The Candle's Flame

Lexi The bell rings and everybody gathers their belongings to go to the pep rally. It's homecoming week and the hallways are buzzing with excitement for the rivalry game. I grab my bag and my binder and make my way to my locker to store everything so I will have less to worry about. I quickly run to the girls room to double check my uniform before the cheer routine. I hear the door open but I don't look up, my eyeliner is a bit smudged so I am engrossed in fixing it. Suddenly, I feel hands around my waist and I turn quickly, startled, only to see my boyfriend Todd. "What are you doing in here?" I ask him amused at the playful smile on his face. "I was thinking we could have some fun before the pep rally starts," he said leisurely, while his finger runs down my cheek. I frown. This was the same conversation we just had this morning. He wants to mess around, I'm just not ready. Todd was my first real boyfriend. Ever. Yes, I'm seventeen years old, but grades are important to me. Todd has persevered for three years until I finally agreed to date him. "Todd," I start with the same tone I used this morning but before I could finish my sentence he slammed his lips on mine knocking me back into the bathroom wall. Before I could think straight my hand came up and slapped him across his cheek. He quickly backs away from me, fury in his eyes. "What the hell, Lexi?" He asks me, like he did nothing wrong. "My answer is the same as this morning." I spit angrily at him, wiping my mouth. "I'm not ready." "You know what," he replies with venom I had never heard in his voice, "Forget it. No one wants to be with a prudish ugly mutt anyways. I'm done, we are done." I flinch at his insult, while he stalks out the restroom slamming the door against the wall as he exits. As soon as the door closes itself, I let out a breath. My eyes well up with tears, and I try to shake them away. Forget the pep rally, I think to myself as I walk out the back of the school. I walk to the woods, tears starting to flow down my face. I hear my name being called but I ignore it and quickly start walking to my favorite place. Dae Me and Alex were chatting about the upcoming meeting we both had to attend when I smelled something familiar. Lexi. Shouldn't she be at the rally, cheering her little cheer? I look around to see what's going on when I see her small silhouette stomping to the woods. I can't hear her faintly muttering, she sounds angry. "Alex, what is your sister doing?" I ask him cutting off his sentence. "Hmm… I don't know. She sounds mad." He answers me wearily. He begins to move when his phone rings. "It's my dad, gotta take it. Go get her so we can leave, please. I'm tired of being here and I have stuff to do." He answers the phone and starts talking to his dad. I sigh, and start to run to the woods, I call out her name trying to get her to stop but she pretends not to hear me and disappears into the brush.I already know where she's going. I can't help but be a little worried, after all she's my best friends twin sister. I trudge into the brush, following the sounds of her footsteps and muttering. Smiling when I hear the unlady like words slip from her lips. Boy, she is mad, she never used profane words. I finally reach the clearing shortly after her and she's facing a tree her back to me. I can smell salt….she's crying. "Lexi, what's wrong?" I ask her worry flooding my voice. She doesn't turn but her shoulders tremble slightly. "Why are boys so damn mean?" She turns to me, pain etching her face. My blood ran cold, rage started up in my stomach. "Did someone hurt you?!" I asked while I walked up to her grabbing her arms and checking for any sign of injury. "Dae stop," she said shaking me off. "I'm fine, my feelings are hurt. It's nothing, stupid really." She wiped under her eyes, smudging her eyeliner a bit, then shook her head. "Todd…he ah.. wanted more than what I wanted to give and got mad when I turned him down…he called me a prudish and ugly mutt and broke up with me." I was thankful that she was comfortable enough to tell me what happened, although the rage still was building inside of me. Todd was a nothing, no rank and he dared to put his hands on Lexi. My jaw clenched and I was working hard to keep my emotions in check. She stood with her arms folded in front of her, sadness in her big, green eyes. I walked over to her and she stepped back, making me stop. "P-please don't," she started her voice trembling, "I will start crying again." I glared at her, aggravated with the fact that she thought I would think less of her for crying. "Lexi, you are not an ugly mutt, for one." I started anger creeping into my voice, not at her of course but that i***t. She looked up at me surprised that my always playful tone remained serious. "Two, no means no. That's ok. You don't have to be ready until you're ready. No one gets to force you, it's your decision and if he can't accept that, he's not worth it." I crossed my arms, emphasizing my displeasure with the situation. "No one wants an inexperienced prude as a girlfriend" she said flatly, cheeks turning red while looking at her shoes. "I beg to differ." I responded to her making her quickly look up in surprise. " If you really care about that person, inexperience shouldn't matter." She looked at me and chewed on her bottom lip thinking about what I said quietly. She nodded, accepting my answer. I turned walking back the way we came so we could leave when I felt her small hand grab mine. "Dae," she started and I turned to face her. "I-I…that is. W-would you..ahhh.." her cheeks turned redder with each word and my confusion grew. I raised my eyebrow to her, showing my confusion. "Would you kiss me? I mean…am I kissable in your opinion?" She muttered at her shoes. I stood shocked at her questions. Unsure if she was asking me to kiss her or if I thought she was someone who looked good enough to kiss. I cleared my throat, trying to find the right words. "Lexi, I'm twenty two years old. But if I were your age, yes, I would want to kiss you. You're extremely attractive, don't ever doubt that." There, that was a good answer. I'm too old to even think about that. She's still a kid and I've known her my whole life. She just trusts my judgement, that's all. That's why she asked. I realized I'm nervous and I need to get out of here before she realizes I'm actually attracted to her and not just trying to be nice. As I turn to walk again she squeezes my hand so I, against my better judgment, turn again to see why she's stopping me. When I turn around she is looking me in the eyes, unsure but determined, yet vulnerable at the same time. No, Lexi, don't, I think to myself, knowing what's about to happen. "Dae," she says airly, "Kiss me." I started at her, frozen, my self control breaking. She repeats herself "Kiss me, Dae." "Why?" I ask, my voice hoarse with nerves. "I want to know what a real kiss is like, I know you won't hurt me, I trust you." She says quietly. Todd is an i***t. That's all I can think of. i***t, i***t, i***t. I take the two steps to her and gently brush my knuckles down her cheek. She shivers a little and closes her eyes, lifting her chin to make access to her lips easier. I take in her face, skin pale, with a golden undertone, long dark brown hair in a ponytail. Her lips: a soft pink, lush and full. Her long eyelashes flutter and her eyes open, pupils dilated but asking, as if to ask what's wrong. I move closer to her face gently rubbing my nose against hers and then press my lips to hers. Her hand slips from mine and runs up my chest to wrap around my neck, closing the gap between our bodies. My hands settle on her lower back, doing their best to be absolutely respectful. She sighs into my mouth and I take the opportunity to explore her mouth with my tongue. We move in sync and she moans a little bit, while deepening the kiss and pushing herself harder against my body. This is perfect, I think to myself, when I hear a throat clear behind us. I jump, turning to see my best friend standing there: arms crossed and a amused look on his face "Well, well, this is interesting." He says as he laughs. I could feel Lexi cringing behind me. Obviously humiliated from being caught. "Let's go, you two, we've got a meeting to attend ."