Of course he’s talking about me. He kissed me last night. On the forehead. And for real kissed me this past weekend. And he’s amazing. And he likes me. And he’s going to ask me to Prom. I smile back at Kallie.
The bell rings and everyone jumps up, pre-armed with books and folders to rush the door, as if the school’s on fire. It’s the sound and adrenaline pumped vibe of “it’s finally Friday.”
Justin Conner sings from behind me, “You’re sooooo vain, you probably think that haiku’s about you, don’t chew don’t chew.”
Sean looks back with a smile. “You’re a real riot, Conner. Stop flirting with my girl, ’kay?”
Sean clasps my free hand with his, “See ya later Kallie. Todd.” He nods to Todd, leaning against the door frame, waiting for Kallie.
I raise my eyebrows and give Kallie a “See you later. Call me!” look. I hasten with Sean’s pull, trying to keep up, focusing on the back of his neck, slightly flushed, as he leads me through the maze of students ready to start the weekend.
I weave through the cars in our school parking lot and pull up next to Sean’s, as he’d instructed before we parted ways to go to our lockers. He’s leaning on the passenger side door, a guitar slung over his shoulder with a black and white strap. He bends toward my window, signaling me to roll it down. As I do, the smell of cedar and spearmint kiss my nose. A dimple appears beneath his right cheekbone as he smiles.
“Hey there. Thanks for making it all the way here to parking spot 128. I’ll be here, every Monday through Friday until the end of May. However, I’m only singing this song once. One time and one time only. Feel free to step out of the car, Miss.” His blue eyes twinkle in a way that makes me all at once: nervous, giddy, and a little embarrassed. I am so not the only one left in the school parking lot.
I hop out of the car, closing the door with the back of my heel.
Sean fans himself with the tip of his T-shirt collar, beneath his sweatshirt. Then as if that’s not enough, unzips his gray hoodie, exposing a blue faded T-shirt that lightly hugs the muscle definition in his chest. Not that I notice that type of thing, or really care, but if I did, I’d be impressed. Who am I kidding? He looks totally hot. Guitar in hand, he strums slow, then fast, and looks directly at me until he starts to sing. He alternates eye contact between my eyes and the hood of my car.
Gray diamonds sparkle
Breezy smile alluring laugh
Drives me past crazy
Oh don’t you think
Don’t you think
Don’t you think maybe
You could
You would
Well I think you should
His fingers tap the guitar a few times before he speaks in a monotone:
“Ever since I started hearing your laugh in Language Arts. Ever since your crazy ex-boyfriend requested I sing you a song. Ever since I told my mom how cute you are when you blush. And ever since I started imagining you wearing vampire teeth to the Prom. Just kidding about the vampire teeth. Unless you wanna.”
Covering my face in my hands, I laugh as he strums the guitar faster.
Ever since I started hanging out with a cool pretty funny smart girl like you I just wanted to ask you, ask you, ask you … to the Prom. Please don’t say no because I didn’t work as hard or maybe work as long, on the rest of this song, or as I did on the haiku, as I did on the haiku, the haiku. Because I worked really hard on that haiku, that haiku, that haiku. I’m really only improvising the last lines of this song.
I stare at him, trying to focus on keeping my laugh to a loud giggle, but soon I can’t stop and I’m wiping tears from my face.
And I’m just gonna keep making up more words until you tell me you’ll go to Prom with me. I hope you say yes. It’s gonna be a freakin’ awesome Prom. Hey, please don’t forget, I can’t stop singing until you say yes … Please say yes—
“Oh my God, Sean. Please stop.” I say holding my side, which has literally started cramping. “Yes, I’ll go to Prom with you.”
“Are you sure?” Sean asks, his fingers hovering over his guitar strings. “I could keep playing.”
A few girls in a red pick-up truck parked behind me are clapping, saying things like “Ooooh, how sweet” and “Omigod that is the cutest.”
“Yes, I’m sure.” Throwing out my insecurities, the heaviness of the morning, the afternoon, and without a care as to who may or may not be looking, I take a giant step forward and plant a kiss on Sean’s soft crooked smile. He pushes his body against the guitar between us, slightly opening his mouth, and kisses me back. A shiver travels up my spine, and a sigh escapes my mouth into his. The cars disappear into the sky, and the parking lot falls into the earth. All I can think about is the warmth of Sean’s arms and the taste of spearmint on his tongue, kissing away the aches of the last two days.
****
Mom sits on my bed Saturday morning with her phone and an unsteady gaze. “Hey hon. Good morning. I have a couple things to run by you.”
Something’s up.