Page 41 of Scarlett and the Kiss Thief

He shrugged. “Okay.”

Okay?That was my answer right there. He didn’t actually care who I kissed. And he certainly didn’t think I looked hot in my dress. My first kiss was supposed to be with him. It was always supposed to be him. And now I could barely stand to look at his stupid face. “Do you still remember your first kiss, Axel?” I did. It was sixth grade. We were playing spin the bottle at one of his friend’s houses. He kissed Ava Williams. And I spent the rest of the party crying in the bathroom. I spent lots of parties crying in bathrooms when I happened to see him kissing someone who wasn’t me. But I wasn’t going to do that anymore.

“Yeah,” he said. “I remember.”

“I guess you always remember your first?”

He shrugged. “I guess so.”

Why did he keep shrugging at me? “Ava Williams.” I tried to say her name not full of disdain, but I probably failed.

“I’m surprised you remember her name,” he said.

Why would he be surprised by that? Her name was seared into my brain for eternity. Axel’s first kiss was supposed to be mine. She’d stolen it from me.

I wondered if I’d remember my first kiss as vividly as I remembered Axel’s with Ava. Hopefully my first kiss wouldn’t feel like throwing my heart into oncoming traffic.

Just thinking about it made me want to run to the bathroom and cry. But I’d just promised myself I was done with that nonsense.

“I think I need another drink,” I said. “If you’ll excuse me.”

“Well, don’t drink too much. You don’t want to forget your first kiss.”

“Oh, it’s going to be unforgettable,” I said. But honestly? I wasn’t even sure I wanted to remember it. I just wanted it done with. I’d put so much pressure on it. I’d dreamed of it a million times. All with Axel. But Axel was never going to kiss me. He just wanted me to be his friend, cheering for him during his game.

“Enjoy the rest of the party,” I said and sidestepped him. This time he didn’t reach out to stop me.

“Who?” he said to my back. “Who are you going to kiss?”

It was the second time he’d asked me. We both knew he didn’t really care about the answer though. And it was a little too late to suddenly pretend that he did. His shrug after I told him my plan was all I needed to know I was making the right decision.

“Who, Scarlett?”

Third time was the charm. I turned around but kept walking backward. “I always pictured it with you, Axel.”

He lowered his eyebrows as he stared at me.

I blamed the drinks I had on saying that out loud. But my tipsy self was proud of myself for finally admitting it to him. I’d certainly waited long enough. And my liquid courage didn’t stop at one line.

“But now?” I gave him one of his own signature shrugs. “I value myself a little more than that. You’re officially off the hook. So don’t sweat it.” I turned around and kept walking.

He wanted me to go have my first kiss with someone else. He wanted me to get over him. I blinked away the tears in my eyes. I didn’t even know why I was upset. It wasn’t like this was surprising news. And I’d already decided who I wanted to have my first kiss with.

Someone kind.

Someone who always made me laugh.

Someone who’d never purposely make me feel like a pile of worthless dog turds.

I wanted to kiss Jacob. And if I was being perfectly honest with myself, I’d been thinking about it since he’d told me I looked beautiful on Wednesday.

I think this was the conversation I’d needed to move on. Axel Stevens and I were never going to happen. And I needed to start living my life instead of lurking in the corner pouting because Axel would rather kiss anyone but me.

The pitiful truth was…I’d saved my first kiss for him. But he’d never asked me to. He’d never wanted it. All the dreams I had about us being together were just that…dreams. Fairytales I’d been telling myself since I was two. But you couldn’t force someone to be your Prince Charming.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” O’Reilly shouted through his megaphone.

I glanced behind me once more before heading back to the party, but Axel wasn’t there. I wasn’t sure where he’d gone. But honestly? It didn’t matter. I walked back out into the circus to see O’Reilly standing on the middle ring again.

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