Chapter 7 Kisses and Misses
1763 Words
Walking Home
Last Day Before Winter Break
December 2010
The final bell rang, and students poured out of Grant Middle School, their voices loud and carefree as they scattered into the snow-covered streets. Sade adjusted her scarf, pulling it tighter around her neck as the chilly wind bit at her cheeks. Beside her, Isla walked with Marcus, her younger brother, who was busy kicking snow piles as they went.
Trailing slightly behind were Tamara and Star, each flanked by their siblings. Tamara’s younger sister, Jasmine, was bundled in a bright pink coat, while Star’s little brother, Theo, carried his bookbag with a noticeable limp, trying to keep up with the group.
“Slow down, Tamara,” Jasmine whined.
“Girl, if you don’t hurry your ass up, I’m leaving you in this snow,” Tamara shot back, her voice as sharp as the wind.
“Tamara!” Sade called over her shoulder, rolling her eyes. “She’s like eight. Chill out.”
“Whatever,” Tamara said with a shrug, popping a piece of gum into her mouth. “She’s lucky I even let her walk with me.”
Star was busy snapping selfies, her phone held high in the air as she angled it toward her and Theo. “Oh my God, the lighting is perfect right now,” she said, grinning at her screen. “Sade, come get in this picture!”
“No thanks, Star,” Sade said, shaking her head. “I’m good.”
“Your loss,” Star said, pouting as she adjusted her hat and snapped another photo.
As they walked, Tamara sidled up beside Sade with a mischievous grin on her face. “Hey, Sade, I heard a rumor,” she said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
Sade glanced at her, wary. “What kind of rumor?”
Tamara’s grin widened. “Let’s just say somebody had a kiss today.”
“A kiss?” Sade asked, feigning confusion. “Who?”
“Oh, don’t play dumb with me,” Tamara said, her voice rising slightly. “I heard that Dre kissed you.”
Sade froze for half a second before letting out a laugh. “Dre? No way. We’ve only been dating for three days. How would I kiss someone I’ve been dating for three days?”
“Uh-huh,” Tamara said, squinting at her. “I was just testing you, anyway.”
The rest of the group overheard the conversation and immediately jumped in.
“Wait, wait,” Star said, lowering her phone for once. “Who kissed who? Are we seriously talking about this?”
“Hell yeah, we’re talking about this,” Tamara said, blowing a bubble with her gum. “I mean, come on. Has anyone here even been kissed yet? Or are we all a bunch of mouth virgins?”
“Tamara!” Isla exclaimed, laughing but shaking her head. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Seriously, though,” Tamara continued, ignoring her. “Who here’s been kissed?”
“Not me,” Star said, shrugging. “Unless you count my mom on the cheek. I’m too busy building my empire to worry about boys.”
“More like you’re too busy taking selfies,” Tamara muttered, rolling her eyes.
“What about you, Sade?” Marcus asked, smirking. “You and Dre are all lovey-dovey. No kisses yet?”
“Leave her alone,” Isla said quickly, stepping in front of her brother. “Not everything’s about kissing, Marcus.”
“Whatever,” Marcus said, shoving his hands in his pockets.
The group continued down the street, their laughter and chatter filling the air until they began splitting off toward their homes. Tamara and Star said their goodbyes, dragging their siblings along with them.
Finally, it was just Sade, Isla, and Marcus walking toward Sade’s house. The snow crunched beneath their boots as they turned onto her block, where the lights in her living room window glowed warmly.
Sade hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Okay, so… I know I said I’ve never been kissed before, but…” She trailed off, glancing at Isla.
Isla frowned, her steps slowing. “But what?”
Sade sighed, adjusting her backpack. “I have been kissed.”
Marcus was already running ahead to Sade’s front steps, so Isla turned to her, her eyes wide. “You’ve been kissed? By who?”
“You’ll never guess,” Sade said, her voice quiet.
Isla tilted her head, confused and slightly nervous. “Who?”
Sade hesitated, then took a deep breath. “Marco.”
The word hung in the air between them like a cloud of frost. Isla’s expression shifted, her confusion giving way to something darker—jealousy.
“Marco?” she repeated, her voice tight. “As in our Marco?”
Sade nodded, avoiding Isla’s gaze. “Yeah. It just… happened. I didn’t plan it.”
Isla swallowed hard, her chest tightening. “But he has a girlfriend. And you’re with Dre.”
“I know,” Sade said quickly. “It wasn’t supposed to happen. He just… he kissed me, and then he said he liked me.”
