Fate's First Kiss

Eight hour car rides were officially a new kind of torture, for Jade. Her mom had just pulled up into their little drive way and Jade’s only thought was” Oh please let me out. I want to see him.” The car ride home from her aunt’s house had made Jade very antsy; she had always hated sitting still for a long period of time like that. Jade had been holding onto her phone for some time now, because she had been texting him ever since they had left her aunt’s house, but now that she was home, all she wished to see was his amazing smile. That smile that would always make her feels so happy because she knew that the smile was just for her. Jade stepped out of the car, and felt her phone vibrating. She became overly excited knowing already who it would be. Jade then opens the phone, and she smiled as she read: *Hey baby. Let me know when you get home. Please*

Jade loved how sweet he could be, even through a simple text. She hit the reply button: *Hi handsome. My mom needs me to help her unload the car. We all know that my little brother will try and get away with doing as little as possible, so I have to kind of pick up the slack Lol.*

She sent the message, and closed the phone. After putting in her back pocket she helped unload the car as quickly as she could. It had been two weeks since Jade had seen him smile. It was a great smile that made her feel so loved, because she knew that the smile he gave her was hers, and hers alone. She continued to think about him and his wonderful smile as she worked, surprised that he had not texted her back yet. After finishing she sat on the couch. She looked at the clock, only to frown. It was eight in the evening, and she began to think that she might not get to see him till tomorrow and she really wished she could get at least a hug from him. She smiled a bit, though, when she felt her pocket vibrate again. Before she could look at the message, her mother threw a pillow at her.

“Hey, you can go out for an hour if you want. I want you home before nine, though. OK?” Jade’s eyes widened as she jumped off the couch and tackle hugged her mom. She tried not to jump up and down from the joy, while she was hugging her mom, but failed. “Ok, ok. You are going to make me fall over.”

“Sorry he he,” Jade let go and took out her phone to send him a text: *Hey, my mommy says I can come see you for an hour. Can I?!?*

After sending the message, Jade remembered she had another message to read: *Hey, sorry babe. My parents say I have to go play softball. But I am going to ask if I can come get you. Would that be ok?* Jade’s phone vibrated again, and she went to check it: *Yays, awesome.* Alright babe, I will be there as soon as possible.*

Jade put her phone back in her pocket and became very excited. Soon she could no longer contain it, and began to jump up and down in quick hops, and then started to dance random steps. Just then her mother walked in and Jade stopped, “I wasn’t doing anything he he.” Though she knew that she had already been caught, she still liked playing coy with him.

“Uh huh. So, it was just another strange girl who looks exactly like you, and is standing where you are?”

“Of course.” Jade giggled as her mother just shook her head and walked the other way. Once Jade knew her mother was gone, she returned to her dancing. She closed her eyes and giggled. After a few minutes she looked at the time, “I wonder where he is.” It was almost eight twenty. Jade grabbed her jacket, put it on, and walked outside.

“Have grandma meet him!” Jade shook her head not surprised that she could hear her mother from outside, but Jade knew the rules. Usually her mom was supposed to meet her boyfriends, but from the entrapped tone, Jade knew why her grandma would have to meet this one. Jade sat on their short stone wall just feet from their door, and seconds later heard another door closing.

Jade smiled as her grandma came up behind her, and gave her a hug, “So is this one like the last one?”

“What? Fat, stupid, and crude beyond public allowance? No.”

“I just meant are you sure you want to see him?”

“You mean date him?” Jade giggled loving her grandma’s olden terms, “Grandma he is really a wonderful guy.”

“What is different about this one?”

Jade smiled and looked out towards the sun, “Everything.”

“How so?”

“Grandma. He holds me, he can keep a good conversation with me going, and he isn’t pushy in certain areas of the relationship. I mean we haven’t seen each other much, but we have been texting a lot and he is so wonderful. I can be myself around him, when we are together, and it just feels right.” Jade paused seeing him walking around the corner, “And when I am with him, I feel whole, safe, and so happy.”

