Clara's Undoing

Clara's Undoing - Chapter Three: First Kiss

“You forgot to reply to my message last night.” James' voice boomed from behind me after I entered the glass door entrance to the main corridor.

“And why do you assume I forgot?” I asked teasingly. “It never occurred to you that maybe I just didn’t want to text you back?”

“No.” He confidently replied. “‘Cause I know how much we had fun yesterday. I know it, you know it. We both know it. So let’s not make it difficult for the both of us and just establish this as a ritual. Coffee everyday, after school.”

I smiled as I stopped at my locker, punching in my code at the newly upgraded digital lock. The small beep sound signaled it had opened and I stuffed in my afternoon books and notebooks, taking all my morning ones. “You’re awfully confident for someone who just had one coffee date.”

“Hence, I move to make it an everyday thing.” He said, almost like a whisper, as he put an arm against the top of my locker and smirked down at me.

My arms immediately stopped moving, my heart started to beat faster and louder, I thought there was a stampede going down the hall. I looked up at him through my lashes and I realized how much I loved the way the corner of his lips quirk up.

Not to mention the way the school uniform fitted him. There wasn’t a single underfit spot I could find beneath the white Herringbone dress shirt, navy blue blazers with the gold and green Bridgeborn emblem, and matching pants. The school’s navy blue and white striped scarf was twisted behind his neck and I almost had the urge to straighten it out.

“So, what do you say, Wheeler?” He asked when he got no response.

I slapped my face internally, unable to stop the sheepish smile that had come to surface. “I second the motion.”

James’ smirk lifted higher up and before I could even anticipate it, he had already planted a soft kiss on my right cheek.

“I’ll see you at lunch.” He said before disappearing with his friends who I didn’t notice were already in the middle of the hall, waiting for him.

James Evans just kissed me on the cheek…

James Evans just kissed me on the cheek.

James Evans just kissed me on my cheek!

“Oh my God Clara!” Sidney squealed in a whispery manner, suddenly coming out of nowhere. “James Evans just kissed you on the cheek!”

“That's what I was thinking!” I cried. “I was afraid I was just imagining it.”

“Oh no, mija, it happened!” She replied. “And everyone in here saw it. You have the entire corridor as your witness.”

“I can’t believe it.” I mumbled to myself.

“You better.” She said, closing my locker door for me. “Because whatever you’re doing to him, it’s working. Whether it’s the power play or the hard-to-get act, he’s buying it.”

I shook my head. “I don’t even know what I’m doing. I just say whatever comes at the top of my head.”

“Then keep doing that and by the end of the week, you’re gonna be wearing his football jersey and cheering for him at the sidelines as his official girlfriend.” She coaxed exuberantly, fixing my silk neckerchief, the same-colored counterpart for the men’s scarf. “Who knew it only took a dress and a pair of heels to get him to fall into your charm?”

Sidney and I went to our respective classes in a dreamy daze. She kept on throwing date ideas for me and how we could show to the entire school that James and I were together in little ways which I told her was a long way off apart from the fact that all her suggestions were too cheesy and childish.

Lunch came and James did see me. In fact, he walked right up to our table and sat with us, making friends with our entire circle; Charlotte, Betsy, Milla, Beatrice, and of course, Sidney. He was actually really nice to all of them and got really close with them quickly. Of course, he had known them since we were kids seeing as how we all did but being that famous in a school this huge and growing up with an entirely different group of friends, he was acing this test.

I had gotten pretty comfortable around him too. Well, just a little. Our second after-school coffee went a lot better than yesterday. We talked more about ourselves, laughed a lot more, and then ate a whole lot more. He even got me an extra slice of chocolate cake when he found out it was my favorite. Then I figured it was the perfect time to bring up my parents’ anniversary party.

“Now that you’ve seen me gobble up two slices of chocolate cake like there’s no tomorrow,” I started, finishing the cake with a strawberry frappe. “I guess this next thing won’t be as embarrassing.”

He swiped his index finger across my plate, cleaning off the remaining ganache off of it before putting it in his mouth. “What is it?”

I laughed at his antics for a moment before starting to speak. “I’m sure your parents got the invites for my folks’ anniversary party next weekend.”

“I don’t know but I heard my parents talking about getting clothes to wear for it.” He said.

“Well, my mom was asking for a headcount of my guests and I wanted to know if you would come.”

He grinned. “To the Old Peoples’ Party?”

“Yep.” I said, popping my ‘p’. I knew he would think of this as an OPP and wouldn’t want to come. “My friends are coming too so it wouldn’t be just an OPP but I’ll understand if you don’t want to come.”

“Are you kidding?” He cried. “I love OPPs. Parents don’t care if we drink there just as long as we say hi to the people they introduce us to.”

This time my laugh was longer and a little bolder. “You know, that’s absolutely true. I never really realized until now.”

James wagged his dark blonde eyebrows that matched his short shaggy hair. “I bet I could teach you a thing or two.”

The smile on my face instantly disappeared. “Like what?”

He leant forward, the space across the table starting to get smaller as he did. His eyes had a certain sparkle in them that told me whatever he was about to say was surely nothing innocent. “You’re gonna have to stick with me to find out.”

I stared back in his bright blue eyes, a huge smile starting to etch its way onto my lips.

Life could not be better than this very moment.

James took me home again, this time he walked me all the way to the door.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow at school?” He asked, a little shy if I didn’t know better.

I gave him a reassuring smile. “And then some.”

He chuckled for a moment then immediately faded as quickly as it came, his expression completely turning solemn. Then slowly, he leant in to kiss me.

Anticipation washed over me like an incoming warm wave of summer as my eyes fleeted close. I could feel my heartbeat starting to beat faster and faster until I could no longer control it and then his lips finally came.

I stand corrected, now life couldn’t get any better.

James bid me goodbye after. I waved over to Amir to which he reciprocated with a smile and a tiny salute before I got inside the house.

Mom was getting dressed for some business dinner and I happily updated her about my guests’ count for the party before she and Dad left. This time, I actually had the time and state of mind to finish my perspective drawing homework for Drafting class which I think Mr. Eugene will be very impressed with, especially since my last one was a total roadkill.

Sidney called at around ten. I told her all about how James took me home and kissed me, this time on the lips, and she freaked out like a junkie on withdrawal. If she hadn’t reminded me it was my first kiss, I wouldn’t have even remembered.

My first kiss was with James Aaron Evans, quarterback of the notorious Bridgeborn football team, school heartthrob, my ultimate crush, the love of my life.

Whew.