by Like, Macyn
When she released me, she was still smiling. “Oh, wow, Kieran. It’s been so long. What are you up to now?”
“Uh, well, I teach ninth grade.”
Her eyes widened. “That’s great. I heard you moved to Memphis. Are you still there?”
“Yes.”
I noticed the white gold band shining on her finger and expected to feel a pang of jealousy, but I felt nothing. It was just a ring.
“What are you doing back?” she asked.
“I’m visiting my sister for the weekend.”
“Oh, I thought she was in New York?”
“She’s back.”
“Oh, that’s nice. Are you guys still close?”
“Yes.”
She reached out and touched my forearm lightly and the electricity I used to feel from her touch was absent. “Kieran, how are you? I heard some things a while back…” she trailed off.
“I’m great,” I said, confused. She was looking at me so strangely, her blue eyes filled with worry, her forehead creased in concern. I hadn’t heard from this girl in years. During my darkest time, her absence had told me exactly how she felt about me. I thought she’d written me out of her life a long time ago, but it was clear as day that she still cared.
“I heard about your wreck. I wanted to visit you in the hospital, but I thought it would just make it worse.”
Maybe she was right; maybe it would have.
I just nodded. I didn’t want to talk about the accident, especially not with her.
“Well, you look good. Are you seeing anyone?”
“I am. She’s great.” I couldn’t help but smile, thinking about Marissa. “You’d like her.”
Becca’s eyes lit up. “That’s so good to hear. I bet I would like her.”
We stood there for a second and it was almost nice. She was happy for me, and for the first time I was okay with what happened between us. I was over it.
“Well, listen. I’ve got to get going, but it was so good seeing you.” She squeezed my shoulder gently.
“You too,” I said.
I watched her walk away and my heart felt like it was flying. Somewhere along the way I’d let her go, and was just now realizing that I was free.
Kiera came up behind me. “Hey. What was that about?”
“Nothing. She was just saying hi.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I answered honestly. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Kiera raised an eyebrow at me and I laughed. “What? I am so over her.”
“It’s been four years. I should hope so,” Kiera said teasingly and hooked her arm around mine as she led me out of the store.
Chapter 27
Marissa
I heard the footsteps on the stairs almost immediately. I jumped out of my chair and flung the door open, stepping outside my apartment. He was already at the top, walking towards my door instead of his. He dropped his duffel bag on the ground as I leaped into his arms.
“Oh, I missed you,” Kieran mumbled against my ear.
I nodded against his chest. “How was your weekend?”
“Fantastic. Would’ve been better if you’d been there. Come with me next time.”
I looked up at him. “To meet your family?”
“You already know half of them,” he said, a small smile playing on his lips.
“Yeah, but not your parents. Are you sure you’re ready for that?”
He bent down and kissed my forehead softly. “I’m sure.”
My heart skipped in my chest as he scooped me up in his arms and we entered his dark apartment. He kissed me slowly, sweetly.
“Wow, it sucks being away from you,” Kieran said when he pulled away. “How was your weekend?”
“Boring.” Except for the five minutes I spent with Alisha, I thought. That was…interesting.
He walked us across the living room and we collapsed on the couch together. He pulled me closer. “I love your hair,” he said, burying his face in it.
I laughed as his lips brushed against my ear. I pulled the elastic from his hair and it fell loose around his shoulders. “I love your hair,” I said as I ran my hands through the silky dark strands.
He kissed me softly. “I love your lips,” he said.
“Right back at you,” I said, kissing him back.
He pulled back and whispered, “I love you.”
I paused, wondering if I had heard him right. I sat up. “What?”
He pushed himself up to sit beside me. We looked at each other through the darkness and he ran a finger across my cheek, down my jawline and neck.
“I love you, Marissa.”
I inhaled slowly and held my breath for a few seconds before blowing it out. “I—” I began, but Kieran held up a hand.
“No, I know it’s too soon. But I feel it.”
“Kieran, I—”
“Don’t say it if you don’t. I just had to say it to you.”
“Kieran, shhh.” I placed a finger on his lips and he kissed it. “I love you, too,” I said.
He pulled me against his chest and kissed me with such intensity that I thought I’d melt. I wrapped one arm around his neck as I ran the other hand through his hair again, down his neck to his chest. His shirt was soft and smelled clean and woodsy. It reminded me of the night I’d been sitting on the same couch with Kiera and he’d just come out of the shower, his scent filling the apartment.
His phone rang and I pulled away. “Aren’t you going to pick it up?”
“No,” he said, pulling me back down for another kiss.
“What if it’s your sister?” I whispered in his ear.
He kissed my temple. “I already talked to her today.”
“Kieran.”
“Fine, fine.” He pulled his phone out of his back pocket and held it up. “But then I’m throwing this thing off the balcony.” He looked at the screen. “It’s Shannon.”
“Go ahead.” I nodded.
He sighed and answered it. “Hey. Yeah, I’m back…No, I think I’m good. Okay, thanks, man. Uh-huh, bye.” He hung up and set the phone on his coffee table.
“What did he want?” I asked.
