Just a Kiss

Chapter 19

    "Tess?" I asked. Who could possibly be important enough to Shane Andrews that he would start cutting?

"Tess was my best friend for essentially my entire life." Shane's voice was husky, and the tears were falling freely now. "And?" I asked.

-------------------Shane's Flashback and Shane's POV--------------------------

"Tess! Tess!" I screamed. Finally, she turned around and saw me running towards her. She grinned, and then turned and kept walking. "I hate you, you know that?" I asked her jokingly after I caught up.

 "Yeah, suuureee," she said in a disbelieving voice.

"No, but seriously, look!" I exclaimed shoving my English essay in her face.

"No frickin' way!" she screamed.

"Yup! A+!" Tess hugged me, and squealed.

"Yay, you don't get held back now!" We laughed.

"So where were you going in such a hurry that you couldn't wait for me, anyway?" I asked her.

"Oh, I could've waited for you I just chose not to. And I'm going to the ice cream place," she informed me. I stuck my tounge out at her. "Fine, I'm goin' with you," I told her.

"Whatever."

    When we walked into the ice cream parlor, the bell above the door dinged, and the old lady behind the counter looked at us. After she decided that we weren't gonna make trouble, she continued to wipe off tables.  We toook our regular seats at the counter. "Two chocolate milkshakes," Tess told the woman. "Tess, have you forgotten?" I asked her. "I have zilch money!"

"Oh, I haven't forgotten, this is my treat. You got an A+!"

"Oh... thanks Tess," I said sheepishly.

"No prob, bestie," Tess replied, elbowing me in the side. When they brought our milkshakes out, we sat in silence for a few seconds. We turned around to see if any of our friends from school had shown uup, but the only other people in the parlor were a couple that were making out, and the guy was feeling the girl up. We quickly turned around and shuddered. "Ew, that's disgusting," Tess choked.

"I know right?"

"Yeah. Promise me you'll never do that."

"I promise," I said.

"And promise you'll save your virginity until you're at least 18," Tess insisted.

"I promise," I linked my pinky with Tess'.

--------------------------End of Flashback; Taylor's POV------------------------

"And then," Shane continued, "she was out alone one night, and she had just gone to my house and was walking back, and... and..." Shane let out one cry and then finished. "And a drunk driver ran onto the sidewalk and hit her."

"Oh, no," I gasped.

"She was taken to the hospital, but the next day she stayed flatline..." By the time Shane was done telling his story, he was sobbing. "Every time I sleep with a girl before I'm 18," Shane explained, "I make one cut." He gestured to his arm. "You can see how many times I've broken that promise," he said. I hugged Shane around his shoulders.

"I'm so sorry," I said.

"It's okay, it's my fault for breaking that promise..." Shane trailed off. He was still crying, and I wrapped my arm around him. "It's okay, it's okay," I muttered. I rocked him back and forth and he laid his hed in my lap. I slowly slid down and laid my head on the pillow. I started singing Starry Eyed by Ellie Goulding softly under my breath. Shane sighed softly and moved his head on my stomach. "Thanks, Taylor," Shane whispered before we both slipped into a deep sleep.