“You shouldn’t have done that.” I said, staring at Christian in surprise and anger.
“Why not? You like me, I like you. So what’s going to stop me?” he replied indignantly.
“Maybe my boyfriend?!” I almost yelled, than checked myself as I head Dad walking around upstairs.
“Jeez Steph, breathe!” Christian said, completely at ease next to me on the couch. I just glared at him. “So! You’re denying that you like me?” he said, smirking.
“No, but….” I trailed off into stupefied silence. “You’re trying to trick me!” I said, and he started laughing.
“Would I do that to you?” he asked, still laughing. I thought for a second.
“Yes.” I said, trying not to smile. He kissed me, without a single hint of hesitation, like he knew what he wanted, and he would get it. I briefly thought of the other girls who had probably been in this exact position with him, but quickly all thought was banished from my mind. I paid attention only his hands on my body, his shirt underneath my hands, and our mouths connecting. There was not a single rational thought in my mind. His touch electrified my senses when and where it met bare skin. After several long minutes, we pulled apart.
“Damnit Christian!” I said, pulling away.
“What?”
“Do NOT do that!” I replied furiously, trying to keep my voice low.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t like it,” He challenged.
“Oh just shut up! I’m so tired of your stupid arrogance!” I said, standing up to get away from him, and I started pacing, He shrugged.
“You didn’t care a minute ago,” he said, still smirking. Christian stood up and leaned against the wall and never lost the stupid smirk. I threw myself facedown on the couch, and tried to calm down. I heard my phone vibrate.
“Your boyfriend wants to know if I’m still here,” Christian said, reading the text.
“Tell him yes, we finished the movie,” I said, my voice muffled by the couch.
“He asked if Sam’s still here.”
“Tell him no, she left right after he did.”
“He asked if we’re alone.”
“Tell him yes. And throw me my phone.”
“Fine,” Christian said.
“He’s calling me,” I said, and Christian moved to leave. “No. Stay.” I said, pointing to the chair. He sat obediently. “What’s up Jordan?”
“Did you guys do anything?” he asked immediately. So much for hello.
“You really think I’d cheat on you?”
“Nooo… But he would kiss you.”
“What makes you say that?”
“It’s obvious.”
“Look, I really don’t want to argue about this now. I haven’t seen Christian in 6 months. Nothing happened.” I said, hurrying through the lie.
“Promise?” Jordan asked.
“Yeah. Text me later, okay?” I said, the guilt eating me away.
“Yeah, one other thing. Can I talk to Christian?” he asked.
“I suppose,” I said, turning to Christian and handing him my phone.
“Hello?” Christian said. “Oh. Okay. Bye Jordan.” And he hung up on him.
“What did he say?” I asked, taking my phone back.
“‘I’ll kill you if I find out you were kissing her. Go back to Arizona!’ Jeez, over dramatic much?” Christian said, openly laughing.
“Oh just shut up! I feel so bad lying to him…. That shouldn’t have happened.” I said, burying my face in the couch again.
“So I’m not allowed to leave, and I have to shut up? Nope. Choose one or the other.” He said, trying to make me smile.
“Fine. You can talk.” I said, adamantly refusing to smile.
“So you don’t want me to leave then?”
“No…” I replied softly, so softly he didn’t hear me.
“What was that?”
“I said no. No I don’t want you to leave.” I repeated, turning my head so he could hear me. He watched me for a moment.
“Move over.” Christian said, and I moved my legs off the couch to make room for him and sat up. He sat down next to me, close, and I watched him for a moment. “I’m not sorry I kissed you. I am sorry you had to lie to him though.”
“I would love to say I can’t believe you did that, but I can believe it. I’m not surprised at all actually. I should have known you would do that.” I said, rolling my eyes at my own naïvety.
“I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. If I want to kiss you, I will. You’re still Jordan’s girl though. It doesn’t change anything.” He said, putting his arm around me.
