Page 8 of Catch Me If You Can

I breathed in deeply, catching the sweet strawberry scent as she flicked her blonde hair off her shoulders and down her back.

Leaning in, she gave me a soft smile, her gaze drifting to my lips.

I licked them nervously again, trying to block out the fact that everyone was watching me have my first kiss.

But truthfully, it was only one pair of eyes I was thinking about.

Sarah closed her eyes, and just before I did the same, I glanced to the left—locking eyes with Caleb.

His brows were furrowed, jaw clenched. He looked tense. Was he mad that Sarah had stepped in? Would he have wanted to kiss me?

My stomach did a weird dip at the thought. But before I could figure out what that meant, soft, pillowy lips pressed against mine.

She smiled into the kiss, and I mirrored the gesture as our lips fit together comfortably. I placed my hands gently on her cheeks, holding her steady as we continued. It felt... nice. And special. Sarah was kind, and I was glad she was my first kiss.

Still, I couldn’t help but wonder how wild it would’ve been if my first kiss had actually been with Caleb.

My mind drifted to how that might’ve felt.

The sharp cut of his jaw, the confident way he moved... it would’ve been crazy.

So…crazy...

4 months until prom night

3

nathan

Caleb swung his arm around my shoulder as I walked up to our usual lunch table. Tony, the rest of the band, and a couple girls waited there, chatting over their lunches.

"Please, Tony, tell Nathaniel what you told me today in History class," Caleb had laughed while biting into his cheese string.

Tony nodded his head, dusting off his crumby fingers on his pants. "Apparently, Sarah Lockwood told Jessica Stansfield, who told my cousin Garrett, that she wants you to ask her to prom."

My eyes widened as I slipped into an empty chair. Sarah Lockwood? THE Sarah Lockwood wanted me to ask her to prom?

My cheeks burned as I looked across the table at Caleb. What didhethink about that?

"Why would she wantmeto take her?" I had asked, shaking my head. I wasn’t popular—not even close. If it hadn’t been forCaleb walking into my life six months ago, I probably would’ve graduated without making any real indent on a real high school experience. Could this have been because of our kiss at Caleb’s house?

Caleb rolled his eyes and sat up on the lunch table, leaning over me. He really needed to learn how to sit in a chair like a normal person. "Honestly? She’s trying to get to me, dude. You know she’s been tailing me. I bet she’s trying to get to me through you. There’s no way," he had said.

That stung. I sat back, a little stunned. "So you don’t think she could justlikeme? I mean…shedidkiss me."

Caleb laughed—harder than I’d have liked. I grit my teeth.

"Dude, I love you, but you’re…not exactly her type. She kissed you because you were obviously freaking out. We all saw it." He had exhaled and ran his fingers through his hair. "I think she’s just being nice and I don’t want to see you get hurt. You deserve better."

What he said hurt more than I wanted to admit. I glanced around the table. Our “friends” all awkwardly avoided eye contact and shifted in their seats. No one told him to shut up. No one defended me. They must have thought it too.

"Wow, okay," I said with an awkward laugh. "I would’ve thought maybe you’d be happy for me, but it looks like only Caleb is allowed to get the girls."

"Come on, man. I’m just looking out for you."

"Sure," I spat. I snatched my books off the table and stuffed them into my bag, slinging it over my shoulder.

"Where are you going?" Caleb jumped off the table in attempt to follow me.

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