Sunshine Kisses

‘Think there’s any point even asking her? She’s probably going with him.’

That afternoon he had knocked on Abby’s bedroom door—showered, shaved, stupidly nervous, and clutching a bunch of freshly picked daisies—and made it official.

Her response had made him melt.

‘Well, yeah? Obviously. I already got you a tie that matches my dress. Thanks for the flowers though.’

They traipsed out of the school hall an hour before midnight, caught in a cluster of friends determined to continue the party. Cheap beers were obtained from a petrol station and passed around in a park, streetlights illuminating the discarded heels, ties, and jackets littering the grass around them.

Abby surprised him by coming to sit, not next to him, but in the space between his open knees, leaning her back against his chest. Erik’s arms wrapped around her instinctively, his chin dropping to rest on her shoulder.

‘It’s weird to think of all this ending,’ she said quietly, head turning as she took in their group.

Girls sat chatting in a cluster; boys kicked around a football they’d found under a bench; a few couples swayed gently under the trees, not caring about the lack of music.

‘All of it?’ Erik breathed, his mouth right next to her ear. The goosebumps that sprang up on her skin couldn’t be from the warm, late night breeze.

‘Maybe not all.’

He could hear the smile in her voice as she reached up to wrap a hand around his pinkie.

If he was going to do this, she was giving him his opening. But not here, where twelve pairs of eyes would gawk at them.

‘Take a walk with me, Sunshine?’

Abby nodded, smoothing her dress out after Erik helped her up. She took his arm for the umpteenth time that night as he led them to the small pond she’d loved since they were kids. It took them just out of their friends’ eyeshot.

‘Think they’ll be worried about us?’ Abby asked after a few minutes of staring over the water.

‘I think no one is ever surprised when we leave the group to hang out by ourselves,’ Erik said quietly, turning to face her.

Abby laughed softly. ‘Yeah. Why do you reckon that is?’

Erik cupped her jaw gently. ‘You know, Abby. You’ve always known.’

Her eyes flicked over his face, breath hitching as his tongue darted out to wet his lips.

‘Abby…’ His voice sounded pleading. He might have been embarrassed, but then…she nodded. A tiny, almost imperceptible tilt of her head.

His world narrowed to three points of contact: her hands on his chest, his hands on her face, and the place where their lips finally, finally met.

He had no fucking idea what he was doing.

Abby didn’t seem to care, as she opened her mouth slightly on a breathless sigh. Erik pulled her closer, and her hands slid up to wrap around his neck.

It was clumsy and inexpert, noses and teeth bumping when he tried to change the angle.

It was the best first kiss Erik could have hoped for.

He finally pulled away when Abby let out a small whimper because he’d nipped her bottom lip too hard.

‘Sorry.’ He smiled sheepishly. ‘I’ll get better.’

Abby shook her head, fingers twisting through the ends of his hair. ‘It was perfect. You’re perfect. The five most passionate and pure kisses since the invention of the kiss all got bumped down another notch.’

Erik laughed lightly, still cradling her face. He dropped his forehead to rest against hers. ‘I’m so glad I waited for you.’

‘That was your first kiss?’