“He wanted to know if I wanted to go out for Mexican food with him and Alisha.”
“Did you want to? Have you eaten?”
“No, but I’m a little busy right now.” He laid back down on the couch and pulled me with him.
I laughed. “Kieran!”
“Hm?” he asked, kissing my neck softly.
“Nothing,” I said, relaxing against him.
“Are you hungry?” he asked after a minute. “Did you want to go? I can call him back.”
“No, I’m not going anywhere.” I snuggled up against his chest.
“Want to order in?” he asked, pushing up on his elbows, smiling warmly at me.
“Sounds good to me.”
“Pizza?” he asked.
“Sure.”
“What kind?”
I didn’t even have to think about it. “Pepperoni and sausage.”
Kieran nodded. “You read my mind.” He picked up his phone and dialed.
“I thought you were throwing that off the balcony.”
He pulled the phone away from his ear. “I will if you want me to.”
“After the pizza,” I said, because I was hungry.
“After the pizza,” he agreed.
I listened as he ordered a large pepperoni and sausage from the pizza place down the street. I came up behind him and ran my fingers up and down his arms, and bit back a smile when I felt him shiver.
When he ended the call, he turned in my arms and cupped my face. “What are you trying to do to me?”
I shrugged. “I’m just waiting on the pizza. I’m starved.”
He lifted his eyebrows and grinned. “Starved, huh?”
I nodded innocently as he bent down to kiss me.
Chapter 28
Kieran
“Well, look at you,” Emery said
as he approached me in the hall between classes. “You either drank all the coffee in the lounge this morning or you saw your girl last night.”
“I didn’t go to the lounge this morning,” I said, attempting to contain my smile and failing miserably. I couldn’t help it. This excitement was something I hadn’t felt in a long time. It was radiating from me.
“I haven’t seen a guy smile like that in this school in a long time. I want to meet this girl. You’re really into her, huh?”
“You could say that.”
“I could also say I told you so. Are you taking her out tonight?”
“Yeah. Nothing big, just hanging out with some of my friends.”
He nodded as the bell rang and we both went back into our respective classrooms.
My students were sitting at their desks, chatting away, as if the bell hadn’t just sounded and I hadn’t just walked into the room. I shushed them and proceeded to collect the homework from the night before.
“Mr. Riley,” one of the girls in the front row said as I stood in front of her desk, “You look different today.”
“How so?” I asked, taking up the papers she handed me for her row. My hair was pulled up and I’d gotten up in time to shave. I’d worn the same green button-up shirt and dark pants combo at least ten times this semester already, and I wore the same black leather shoes everyday.
“You look, I don’t know, happy or something,” Evelyn, the girl, said.
Oh, that. It was one thing for Emery to be able to tell, but my students? I had no idea that they were that observant. Or, you know, that they cared about anyone beyond their own social circles. This was the ninth grade, after all.
“I’m always happy,” I replied nonchalantly, and walked to the next desk.
“No, you’re not, Mr. Riley. You are so Emo!” Another girl, Simone, yelled from the back.
I scrunched my face. “I am not Emo,” I said, while the rest of the class agreed with Simone.
“It’s because he’s in love,” Wesley, a kid who liked to think of himself as the next major comedian, shouted out, drawing out the word “love” like it had five O’s instead of just one. “I heard him talking to Mr. Appleby about it in the hall.”
The girls rang out with a chorus of “Awww’s!!” and I could feel the heat rising in my face. This was not a conversation I wanted to have with second period.
“Okay, enough about Mr. Riley’s personal life. Let’s talk about solving equations!” I said enthusiastically, walking to the marker board.
“Well, are you?” Evelyn asked.
“Maybe. Now back to math.”
“Aw, he is!” she shouted excitedly. “What’s her name? Is she a teacher, too? Does she work here?”
“She is not a teacher.” I hesitated, and then added, “Her name is Marissa.” I knew they didn’t need to know, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted to tell them.
“Is she hot?” One of the guys in the back shouted out.
“Yes, she’s very beautiful. But seriously, guys. Algebra.”
“So, are you, like, going to marry her or something?” Wesley shouted out, causing a few others to laugh.
“I really haven’t thought about it,” I answered honestly and turned back to the board to begin writing out an equation for them to solve.
I tried to concentrate as I began my lesson, but images of Marissa walking towards me in a sparkling white gown kept catching me off guard. I knew it was only because of what Wesley had said, but still. It had me thinking about it. Would I marry Marissa? It was too soon to tell, but I was thinking about it, and the thought didn’t make me want to run away, which was a huge development in and of itself. But, more than that, it made me happy. Very happy.
I saw her again in my head, her green eyes glittering, her perfect white gown shimmering in the sunlight. Her gorgeous smile as she made her way towards me. My heart was melting, and I hoped my students couldn’t see. I turned back to the board to scribble down the next sample problem, and to hide the wide smile that had taken over my face.
Chapter 29
Marissa
The waiter set my fettuccine Alfredo in front of me and it smelled so great my mouth began to water. I was a sucker for pasta, so I was glad Ollie had suggested an Italian restaurant for dinner.
