Filed to story: The One That Got Away
I run downstairs, passing Kitty, who is balancing a plate of Oreos and a glass of milk on a tray. “I’m borrowing your bike!” I yell as I fly past her. “I’ll be back soon!”
“You better not let anything happen to it!” Kitty yells back.
I grab her helmet and the bike and tear out of the yard, pedalling as fast as I can. My knees hit my chest a little, but I’m not that much taller than Kitty, so it isn’t so bad. Louis lives two neighbourhoods away. It takes me less than twenty minutes to get there.
When I do, there aren’t any cars in the driveway. Louis’s not home. My heart sinks to the pavement. What do I do now? Sit and wait for him on the front porch like some kind of stalker? What if his mom comes home first?
I take off my helmet and sit for a minute so I can rest. My hair is damp and sweaty from the ride over, and I’m exhausted. I try to run my fingers through my hair, smooth it out. It’s a lost cause.
As I’m contemplating texting Chris and seeing if she can come get me, Louis’s car comes roaring down the street and up the driveway. I drop my phone and then scramble to pick it up.
Louis climbs out of his car and raises his eyebrows at me. “Look who’s here. My adoring girlfriend.”
I stand up and wave at him. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
He slings his backpack over his shoulder and takes his time sauntering over. He sits down on the front step like a prince on his throne, and I stand in front of him, my helmet in one hand and my phone in the other. “So what’s up?” he drawls. “Let me guess. You’re here to back out on me, am I right?”
He’s so smug, so sure of himself. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of being right.
“I just wanted to go over our game plan with you,” I say, sitting down. “Get our story straight before people start asking questions.”
He raises his eyebrows. “Oh. OK. Makes sense. So how did we get together?”
I clasp my hands in my lap and recite, “When I got in that car accident last week, you happened to be driving by, and you waited for Triple A with me and then you drove me home. You were really nervous the whole time, because you’ve actually had kind of a thing for me since middle school. I was your first kiss. So this was your big chance-“
“You were my first kiss?” he interrupts. “How about I was your first kiss. That’s a lot more believable.”
I ignore him and continue on. “This was your big chance. So you took it. You asked me out that very day and we’ve been hanging out ever since and now we’re basically a couple.”
“I don’t think Gen’s going to buy this,” he says, shaking his head.
“Louis,” I say in my most patient voice, “the most believable lies are the ones that are at least a little bit true. I did get into a car accident; you did stop and sit with me; we did kiss in middle school.”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what?”
“Vivian and I hooked up that day after I saw you.”
I sigh. “OK. Spare me the details. My story still works though. After the car accident, you couldn’t get me out of your mind, so you asked me out as soon as Genevivian dumped – I mean, as soon as you guys broke up.” I clear my throat. “Since we’re on the topic, I’d also like to set some ground rules.”
“What kind of ground rules?” he asks, leaning back.
I press my lips together and take a breath. “Well … I don’t want you trying to kiss me again.”
Louis curls his lip at me. “Trust me, I don’t want to do it either. My forehead still hurts from this morning. I think I have a bruise.” He pushes his hair off his forehead. “Do you see a bruise?”
“No, but I see a receding hairline.”
“What?”
Ha. I knew that would get him. Louis’s so vain. “Calm down, I’m only kidding. Do you have a piece of paper and a pen?”
“You’re gonna write this down?”
Primly I say, “It’ll help us remember.”
Rolling his eyes, Louis reaches into his backpack, pulls out a notebook, and hands it to me. I turn to a clean page and write at the top, Contract. Then I write No kissing.
“Are people really gonna buy it if we never touch each other in public?” Louis asks, looking skeptical.
“I don’t think relationships are just about physicality. There are ways to show you care about someone, not just using your lips.” Louis’s smiling, and he looks like he’s about to crack a joke, so I swiftly add, “Or any other body part.”
He groans. “You’ve gotta give me something here, Bella. I have a reputation to uphold. None of my friends will believe I suddenly turned into a monk to date you. How about at least a hand in your back jean pocket? Trust me, it’ll be strictly professional.”
I don’t say what I’m thinking, which is that he cares way too much what people think about him. I just nod and write down, Louis is allowed to put a hand in Bella’s back jean pocket. “But no more kissing,” I say, keeping my head down so he can’t see me blush.
“You’re the one who started it,” he reminds me. “And also, I don’t have any STDs, so you can get that out of your head.”
“I don’t think you have any STDs.” I look back up at him. “The thing is … I’ve never had a boyfriend before. I’ve never been on a real date before, or held hands walking down the hallway. This is all new for me, so I’m sorry about the forehead thing this morning. I just … wish all of these firsts were happening for real and not with you.”
Louis seems to be thinking this over. He says, “Huh. OK. Let’s just save some stuff then.”
“Yeah?”
“Sure. We’ll save some stuff for you to do when it’s the real thing and not for show.”
I’m touched. Who knew Louis could be so thoughtful and generous?
“Like, I won’t pay for stuff. I’ll save that for a guy who really likes you.”
My smile fades. “I wasn’t expecting you to pay for anything!”