“And what did you say?” Isla asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I told him there’s no ‘us,’” Sade said firmly. “Because there’s not. I mean, he’s Marco, right? He’s… Marco.”
Isla forced a laugh, but it sounded hollow. “Yeah, Marco. Just Marco.”
Sade studied her for a moment. “Isla, are you okay?”
“Of course,” Isla said, plastering on a smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
But as they stepped inside Sade’s warm house, Isla couldn’t shake the knot forming in her stomach or the way her heart seemed to ache in a way she didn’t quite understand.
Marcos POV
Marco walked slowly, the weight of the world on his shoulders as he trudged down the snow-covered sidewalk. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets, and his face was set in a permanent scowl. He barely heard his friends talking around him, the words blending into the cold, harsh wind that whipped through the streets.
Jordan walked alongside him, cracking jokes, but Marco wasn’t in the mood. Dre was ahead, walking with the group, but Marco didn’t really care about him right now. What mattered was Sadie. She was right there, her arm wrapped around Marco’s, fingers interlocked, their hands swinging between them. Marco didn’t let go of her, but his mind was elsewhere.
Paul, his older friend, walked quietly on the other side of Marco, casting occasional glances at him. It was clear that Marco wasn’t in the best mood, but Paul didn’t push it. He just let him be.
Dre was chattering away, clearly in a good mood, but Marco wasn’t listening to him. His mind was still back on Sade. The kiss. The way she had looked at him, like she didn’t know what to think, and then just walked off. It burned. He hated not knowing where he stood with her.
“Yo, Marco, you’re barely paying attention, man,” Dre said, sounding a little annoyed. Marco glanced over at Dre, who had his hands shoved in his pockets, walking with that smug confidence he always carried. Sadie, his girlfriend, was still right there beside Marco, her head leaning on his shoulder as they walked.
“Sorry,” Marco muttered. He wasn’t sorry at all.
Dre laughed and nudged Paul. “Man, Marco’s all mopey today. What’s up with you, bro?” He didn’t wait for an answer, already moving on to brag about something else.
“I just got Sadie’s number,” Dre said, grinning like he owned the world. “She’s totally down for a date after Christmas. We’re gonna hit up the mall, go to the movies, you know, just have a good time. Can’t wait. I’m gonna show her a good time.”
Marco felt a sharp pain in his chest as Dre spoke. The idea of Sade going out with Dre, spending time with him over the holidays, it made his blood boil. He had to say something.
“Dude, you got her number, huh?” Marco said, his voice tight, but Dre didn’t notice the venom in it.
“Yeah, man, she’s been texting me. We’re planning to hang out. You snooze, you lose, right?” Dre laughed, clearly enjoying the moment.
Marco’s anger flared. He couldn’t hold it in anymore. He suddenly stopped walking, his chest heaving with the tension that had been building up. The cold air seemed to freeze around him as he turned and walked right in front of Dre, stopping him in his tracks.
“What’s your problem, Marco?” Dre asked, confused but clearly trying to maintain that smug attitude.
Marco shoved Dre hard in the chest, sending him stumbling back slightly. “You think you’re gonna just stroll in and take her from me? You’re full of s**t, Dre,” Marco spat, his fists clenched. “She’s not some damn prize to be won.”
Dre stumbled back, his expression switching from smug to defensive. “What the hell, man? If you liked her, you should’ve done something about it! It’s not my fault you didn’t make a move. You should’ve asked her out, not me. Don’t get mad at me for what I did.”
Marco’s jaw clenched, and he stepped closer to Dre, not backing down. “You don’t get it. I do like her, and I always have. But you just swoop in, act like you own her—” Marco paused, his breath shaky with anger. “You’re not even good enough for her, Dre.”
Dre scoffed, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Relax, dude. You snooze, you lose. You should’ve made your move, but you didn’t. I’m just enjoying the ride.”
Marco turned around abruptly, shoving his hands back in his pockets as he walked off, his younger siblings trailing behind him. His blood was still boiling, but he wasn’t going to let Dre get the last word. Not today.
“Marco, what’s up with you?” Maria asked, looking up at him curiously. “You seem mad.”
“Nothing, Maria,” Marco muttered, his voice tense. “Nothing at all.”
But as they continued to walk home, Marco couldn't shake the feeling that Sade was slipping farther and farther away from him, and Dre—Dre—was the one she seemed to be pulling closer.
- Writer
