Going The Distance

Chapter Nine - Last Hope

His thumb brushed over my bottom lip, pulling it down gently. Finally he pressed his lips against mine. My world became silent and the pure white light of the moon shining through the glass top pool house, filled the room, blinding me even though my eyes were shut, my heart sped up then slowed down, pounding hard the entire time. Nothing had felt like this ever, nothing made me forget all the pain I held inside, but this came so close.

Then all too suddenly Jackson pulled away. "Shit, I'm sorry." He whispered. "I, I shouldn't have done that."

His words burned, but my already broken ego couldn't handle the rejection so I just nodded. "Yeah that was a mistake."

"Yeah..." He said walking over to the lounger.

I followed and sat down, still winded by the kiss.

"I didn't mean to take advantage... god you must hate me." He croaked sitting down.

I looked up at him, his face was dark and he looked mortified. "Hate you?"

"You've told me all of your problems, confided in me, and I react by... by kissing you." He huffed. "I'm not that kind of person."

"It's not a big deal." I whispered, confused, I wanted the kiss, I still did, but clearly Jackson didn't "If it's any consolation, I'm not offended... also you're a better kisser than Daniel."

Jackson tried to hold back a smile, but he failed, his eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really Jackson."

He lay down on the lounger. "Do you think if you and Daniel would have dated if you never moved to New York?" He whispered.

"Maybe." I whispered back. "But there's no chance of that now. Besides, I'm not looking for romance, I just want to finish school and get in to college." I lay down and turned to face Jackson.

"Same."

A going nowhere song came on the radio, an old one. Jackson sang along to it, his voice soft and sweet like a lullaby. I listened for as long as I could before my eyes grew heavy and closed. When I woke the sun was already streaming in. I looked beside me, Jackson was still asleep and we somehow had blankets over us.

I watched him and waited until his eyes began to flutter open. He looked at me, sleepy.

"Morning." He yawned.

"Morning."

Jackson smiled briefly then frowned. "About last night."

"What about last night?" I replied, playing dumb. Pretending the kiss didn't happen seemed to be the only way to protect my heart from getting heart. Jackson and I were friends before anything else and letting a kiss get in the way of that was asking for trouble.

Jackson nodded and sat up. "Yeah."

Before either one of us could say anything else the pool house door opened. "You guys left early!" Daniel said walking over to the lounge chairs, he sat at the foot of mine. He seemed different this morning, the air of cockiness that he usually let off was gone.

"It wasn't really my thing." I replied.

"Hey look about the kiss." Daniel said, almost mimicking what Jackson had said, but without hiding so much. "I was an idiot, I tried to do something you had asked me not too. That's not cool and I'm sorry."

I felt my mouth hang open, surprised Daniel was even capable of apologies, especially when it came to girls. "Uh, apology accepted."

"So in that light, will you go out with me?" He grinned and looked at Jackson. I looked sideways, Jackson was looking at the ground. I frowned.