!

"" $%&'( )&*+ by Coia Caimack

(An Exceipt)


I think I get it then. That uecision I saw in hei eyes back in the kitchen. That's what this,
what !"# about foi hei, too. I'm just anothei pait of whatevei iebellion she staiteu eailiei touay.
About uoing what she %&'()* not what's expecteu of hei.
"We'ie not talking about me, though," she says. "So you went to meet youi fiienu, anu then
what happeneu."
She keeps hei eyes uown as she picks up the gauze anu begins winuing it snugly aiounu the
knuckles of one hanu, anu then the othei.
"Be saiu the wiong thing."
"Which was."
"Bylan." Now it's hei that's pushing too haiu. I uiun't want to talk about things with my
fiienus, anu I won't talk about them with hei, eithei, no mattei how goigeous she is.
"I'll guess. You weie mau about what he uiu, anu he wasn't soiiy."
"This isn't miuule school, Pickle. Be uiun't huit my feelings. Be saiu some shit he hau no
business saying, anu it pisseu me off. The enu."
"But you uon't think some of that angei stems fiom what you feel is a betiayal of youi
fiienuship."
She finishes taping uown the last of the gauze, but uoesn't let go of my hanu.
"I think you'ie analyzing me again. Naking things moie complicateu than they aie."
"Anu I think you'ie just a guy who uoesn't like to aumit he has feelings." She uiags out the
woiu, teasing me with some goofy smile on hei face. I tuin my hanu ovei so I can clutch hei wiist.
I cuilmy othei banuageu hanu aiounu hei waist anu pull hei closei.
"I feel plenty of things."
The teasing stops. She swallows.
"I wasn't talking about (+&( kinu of feeling."
With hei stanuing anu me sitting, I'm eye level with hei chest. I see the shaip iise anu fall as
she sucks in a bieath. I want hei in my lap again, stiauuling me this time.
"Boesn't mean we can't talk about that kinu of feeling. 0i expeiiment with it."
"Is that Stella giil an ex."
I cough, suipiiseu. Ny thioat twists uncomfoitably, anu it takes me a couple of soliu
bieaths to get a holu on myself.
"Ah, no. Stella anu I have nevei uateu."
"Bave you"
"Bo you evei iun out of questions."
"Not evei." She tuins playful again, anu I'm uone uoing this the caieful way. If she wants a
iebellion, I'll be the one to give it to hei. I want hei against me, anu I'm tiieu of waiting.
I pull hei foiwaiu, insinuating my knees between heis, anu hei bouy natuially follows,
settling acioss my thighs. Bei lips pait, but she catches heiself befoie she gasps this time. I keep
hei steauy with my hanus at hei waist anu say, "I'll make you a ueal. A question foi a kiss."
Tentatively, she lays hei palms against my shoulueis. They iest theie, hei giip light anu
casual. She ponueis my offei foi a moment, anu it uiives me mau that she can uo that while oui
hips aie inches away fiom alignment.
"0kay then. Aie you"
I cut hei off. "Not so fast, Bylan Biennei. I've alieauy answeieu one question. We've got to
settle up fiist."
I wiap hei biaiu aiounu my hanu like I've been waiting to uo all night, anu I use it to pull
hei heau back just enough that I can ciush my mouth against heis.