“First- I’m not anyone’s anything. No one owns me. And second, of course it changes everything! How am I supposed to just go on dating him, thinking always about what happened in my own basement!? I’ll think of you every time I’m kissing him. And no offense, but I don’t want to be thinking of you that much!” I said, moving out from under his arm and facing him.
“Ha! Nice. So what are you going to do then?” Christian asked, laughing.
“I don’t know!” I yelled. Then groaned. Dad would have heard that for sure. “We should go. Dad’s not going to be happy.”
“We?” he questioned, smirking again. I wanted to smack that smirk off his face. But I didn’t. I was good.
“Yes. I’m going to walk you over to Chandler’s house.” I said, standing up and grabbing my jackets.
“Then?” he asked, pulling on his own coat.
“Then I’m going to walk home?” I said, starting up the stairs and wishing for a heavier coat. Now that the sun had gone down, it would be colder than ever.
“Oh. Okay.” Christian said, following up the stairs. He ignored my questioning glance. I shrugged and walked over to the living room.
“I’m going to walk Christian back to Chandler’s house.” I said, and before Dad could protest, walked out the door, pulling Christian with me.
“Thanks, Mr. Gladbach!” Christian said as the door closed.
“Come on, lets go,” I said, releasing Christian’s hand and stuffing my hands into my pockets. I walked down the driveway and Christian followed.
We walked up the road toward my ex-boyfriend’s house because Chandler lived on the street that turned off that way. I stayed silent, and Christian did too until we reached the corner.
“Okay, what’s wrong?” He asked, turning me to face him at the corner.
“Nothing.” I said coldly.
“Brr... You’re colder than the air out here, Steph.” He said, trying to make me smile. I just rolled my eyes. “Seriously, what’s up?”
“I have no idea what I’m supposed to do about this! Pretend nothing happened? I should tell Jordan. But he’d dump me for sure, and probably tell everyone that I cheated on him, or at least tell everyone I’m a sl**. No thanks, I don’t want to have to deal with that too!” I said, throwing my hands up in frustration.
“Who says you have to do anything?”
“… What do you mean?”
“Well…” Christian took a step closer to me underneath the falling snow, “You could just go with it.” He paused, and my confused look intensified. “I’ll only be around another 2 weeks or so. Who says Jordan has to know how long I’m here? Who says you have to tell him every single little thing you do? And who,” he paused again, and took a step closer to me again. We were close, only an inch apart, if that. Our equal heights meant that we made eye contact without even trying. “Says that we can’t have a little fun?”
Christian leaned toward me, but stopped with our faces an inch apart. “Well? Who says?” he asked again, clearly expecting an answer. I tried to calm my beating heart.
“Um no one. No one at all.” I replied, knowing exactly what would happen next, or so I believed.
“You’re blushing again Steph,” Christian said, but before I could get an angry and sarcastic retort in, he kissed me. I channeled my anger and frustration into that kiss, and he responded with equal fierceness. I had my arms around his neck, and he had his hands on my waist and below. I crushed myself against him in the passion and heat of the moment. Jordan was always gentle with me, as though I was easily breakable. Christian had no reservations to be gentle. We stood there for who knows how long, in the dark snowy night. Then a light came on down at my house.
Christian and I pulled apart. “Dad’ll be expecting me home soon. We should get you over to Chandler’s.”
“That’s what we should do. But what will we do?” Christian said provocatively, and despite myself, I laughed at him.
“We will get you to Chandler’s. Jeez.” And laughing, we walked through the quiet neighborhood, and stopped together at Chandler’s driveway. “See you tomorrow?”
“Maybe,” he responded, and I raised my eyebrows. He cracked a smile, and I realized he was just teasing me. Chandler showed up in the doorway, and I waved. Christian kissed me on the cheek, and said “Stop blushing.” And then went inside.
I walked back home, feeling the snowflakes melting against my hot cheeks. As I was walking up the driveway, I felt my phone vibrate.
‘still with him?’ Jordan asked in a text.
‘no.’ I carefully responded.
‘good.’