Part 20 (2/2)

”What what?” Ma.s.sie repeated, her head still c.o.c.ked.

”You look confused,” he said.

She lifted her head a little, realizing she might have tilted it a little too far, giving him the wrong idea.

”I'm not confused,” Ma.s.sie said softly. ”Au contraire.” She lowered her eyelids until Derrington's face blurred. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, she moved toward him. Ma.s.sie stuck her hand inside her coat pocket and squeezed her M M pin. The sharp points hurt as they dug into her palm, but the pain gave her something to focus on other than her pounding heartbeat and sweaty pits. She squeezed the pin harder. pin. The sharp points hurt as they dug into her palm, but the pain gave her something to focus on other than her pounding heartbeat and sweaty pits. She squeezed the pin harder.

Think of the dimmer switch in your bedroom.

Think of the dimmer switch in your bedroom.

Think of the dimmer switch in your bedroom.

Ma.s.sie thought she heard Derrington giggle and opened her eyes. But his mouth was soft and relaxed, almost like he was asleep. As she got closer to his face, Ma.s.sie felt the warm tickle of his breath above her lip. She was in his airs.p.a.ce and milliseconds away from touchdown.

Where was Claire?

But girls or no girls, Ma.s.sie couldn't stop. She was in too deep. And to pull back now would be like asking someone to stop diving once they'd already jumped off the board.

Finally their lips touched. And then they pressed together. With every pa.s.sing second the pressure got stronger, until Ma.s.sie's top teeth felt like they were being forced to the back of her skull. But she didn't mind. It still felt better than kissing Doose. At least Derrington didn't have whiskers.

Ma.s.sie released her grip on the M M pin and slowly slid her hands out of her pocket. She placed them gently on Derrington's hips, like they were slow dancing. He hooked his fingers through her belt loops and rocked back and forth to the beat of whatever was playing in his head. pin and slowly slid her hands out of her pocket. She placed them gently on Derrington's hips, like they were slow dancing. He hooked his fingers through her belt loops and rocked back and forth to the beat of whatever was playing in his head.

Where's Claire?

Ma.s.sie felt like her head was going to explode from lack of oxygen and didn't know how much longer she could hold her breath.

Hurry, Kuh-laire.

Right when Ma.s.sie thought she was going to pa.s.s out, Derrington pulled away and gasped for air. Ma.s.sie searched his face for signs of extreme joy. She longed to see a loving glint in his eye or a satisfied smile on his face. But all she saw was the back of his palm wiping the s.h.i.+ny Cinnabon gloss off his lips.

Did I do it wrong? Was the Cinnabon flavor too sweet? Would something in a traditional mint have been better? It's all Claire's fault for teaching me to kiss on a stupid moose.

Ma.s.sie looked over Derrington's shoulder but no one was there. Now they would have to kiss all over again. But that didn't seem so terrible. She was actually looking forward to it. Ma.s.sie tilted her head again and slowly leaned forward. But Derrington stepped away.

”Block.” His voice was shaky.

”Yeah.” Ma.s.sie batted her eyelashes. She wanted to look pretty and girly when he said, ”I love you.”

”I...” He paused and looked down at his boot. He gently kicked the side of the tree a few times before continuing. ”I, uh-”

”What is it?” Ma.s.sie tried to sound patient but needed him to say it before the girls showed up so she could kiss him again.

”I, uh, don't think we should hang out anymore.”

”What?”

Ma.s.sie heard a loud ringing in her head. Everything around her started spinning and her mouth tasted like pennies. Was this really happening? Maybe they were still kissing and the lack of oxygen to her brain was causing her to hallucinate.

”You're just so moody,” Derrington said. ”I never know-”

Ma.s.sie heard footsteps crunching in the leaves. They were getting louder and closer. It was Claire and the girls. Without another thought she grabbed Derrington's head. She skipped the head tilt, the dimming eyes, and the gentle touchdown and went straight for his lips.

Derrington was so surprised, he lost his balance and fell back into the snow. Ma.s.sie knew his bare legs must have been numb but decided to worry about that later, once the audience had cleared out.

The MUCK girls were shhh-ing shhh-ing one another and giggling. Ma.s.sie only had one option. She threw herself on top of Derrington and continued to kiss him on the lips. The more he struggled, the harder she pressed into him. And when she couldn't hold him in position any longer, Ma.s.sie lifted her head and looked past Derrington. She widened her amber eyes and opened her mouth, hoping the girls could make out her horrified expression in such low lighting. one another and giggling. Ma.s.sie only had one option. She threw herself on top of Derrington and continued to kiss him on the lips. The more he struggled, the harder she pressed into him. And when she couldn't hold him in position any longer, Ma.s.sie lifted her head and looked past Derrington. She widened her amber eyes and opened her mouth, hoping the girls could make out her horrified expression in such low lighting.

”Kuh-laire,” Ma.s.sie screeched. ”What are you doing here? Can't I get any privacy?”

The girls ran off immediately, leaving Claire behind to face Ma.s.sie alone.

”Sorry.” Claire tried to sound regretful.

”Just leave.” Ma.s.sie winked.

Once everyone was gone, Ma.s.sie stood up. She felt light and giddy. She held out her hand and lifted Derrington to his feet. The backs of his bare legs were red. But all Ma.s.sie could think about was the look of shock on everyone's faces when they'd seen her on top of him. Her plan had worked perfectly.

”Sorry.” Ma.s.sie fluffed her hair. ”They can be so immature.”

Derrington didn't say a word. He was too busy rubbing the backs of his knees.

Ma.s.sie wondered if he still meant what he had said about them not hanging out anymore. Maybe he'd changed his mind. Now that they'd gotten kissing out of the way, she had no reason to avoid him anymore. In fact, now she wanted to see him all the time.

”So, uh, why'd you do that?” Derrington tugged on one of the tree branches that hung above his head.

”I ...” She paused. It wasn't like she could just come right out and say, ”I needed to kiss you to get my popularity back.” And now that it was over, Ma.s.sie wasn't even sure that was the only reason she'd done it. She actually liked kissing Derrington.

”Well?”

”I wish you would change your mind,” Ma.s.sie whispered in case any of the girls were still listening.

”Why?” Derrington asked. ”It's not like you like me or anything.”

”That's so un ...” Ma.s.sie stomped her foot.

”Un-what?” He tore a leaf in half. He tore a leaf in half.

”Untrue.” Ma.s.sie's voice cracked. ”It's you you who doesn't like who doesn't like me, me, remember?” This was not the conversation she'd expected to have after her first kiss and suddenly, Claire's do-over obsession with Cam started to make sense. It sucked when things didn't go as planned, especially first kisses. remember?” This was not the conversation she'd expected to have after her first kiss and suddenly, Claire's do-over obsession with Cam started to make sense. It sucked when things didn't go as planned, especially first kisses.

”Why do you say that?” that?” Derrington crumpled up the leaf and threw it on the ground. Derrington crumpled up the leaf and threw it on the ground.

This was getting ahn-noying. ”Be-cause you said you didn't want to hang out anymore.”

”Oh.” Derrington looked at Ma.s.sie for what seemed like the first time. His expression softened and his eyes lit up. ”That was before.”

”Before we kissed?” Ma.s.sie felt funny saying kissed kissed out loud. It was kind of embarra.s.sing. out loud. It was kind of embarra.s.sing.

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