Page 39 of Between Then and Now
“Nothing,” he says as I glare at him. “Fine.” He lets out a dramatic sigh and shifts so that he’s no longer leaning beside me but sitting directly in front of me. “Well, she made a move to kiss me, and I... moved away.”
And that statement makes me pause the movie we’re watching and throw my laptop beside me. “You dodged a kiss? WHY?”
He looks up, his expression both mortified and confused. “I don’t know! It was instinct. I saw her leaning in, and my brain just short-circuited. Before I knew it, I was backing away and saying good night to her.”
I raise an eyebrow, trying to process this. “So, you’re telling me you went into full panic mode at the mere prospect of a kiss?”
He sighs. “Yes. I haven’t had a girlfriend in years, I got scared.”
“How did she take it?” I ask, looking at him intently.
“She laughed it off and said, ‘maybe next time, then’” He shakes his head in embarrassment. All the tension we felt up until tonight suddenly evaporated in thin air, replaced with thoughts of Ryan panicking over a singular kiss.
I chuckle slowly and look at him. He catches my eye, and Ryan chuckles back. At first, it’s just little giggles but then it’s as if an on switch is flipped because before we know it, we’re both laughing so hard we clutch our stomachs and gasp for breath.
After recovering from all the laughing, I say “That has to be the most terrible date in history.”
He tells me all about the date and how the kiss wasn’t the only awkward part about it. Apparently, the entire night was terrible. Despite that, I ask “And you’re going on another one?”
He nods. “Next Saturday,” he says as he returns to sit beside me. He crosses his arm over me to reach for my laptop and says, “Now you see why I need your demon-possessed doll friend.”
“I’ll share her with you. Just for today.” I smile and press play on my laptop. I immediately squeal at the jump-scare that plays. Ryan laughs as he grabs another handful of popcorn from our now-shared bowl.
“Hey, Bon, can I ask you something?” he says as he looks down at me from where we’re sitting.
“Shoot.”
“I was thinking of trying a new hobby soon. Maybe something creative. Do you have any recommendations?” Ryan asks all of a sudden.
I knit my brows together. “Well, that’s random. But if you think I’ll only give you a recommendation, then get out of my bed because you don’t know me. I can create an entire Pinterest board of ideas,” I say, then I realize who I’m talking to. “Oops, I forgot. Mr. Oldie, Pinterest is a platform where you can get all sorts of inspiration for all sorts of things.” I pull out my phone and scroll through my Pinterest page, which somehow makes Ryan chuckle.
“Oooh! You might wanna try pottery. Though your anger issues might not be of help there. But then again, you’re also someone who surprisingly enjoys motorcycles, so maybe you can try firing.” I make a gun sign with my hand to provide a more descriptive image. “Haley and I actually scheduled a firing appointment; I think you can easily squeeze in with us.” I’m about to suggest more hobbies, but then I arrive at a sudden realization, “Wait. Why are you asking?”
“Nothing,” Ryan says, but a smile is playing on his lips. “Another thing.”
“Yeah?” I ask, wiping my butter-infused finger on a napkin.
“Can you help me with the kissing issue?” he blurts out like he just suggested something as casual as a walk on the beach. I look up at him, bewildered.
“What do you mean?” I ask, eyebrows knitting together in confusion.
He leans in slightly, his voice lowering. “Well, it’s not just about the kiss itself. It’s more about how to get over the panic and actually, you know, be present in the moment. You’re great at this sort of stuff, so I thought maybe you could give me a few tips.”
I blink at him, caught off guard by the request. “I’m great at this sort of stuff? Me? How did you come to that conclusion?”
“Because I’ve seen you kiss and get kissed multiple times outside your house. In fact, it’s a running bet between all of us every time a date drives you home,” he states it like it’s a known fact. “Will they kiss in the car or the front door?”
I roll my eyes. “You’re all stupid. Anyway, it’s not like that makes me an expert.”
“Between us two, yeah it does.”
I hesitate for a moment, then shrug. “Fine. I suppose I can give you some tips. But you’re going to have to be a good sport about it.”
Ryan grins, clearly relieved. “Deal. What’s first?”
I think for a moment, then say, “Alright, let’s start with something basic. Imagine the kiss isn’t this huge, stressful thing. It’s just a simple gesture between two people who like each other. It doesn’t have to be perfect,” I say. “Besides, I don’t think anything can be worse than how you reacted tonight.” I smirk, and he scowls at me.
Ryan stands up suddenly. At the same time, a woman shrieks in the horror movie I forgot we were even watching. I thought I paused this. Ugh. So much for distraction. “I think the better way would be for you to show me.”
