“So,” she said, starting to apply the bright red liquid to my pinkie, “can you tell us a little more about that near kiss?”
I made a face. “Not this subject again,” I said, but I couldn’t pull away. Heather was bent over my hands, the tiny brush moving carefully. “I thought we were done talking about Cole.”
“Please, Jackie?” Riley begged. “Don’t you know how amazing this is? One of us has actually been near enough to Cole Walter to kiss him.”
I didn’t want to recollect that particular experience—I was embarrassed that I let it happen—but I knew they wouldn’t stop interrogating me until they heard every last detail. On the upside, the way Riley said us made me feel special.
“Okay, all right,” I groaned, giving in quickly. It was easier that way, just getting it over as fast as possible. “What do you want to know?”
Their questions came at me faster than I could answer.
“What did he smell like?”
“Was he holding your hand?”
“How close did your lips get?”
“Did he tuck your hair behind your ear?”
It was suddenly quiet, as both girls waited for me to say something.
“Um?” I answered, looking back and forth between the two.
“How about this,” Riley said in a serious voice, as if we needed to resolve some huge issue. “Why don’t we ask Jackie one question at a time?”
“Me first,” Heather said, looking up from her work. “On a scale of one to ten, how bad did you want him to kiss you?”
“Oh, that’s a good one,” Riley said, nodding her head at Heather.
“Ahhh?” I said with a frown.
Truthfully, I hadn’t the slightest idea. I mean, it wasn’t like I was staring at Cole’s lips, waiting for the moment he would kiss me. Everything just kind of happened. We were standing there, we were close, and something—an energy of some sort—was moving between us. I didn’t even know what was happening until it was all over. How was I supposed to rate a feeling like that?
“We’re waiting,” Riley said.
“I guess a five?” I said, hoping that wasn’t creepy high.
“Only?” Heather said, looking disappointed. “I would have thrown myself at him.”
At that moment, my bedroom door slammed open.
“Jackie wants to kiss Cole!” Benny shouted at the top of his lungs. My heart stopped when I saw him. How long had he been listening?
Alarmed, I shot to my feet. “That’s not true, Benny,” I said slowly. “Why would I want icky boy germs?” There was no way he was leaving my room shouting something like that. If Cole heard him…
“Jackie and Cole sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” He sang louder and louder, his voice cracking at the end.
“Benny Walter,” I said sternly. “If you don’t stop this instant—” I lost my words midsentence when I noticed what was on his head. “Oh my God, is that my bra?”
I tried to snatch it back, but Benny was faster, darting away like a minnow. He leaped onto my bed and started jumping up and down.
“I got your booby holder!” he taunted me.
Kim, who was still curled up on my comforter trying to read, glared up at him. “Hey, kid,” she said, sternly and forcefully. “You’re going to wreck my comic.”
Benny stopped jumping, his eyes huge. “Is that the newest Dr. Cyrus Cyclops?” he asked, sticking his face next to hers so he could get a better look.
“It is,” Kim said.
With Benny distracted, Riley was able pluck my bra off his head. She handed it to me, and I recognized it immediately as the one that went missing from the bathroom while I was showering. Someone had drawn nipples on each cup with a marker.
“Can I read it with you?” Benny asked, and then he added, “Please?”
“How about this,” Kim said. “If you promise to leave us alone and not repeat any of the conversation you heard, I’ll give it to you.”
“Like to keep?” he asked, and Kim nodded her head. “Wow! Cross my heart, hope to die,” he said instantly. Benny held out his hand, but Kim didn’t hand it over right away. She gave him a look, one of those piercing stares that said, “Don’t mess with me.” Only when Benny swallowed, clearly nervous, did she relinquish her comic.
He sat on my bed for a moment, holding it in his hand as he gazed down in amazement. Then he bolted from the room as if Kim might snatch it back.
“Nice one, Kim,” Heather said, shutting the door behind him.
She shrugged and stretched out. “I try.”
“Thanks a bunch.” I let out the breath that I had been holding since Benny appeared. “That could have been disastrous.”
We all looked at each other for a minute before bursting out laughing.
***
“I had fun last night,” Riley told me, zippering up the sleeping bag she’d slept in.
“Yeah, me too,” I said as I grabbed my own bag to roll up.