in his lap. “Lindsey almost kicked me in the face because she was being an idiot, but mostly rehearsal went okay. Ethan told me he thinks I should try out for this summer intensive thing he’s teaching.”
“Dude, you should. I bet you’d get in.”
“You’re biased.” Ian smirks and stretches out on the sofa, leaning into my side. His hair smells amazing. I kind of want to tilt my face into it and just breathe. Suddenly he slides away and falls with his head and shoulders into my lap. It surprises me, but not in a bad way.
“What are you doing?” I laugh.
“Did your mom make any cupcakes today?” He looks up at me with wide eyes and an extremely appealing smile.
“Yeah, she made chocolate ones earlier.”
“Can I have some?”
Some days I’m half-convinced that Ian likes my mom’s baking better than he likes me. “I’m not supposed to take any until after dinner.”
“Aw, come on.” Ian swats at my chest playfully. I swear to god, he must have been a cat in a past life. (And he’s exactly as hard to say no to.) I try not to laugh, but only half-succeed.
“No, you’re gonna get me in trouble.”
“Cupcaaaaaaaakes….” He paws at my chest again.
“Ian…” I’m trying so hard to stay serious but it doesn’t work and now I can’t stop giggling. Ian looks so hot and adorable and I really just want to lean over and kiss him.
What would happen if I did?
It makes my heart go kind of crazy, thinking about it. My pulse is beating so hard and I can’t catch my breath. That’s when Ian shifts on my lap and his elbow bumps into my crotch.
I’m pretty sure I just died. For about a thousand different reasons.
Both of us freeze. The room suddenly gets very quiet. Ian sits up awkwardly and looks away. I tuck my knees into my chest and try to pretend that none of that just happened.
“I guess you can have one,” I say, because I have to say something.
“No, it’s cool. I don’t want to get you in trouble.” He still doesn’t look at me. I think he’s about to bolt, but… instead he stands up and goes to turn on the Xbox. “I’ll steal one after dinner.” He glances back tentatively. “Wanna play Halo?”
“Sure.” I don’t really, but the distraction is such a relief I don’t care.
I open the door and there’s Ian, standing on my porch with a bright blue streak in his hair. It takes me by surprise for a second, mostly because I never thought his mom would actually let him do it. “Hey! Dude, your hair looks awesome.”
“Thanks.” Ian smiles and brushes his fingers through the dyed section. I let him inside and he kicks off his shoes by the mat.
“Did your mom finally say yes?”
“Sort of? My dad convinced her to let me do it on a ‘trial basis.’” He does air quotes with his hands.
“Sweet. Now you just need a lip ring.”
Ian laughs. “Yeah, I wish.” When we get to the living room he hops over the back of the sofa. I walk around and sit like a normal person, because if I tried to do that I’d hurt myself.
“Where’d you go yesterday?”
“Oh. I skipped last period and went to Millennium Park.”
“By yourself?”
“No. I went with this girl Naomi from my algebra class.”
“Which Naomi? The tall one?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, I have English with her. She’s pretty cool.”
“Yeah, she’s alright.” He’s being cagey. I can tell by the way he’s picking at the frayed threads over the torn knee of his jeans that he wants me to change the subject. There’s kind of an awkward silence for a moment and something about it makes me feel nervous.
“So how was ballet?” I finally manage.
Ian shrugs. “It was fine.” He looks up and settles his hands in his lap. “Lindsey almost kicked me in the face because she was being an idiot, but mostly rehearsal went okay. Ethan told me he thinks I should try out for this summer intensive thing he’s teaching.”
“Dude, you should. I bet you’d get in.”
“You’re biased.” Ian smirks and stretches out on the sofa, leaning into my side. His hair smells amazing. I kind of want to tilt my face into it and just breathe. Suddenly he slides away and falls with his head and shoulders into my lap. It surprises me, but not in a bad way.
“What are you doing?” I laugh.
“Did your mom make any cupcakes today?” He looks up at me with wide eyes and an extremely appealing smile.
“Yeah, she made chocolate ones earlier.”
“Can I have some?”
Some days I’m half-convinced that Ian likes my mom’s baking better than he likes me. “I’m not supposed to take any until after dinner.”
“Aw, come on.” Ian swats at my chest playfully. I swear to god, he must have been a cat in a past life. (And he’s exactly as hard to say no to.) I try not to laugh, but only half-succeed.
“No, you’re gonna get me in trouble.”
“Cupcaaaaaaaakes….” He paws at my chest again.
“Ian…” I’m trying so hard to stay serious but it doesn’t work and now I can’t stop giggling. Ian looks so hot and adorable and I really just want to lean over and kiss him.
What would happen if I did?
It makes my heart go kind of crazy, thinking about it. My pulse is beating so hard and I can’t catch my breath. That’s when Ian shifts on my lap and his elbow bumps into my crotch.
I’m pretty sure I just died. For about a thousand different reasons.
Both of us freeze. The room suddenly gets very quiet. Ian sits up awkwardly and looks away. I tuck my knees into my chest and try to pretend that none of that just happened.
“I guess you can have one,” I say, because I have to say something.
“No, it’s cool. I don’t want to get you in trouble.” He still doesn’t look at me. I think he’s about to bolt, but… instead he stands up and goes to turn on the Xbox. “I’ll steal one after dinner.” He glances back tentatively. “Wanna play Halo?”
“Sure.” I don’t really, but the distraction is such a relief I don’t care.