Ben719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCoPfGFi3f
719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQpxGIYxKh
December 31, 2004
*
Same day
*
719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPyFTMJgzR
After Nate orders another round, I convince him that I need to switch seats so I can watch the game. I can't believe he bought my lame ass excuse. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeo5mrdud7U
Nate slides out to help Red back into the booth. I can feel Kat's eyes on me, as I stare at the football game, hoping she will just sit down. Kat waits as our new drinks arrive, before turning her anger on me.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRCcxc3993
"Can you please get out of my seat?" She frowns down at me. I should have known my little hurricane would have a problem. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOnYFYPn01K
"He just wanted to see the TV." Nate explains for me as though I can't speak for myself. And for once I am thankful that he's speaking for me. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPz0PYrqZY
Red leans into him and my friend is gone again. I try to give Kat an innocent smile, but I probably just look like a creeper. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgL1xuD0vHD
"There's not enough room for me." She sighs, looking defeated. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXGYx3Z3Px
I look down at the empty spot next to me. There's more than enough room for her to sit, this booth is massive. I scoot out to let her slide in next to her friend. I'm just relieved that she didn't pull me out of the booth and beat my ass. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05CkquyoYl
"Thank you." She leans towards me as she speaks, but it wasn't long enough. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTclMLREDbC
"No problem." I give her a half smile while leaning my head on my arms propped up on the table. I try to casually lean towards her, thankful we are seated in a curved booth. This is so bad. I'm already longing to be near her, to breathe the same air. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY11upbM7aH
She doesn't pull back, but she also doesn't move closer. I can't tell if she wants me or wants to kill me... maybe both. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4S6RPhhAH
I switch my attention to the game as I scoot closer, hoping she will think I'm just trying to get a better view. When I glance back at her, we are as close as we can be without touching. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODHNkOOteb
As though she can feel me looking at her, she turns her head, gasping when our eyes meet. But she doesn't move away. Her breathing picks up and her chest begins to heave. Again, is that because of me?719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeL6ym9BZO
God, she's so intoxicating. I need to drink her in or maybe that's the alcohol talking. Shit. I don't even remember drinking. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdbZDl3DM1
"Hey, Ben," Vanessa pulls me out of my daze. "You need someone to kiss at midnight?" She giggles as Kat turns bright red. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Y54aoouGo
"Are you offering?" I tease. "I'm not sure you're my type." 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvLRZk2lnB
Kat stifles a laugh, sliding her hand in front of her mouth. Guess she didn't see that coming. I try to ignore Nate's glare as I revel in the magical sound coming from Kat.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpn10sO9vbL
"No silly, not me." She nods towards Kat, not getting that I was making a joke. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZILpS4GN2u
"Vanessa! Shut. Up." Kat hisses at her friend, her face turning an even darker shade of red. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfy8WxezL2a
"What? I'm just trying to help, Katie-bug." Red pouts, but at this point she just looks like a drunk fish.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHm44Fdtm66
"I don't need your help. And I don't need you forcing him to kiss me." She sighs, gesturing towards me.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgraa0j1VI
"Forcing?" I can't help but interject, while laughing at the image of her trying to force me to do anything. She might be feisty, but she can't make me do anything. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQokNiFqBT
Not that she would need to force me, I would kiss Kat willingly... and so much more. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzkmlbAUqA
"Oh come on, Katie-bug... Loosen up. It's just a New Year's Eve kiss, everyone does it." Kat rolls her eyes at her friend. Well, shit, she clearly wants nothing to do with me. I wonder why she hates me so much.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kwtH0xr8A
"Katarina Rose Burke, don't make me say it." The redhead looks dead serious and I wonder what "it" could be. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGa2MVM7FjK
Kat's eyes grow wide and she's violently shaking her head, while her face shows defeat. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEplfBJZAkD
"Don't push me Katie-bug." Her friend still looks serious, but there's a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth, like she knows she's already won.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIWiUP80JA
"Fiiiine..." Kat doesn't look up from the table. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkJ7MEI514
"Ben?" She asks shyly.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dpD2k8mBH
"Yes, Kat?" I ask, genuinely curious where this is going. She looks into my eyes when I say her name, but she still seems nervous. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DzJ5NIlum
"Do you have anyone to kiss at midnight?" She blushes and looks away. I feel like we are in grade school and I just got a note on my desk asking me to check yes or no. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36tk3ZsENq
"What?" is all I can think to say. Why am I questioning this? Am I a complete idiot? 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDcG2g0nTe
Kat glances over at her friend, pleading with her to say something, but she is only met with a silent dare. "Would you like to... maybe... kiss me at midnight?"719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCeLPrqrcq
"Fuck yes." Ah shit. That is totally not playing it cool. I clear my throat. "I mean, you know, if I don't get a better offer before then." 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcytcofwxBT
Her face falls slightly, but she nods. And now I feel like shit. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKvwh7po0r
I lean forward, so only she can hear me. "Sorry, that was a bad joke. I would be honored to kiss you." I desperately want to make her feel better, anything to get that sad look off her face. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1zlItRRc7
She gives a small smile, but I don't think she's completely convinced. Her face falls again when she thinks I'm not looking anymore. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kmIcJUj8h
But I am. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNyRHN6KPN
I couldn't look away from her even if I wanted to.
ns18.217.79.15da2
