Chapter thirteen-The Kiss
“It’s him!” I hissed. I looked out the window, and I could see Richard in the setting sun. “Richard’s here!”
“Well, dumbo! Open the door.” Sabrina exclaimed.
I rolled my eyes at Sabrina, and opened the front door. Richard’s eyes widened when he got a good look at me, and he didn’t look bad himself. He wore a leather jacket with light blue jeans. I didn’t see a bathing suit on him. “Did you bring a bathing suit?”
“Yeah, I’m wearing it under these jeans. You look great.” Richard complimented charmingly.
I saw my mom do a weird face, and I had a feeling she knew what was going on with me and Richard. Well, that she knew that I liked him. Who knows what Richard feels?
“Mom, when are we leaving?” I asked her.
“Well, since Richard is here, I suppose we can start walking now.” She took the bag of marsh mellows from the coffee table. “I’m kind of hungry myself.”
We walked out the door, and trekked to Unicorn Way Park
“We can set up the fire over there, between the openings of the trees. It’s right by the water, so it will be easier to swim.” My mother explained, and she led us over to the gap in the trees. It was a pretty spot, three or four trees surrounded the area, with a piece of the opening for the creek, along with the large sky area to show the sunset and stars.
“Looks nice.” I commented quietly. I smiled at Sabrina, and put an arm around her. Then I put my other arm on Richard. Sabrina giggled and Richard smirked, while my mom placed an old blanket on the ground. I left their sides, and decided to help my mother set up the dinner. Richard started the fire with his wand, and I didn’t even see my mother flinch at the thought of Richard using Fire magic.
“Sabrina, Richard! My mom bought hot dogs.” I called out. Sabrina was burying Richard’s feet in the sand, and he splashed her with a cupful of sand as Sabrina got up onto her feet, and she screamed and ran away from him in amusement. Both of them jogged over to where I was, and I gave them two plates.
The four of us sat on the tiny blanket and laughed, ate, and talked. I told Richard about Abigail and my new lessons. My mother was interested to learn more about Richard, but he wouldn’t tell her more than he told me.
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” My mother asked.
“No.” Richard’s answers were always curt and brief, but his cheerful attitude took away any annoyance in his voice.
“Aunts? Uncles?”
“No.”
To take my mother away from Richard, I thought of an excuse. “Mom, can Richard and I go swimming?”
“Sure, honey.” My mother’s voice was final- she had given up the attempt to mooch information out of Richard. She began to brush and braid Sabrina’s hair, and Sabrina lay in her lap. I felt a ping of jealousy- I wouldn’t mind laying in my mother’s lap, her gently caressing my hair and watching the stars. However, I was with Richard- and the jealousy was gone.
I took Richard’s hand, and pulled him forward to the stream. I untied my dress, and took off my shoes and ponytail. Now, just in my bathing suit, I dived into the stream.
The warm water was refreshing in many ways; I loved my hair, tight from the pony tail, unraveling naturally. The relief of everything that had happened in the past months was gone.
But then I surfaced. I could see in the moonlight and the reflection in the water that Richard was preparing for a jump. He had amazingly impressive muscle- I could literally see them ripple as he jumped in. I covered my face from the splash. After a few seconds, Richard didn’t come up.
A few seconds. He still wasn’t up. What was he doing? I began to worry, and look around in the water. Suddenly, I felt something grab my legs and push me up out of the water. I screamed when I realized I was in the air, and I splashed back down into the creek. I came up laughing when I saw Richard’s face smiling at his trick.
I lost my footing on a slippery part of rock, and I fell into the water laughing. Swallowing water, I choked and came up coughing.
Richard waded toward me. “Mary? Are you okay?” His faced looked rather amused. And about three inches away from my face. I knew I should back up, but something kept me rooted to that spot. I glanced at my mother and my sister- they were far away, and chatting. My mother was probably teaching Sabrina the constellations in the stars…
I realized I failed to answer. “I- yeah, I’m fine. Just swallowed some water when I slipped on a rock.”
Richard stared at me in a strange, longingly way. “You look very pretty tonight, Mary.”
I smiled feebly. “Thanks.”
I could feel Richard getting closer, and I wanted to kiss him. For the first time in my life, I wanted to kiss a boy. But did I love him?
He lifted up my chin, and at the last possible moment, we heard somebody call my name. I moved my face away, and felt slight disappointment. I looked toward the voice, and I saw Sabrina walking toward us. I quickly moved away from Richard, and he stepped back as well.
“Mary! Mom wants you guys to come over so we can roast marsh mellows!” Sabrina’s voice almost sounded like whining, as though we had refused to roast marsh mellows with her.
“Okay, Sabrina. We’re coming!” Richard stepped out of the creek and got both our towels. He took my hand to help me out of the creek, and then he wrapped the towel around me. I leaned on him as we walked to the picnic area, appreciating the warm happiness I was feeling at the moment.
Sabrina rushed to my mother’s side of the campfire and our mother embraced her in a hug. I could see the happiness glowing out of her face, now that her youngest daughter loved her again. Richard and I sat on the same log, his hand around my waist and my arm around his neck. We shared each other’s warmth, and embraced the brilliant, undying fire.
“We’re going to need sticks to put the marsh mellows on.” Mom noticed. I noticed her look at Sabrina. “Want to help find some sticks, honey?”
I knew my mother was trying to spend as much time with Sabrina as possible, especially for the lack of attention Sabrina had refused the last times my mother tried affection towards her. My sister perked up her head in delight, and took our mother’s hand.
Once again, Richard and I were alone.
“Why did they make us get out of the creek if they were going to leave us anyway?” I wondered, snuggling closer to Richard.
“Who knows?” Richard smirked. Then his voice changed into a much softer, quieter tone. “You know, I wasn’t kidding about you looking beautiful tonight.” He touched my face gently, and I could feel his blue eyes staring into mine.
I turned my face toward his. “I know.”
I saw his mouth twitch with a smile. “Your skin glows in the moonlight, and it shines in the sunlight. Your eyes sparkle brilliantly bright when you’re happy. Your hair is an amazing golden, with the most perfect ringlets I’ve ever seen. You are an angel, Mary.”
I was extremely taken back when he told me this. I didn’t expect him to say all those things, and I was flattered. “Wow, Richard… That’s deep. Did you mean it?”
He did a real smile this time, his pearly white teeth shining more bright than the moon. He cupped my face, and I closed my eyes. I knew this was to be sweet bliss.
Then his lips touched mine. It was gentle, sweet and loving. I put my arms around him and he put his arms around my waist. I felt my foot lift slightly, as though I was in some fairy tale.
I felt him stop, and I opened my eyes to gaze into his face. He had a crooked smile. “I meant it.” And he kissed me again.
That night we kissed in the moonlight, the burning fire crackling in warmth as I was drowned out in the pure happiness that I had missed for so long…
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