Kieran had ordered spaghetti and meatballs and it looked great, too. I slid the breadstick I’d been nibbling on across the edge of my plate, soaking up some of the Alfredo sauce and took a big bite. Oh, yeah.
The restaurant was jam-packed and we were all settled in at a large table in the middle of a crowded room. I was seated between Kieran and Shannon, with Ollie, Vivienne, and Alisha on the other side.
The waiter came around and filled my glass with fresh tea and Kieran offered me a meatball.
“No thanks,” I covered my mouth and mumbled through a mouthful of fettuccine.
Kieran nudged my shoulder with his and I glanced over in the direction he was staring. Vivienne was feeding Ollie a forkful of spaghetti and he was smiling and it was just the cutest thing ever. They didn’t see us watching, and we laughed quietly to ourselves. Kieran had whispered to me on the car ride over that he thought Ollie had finally met his match, and even though I didn’t know him very well, I had to agree.
After dinner we walked down Beale Street hand in hand behind the others. It was a slightly cool night and Kieran had wrapped his jacket around my shoulders since I’d forgotten to bring mine.
“Hey, let’s pop in here,” Ollie said when we came up on a coffeehouse with a nice little café area set up outside.
“You want some tea, right?” Kieran asked as we entered.
“Yes, please.”
“Hot or cold?”
I thought about the chill in the air and answered, “Hot.”
“Got it,” he said, walking up to the counter with the other guys.
Alisha touched my arm. “Let’s go find a seat,” she said.
I followed her to the back of the small building where there were a couple of larger booths. I slid in the first one and, to my surprise, she slid in right beside me.
“So, you sure look like you’re having a nice time tonight,” she said.
I hesitated before faking a smile. “Yeah,” I nodded, “I really like hanging out with everybody.” I wondered where she was going with this. That girl made me nervous.
“Kieran looks happy, too. Strange. He’s usually itching to get rid of a girl by now.”
“Oh, yeah?” I said, nonchalantly. Why was she telling me this? She was so weird.
“Yeah, no offense.”
“Of course.”
“It’s nothing about you. It’s Kieran. He’s pretty messed up. There’s this whole sob story about his ex back home.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Do you? I’m surprised. He hates to talk about it.”
“I guess I don’t blame him,” I said, staring at the napkin dispenser, the sugar packets, anywhere but those huge blue eyes.
She nodded her head in agreement and we didn’t talk for several seconds and I thought the conversation was over.
But of course it wasn’t.
“Just watch yourself, okay? You look like you’re getting way too cozy and he’s not who you think he is. I know he makes you feel special and stuff, but that’s just what he does. Can’t help himself. I’m telling you, you have no idea. So keep your eyes open,” she said.
I stared at her wide-eyed. What? Alisha was supposed to be one of his best friends. Why would she say those things about him?
As if she sensed my question she added, “Just a friendly warning.” She smiled that cute, innocent smile that I was beginning to think was anything but friendly. I’m pretty sure my mouth was hanging open. Who did she think she was?
The boys and Vivienne came over to us then, cutting our conversation off just as I was going to ask Alisha where she got off. She moved so Kieran could sit next me. He handed me my drink and I thanked him quietly, wondering what in the world
had just happened. Alisha was staring at me across the table with a sad smile, like she pitied me or something. I took a sip of my drink and ignored her. Kieran slid an arm around my shoulders and offered me a blueberry scone from the basket they’d brought to the table. I shook my head, suddenly feeling nauseous.
We stayed at the coffeehouse for almost an hour and every few minutes I heard Alisha’s voice in my head. He’s not who you think he is…He’s not who you think he is...He’s not who you think he is…
What was that supposed to mean?
As we walked back out into the cool night I took a deep breath and shook my head once, trying to shake her words out of my brain, but they were stuck. And when Shannon pulled up to the curb outside the apartment about twenty minutes later, and we’d said our goodnights, they were still there.
Kieran followed me up the stairs. I paused between our doors and turned to him. He pulled me to him and kissed me deeply. “Sorry,” he said when we finally broke apart. “I’ve just been wanting to do that all night.”
“Don’t be sorry,” I said, placing my hands on his chest. Before I could enjoy it too much Alisha popped into my mind again. I just couldn’t wrap my head around why she would bash Kieran like that. What she said couldn’t be true. But then a little voice at the back of my mind whispered, But what if it is?
We were interrupted by a scratch and a whine coming from inside my apartment.
“Oh, Tulip. I bet she’s ready to burst. I better get in there.” I started to move away, but Kieran just tightened his arms around my waist.
“Am I going in there with you?”
“Do you want to?”
He gave me a blank stare and laughed. “Obviously.”
“It’s late,” I said, raising a brow. “I don’t want to be responsible for you being too tired to properly bestow your awesome algebra knowledge on all those awaiting ninth graders.”
“Yeah, there’s that. But I’ve really been craving some of those cookies.”
“I don’t have any cookies.”
“Oh.” He frowned.
“I have red velvet brownies.”
“Brownies work.” He perked back up.
“Ha. You ate a whole plate of spaghetti and two scones at the coffeehouse. You are not hungry.”
