Bates & Landon [Wattys2015]

BATES

"No, I meant --," my neck was probably red, "you know.."

She frowned, looking back up at me, "Hmm? I don't know what you mean."

"I meant a real kiss," I argued, starting to smile. I looked at her, she was looking at me.

"A kiss on the cheek is most certainly not fake, Bates," she was teasing me, she knew what I meant. She was just being sarcastic about it.

Without warning, I tackled her and began to tickle her. Her laughter bounced off the walls and she squirmed underneath me. "Bates!" She erupted into laughter loudly, eyes closing, "S--Stop!" she kept laughing and I was smiling widely down at her as I ticked her sides. Her eyes filled with tears from laughter, her hands gripping my hands trying to make me stop. And finally I did. She wiped the tears from her eyes, and I realized that I was still on top of her. I didn't move.

She looked up at me, smiling. "Phew. I haven't laughed like that in a while." I smiled in reply. Her hand reached up to brush the hair off my forehead, "You have such a beautiful smile."

I looked at her, I mean really looking at her. From the way her hair cascaded down her head and fell on her shoulder. The way her smile was so wide and they way her eyes were big and bright. She had the kind of eyes you could swim in; I wanted to find all her hidden secrets buried beneath her eyes and unravel all the stories left untold. I looked at how her lips were slightly chapped looking and the thing she did with her lip when she was nervous -- sucking her lips in her mouth before puffing them back out.

My elbows were supporting my weight so I wouldn't crush her completely. She kept gazing up at me, her eyes such a mixed color of brown and green. Her eyes were so bright and she made herself feel like she was my Home. She made me forget my problems. She made me happy. My God, was Landon gorgeous. Not the model/actor pretty or the ridiculous standards of pretty Society expected girls all ages to be in. No, she was her own kind of beauty that no one could ever reach.

"You know," I said, my thumb running along her bottom lip, she closed her eyes, "this is the part where you kiss me. And not on the cheek, Landon." I added the last part quickly.

She chuckled, the sound vibrating through my whole body. She looks up at me, her lips inching towards mine.

Knock, knock, knock!

Someone was knocking on the door. Landon and I untangled ourselves from each other, her standing up and running her fingers through her hair. She ran off to the door while I stood there awkwardly, then I sat down so I wouldn't just be standing.

"About time you answered the door," huffed a woman in an annoyed voice, "Help me with these bags. Is that boy of yours still here?"

"Uhm, yes. He i--is." They were not that far away, so I could easily hear them.

"Oh," from what I assumed, Mandy, said. And she didn't sound so happy that I was still here. I stood up and walked into the kitchen.

"Hello," I greeted Mandy. She had light brown hair with blue eyes. She had a sharp nose and big lips. She was lean and tall. She took in my clothes; a long sleeve and jeans with converse. From the looks of it, she seemed not to like my outfit. She was wearing a blue dress with black heels.

"Hi, Bart." She held out her hand for us to shake.

"It's, uh, Bates," I said, offering a polite smile.

"Whoops," she said, not seeming so apologetic. She pulled her hand out of mine and sauntered over to the fridge. "How was school?"

"It was okay." Landon answers, handing Mandy a bad full of vegetables. Landon's step mother looked at me, waiting for a answer answer.

"Oh," I cleared my throat, "it was alight."

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Mandy suggested politely as she glanced at a couple dirty dishes in the sink, scrunching up her sharp nose.

I looked at Landon. "Uh, my sister. She's at daycare, I can't leave her there."

"Can't your mom just pick her up?" Mandy asked innocently.

"Um, no. She's, uh, sick." I lied,"so I'll probably have to get going."

Mandy scoffed, "You are just gonna walk? No, I won't let you do that. I can drive you."

"You don't have to --"

"I insist," Mandy said, shooting Landon a look before walking away to fetch the car keys.

"Sorry about her," Landon began, walking over to me.

I grabbed her hand. "Don't apologize," I smiled, "it's okay anyways." She looked up at me, her lips turning into a smile. I pulled her hand to my lips, kissing them softly before pulling away. Landon blushed a deep red and looked down.

"I'm ready!" Mandy yelled.

"She's just acting nice around you in sakes for her image," Landon whispered, looking at me, "Don't let her fool you."

"Oh, I won't." I replied just as Mandy came into the kitchen.

•••

"Bates!" Emmy came running towards me, smiling.

"Hey, Emmy," I said, ruffling her hair, "Ready to go?"

"Yes!" She said as we walked out of the school, skipping excitedly.

"Are we not walking?" She asked as I pulled her towards Mandy's car.

"Nope," I shook my head, "not today, Em."

"Is that pretty girl in there?" She blurted once we got close enough that Emmy could see people in the car.

I chuckled, "Yeah, Landon is." I let Emmy get in the backseat with me, Landon was riding shotgun. I told Mandy the directions where to go.

"So," Mandy said, starting conversation, "how did you two meet?"

"Um," Landon said, "he was new at school so I started talking to him and we kinda became close after that." Landon looked back at me, our eyes connecting. "We have the same art class, he's really good at painting."

"That so?" Mandy raised her penciled in eyebrows, looking surprised.

"Yes," Landon said quietly.

"Do you paint often?" Mandy asked me.

I looked at Emmy, she was looking out the window silently, "Yeah, usually."

"Oh, you can stop here." I told her and she parked. "We can walk the rest of the way."

Mandy didn't question me, just smiled and nodded. "Bye Bart!"

"Bates," Landon corrected her step mom. She then looked over at me, grinning, "Bye Emmy! Bye Bates! I hope your mom gets better."

I felt guilty for lying to her about my mom being sick when she really wasn't. But telling someone your mom is a alcoholic isn't such a great conversation starter. I waved at them and Emmy went around the car to hug Landon before Emmy and I both headed home.