As she finishes her sentence, Jade saw him walking up the drive way, “Hi Thomas,” he smiled at her, “This is my grandma. My mom is a bit busy and she wanted someone “adulty” to meet you.”

“Oh,” Thomas shook her grandma’s hand, “Neat. Hi. I’m Thomas.”

“Hi, I have heard a lot about you. I am Maria. I hope you two have a nice night.” with that she went into the house.

The two stood there for a minute before they began to walk slowly and quietly down the street, “Your grandma seems pretty cool.” Thomas looked at her, smiling.

“Yea,” Jade giggled, “She is a lot of fun. I am very glad that she lives with us. She makes living with my little brother bearable, hehe.” Jade realized that she was walking only inches away from him and this made her have a big smile.

“Well, that sounds really fun.”

Their conversation grew cold for a few minutes. And so they walked on in silence. it didn’t feel like an awkward silence to Jade, no, more of a natural pause. She became extremely happy, and while trying, and failing, to hide her happiness, she bumped into his hand. He immediately took a hold of it, and Jade could feel that she was now blushing.

“Does this bother you?” Thomas could tell that she secretly loved this moment.

“No I don’t mind,” Jade tried to say as calmly as possible, “I like it when you hold my hand.”

“Oh, yay. I was kind of debating whether this would be ok with you, or not.”

Jade smiled softly at him now, she couldn’t believe how great this night was coming along. She soon realized that they were almost to the ball park, “So, when did your family start playing baseball?”

“Oh for a couple years now actually, it’s really fun. I get to play sometimes too.” He smiled to her, and looked ahead. They began to walk along a sidewalk that would soon lead them to the opening of the baseball field, but Thomas stopped them at the first bench they came across.

“Aren’t we…”

“I wanted to spend some time alone with you… If that is ok…” he sat down and looked up to her.

“Oh, I have no problem with that.” She giggled nervously a bit and sat down next to him.

He wrapped his arm around her and they continued talking for a few minutes about each other, asking simple but interesting questions and laughing together at funny bits of their stories. “Oh shoot, what time is it?” Jade had completely forgotten about the hour limit that her mother had given her. She had been having such a great time and it did take them a while to get to the park or so it seemed. She looked at her phone and read the time out loud, “Eight forty nine. Crap!” She looked at him with sad and worried eyes, “I’m really sorry, but I have to get home, like now. I’m going to have to run just to get home on time.” She stood up and looked toward the path she would have to take just to make it home.

“Wait.” Thomas stood up and grabbed her hand, “I can take you home still.”

“We wouldn’t make it unless we ran and that would just look silly.” She said not looking at him.

Thomas pulled her close to him, “I don’t mind,” She turned to him and smiled. Jade didn’t try to pull away; all she did was look into his eyes and smile. She saw herself and she saw them and felt a new kind of happiness she had never felt before. After a moment, Thomas leaned in and kissed her. The feeling of his soft lips against her had pulled her out of her daydream into a happier reality and she couldn't make herself do anything else but kiss him back. They stood their together for a few moments longer, lips touching, until Jade knew she had to pull herself away. As she did so she continued to look into his eyes.

Only moments later, though, she thought about the time again, “Crap!” she checked “Eight fifty five?! Really!” She said good bye to him once more and left him standing there.

Minutes later, after running as fast as she could the entire way home, Jade raced the edge of her drive way. She decided to take a second and cool down, and then walked up to the door and into the house. Her mom was in the den watching TV, and yelled from her seat, “Barely made it chica got to be quicker than that.” Jade heard a loud ping of her mother’s lazy chair closing and walked into the kitchen for a moment. “So how was it?” Her mom’s voice come closer as she came around the corner.

“Wonderful,” was the only word Jade gave her mother. All she received was a giggle from her mother as she headed back to her bedroom. Jade threw her jacket onto her bed and laid upon it herself. Thinking back to their kiss… Their first kiss… “Wonderful.” She said again.