Our Little Love Story *NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON KINDLE!!*

chapter twenty

Jared walked over to where I was sitting on the couch and flopped down next to me. “So,” he said, handing me a Dr. Pepper, “what do you want to do? We can watch a movie if you want. Or play darts. Whatever you want.”

I rested my forefinger over my lips and chin as if I were in serious contemplation. “Hmmm…” I said, looking towards the ceiling and then over at Jared, “how about both? I’ll whoop you miserably at a game of darts, and then we can watch an Adam Sandler movie or something to get your mind off of losing so terribly to your girlfriend.” I smiled devilishly at him. 

“Well, now,” he said with a sly grin, “I don’t know about you beating me at all, let alone ‘miserably’ as you put it. But you sure can try.”

“Well, it’s a bet, then,” I agreed. If his skills hadn’t improved since the party he took me to, then my chances were fairly good of winning. “Where’s a dart board so we can get this debate settled already?” I asked.

“Well, it’s uh,” Jared paused, looking slightly uncomfortable. He recovered quickly and continued, “it’s in my room. My parents didn’t want me throwing things down here and potentially breaking something. They must think I don’t have very good aim, I guess,” he finished.

“Oh. I see,” I said slowly. I had only peered into Jared’s room the one day after we had left the festival. I may be a few months shy of being seventeen, but being ‘in a boy’s room’ was still kind of an awkward situation in my mind. Especially if that boy just happened to be Jared. My mind quickly replayed the conversation of me all but bluntly saying that I wanted him to be my ‘first.’ 

I glanced at Jared, who was watching me closely. “We don’t have to play darts, if you don’t want to. I’ll just mark you down as a forfeit and you’ll have to admit to anyone that asks that I ruled your world at darts,” he said, eyeing me carefully. I wasn’t sure if he knew the thoughts that had ran through my head or not, but regardless, I wasn’t about to forfeit a game of darts. I wasn’t super great at very many things, but throwing darts, I was.

“No, it’s alright. You’re on. I just hope that you’re not a sore loser,” I said, raising up from the couch and standing in front of him. It was just a harmless game of darts, after all. I said this over and over to myself a few times as I followed Jared through the kitchen and up the stairs towards his bedroom.

Jared pushed open his bedroom door, and walked inside. I followed quietly behind him. I watched as he walked over to his nightstand and retrieved the remote that I assumed was for his stereo. I was right as I watched him hit a button and his stereo suddenly came to life. 

“Well, we need background music for such an epic game,” Jared remarked as he walked across the bedroom and pulled me into a close embrace. He brought his face so close to mine that I could feel the warmth of his breath on my skin. Goosebumps instantly sprang up on my arms. He tilted his head and I felt the lightest touch of his lips on mine. 

He held me this way for only a second, and then released me, and walked over to his dresser to grab a handful of darts. I started breathing again, even though I hadn’t processed that I had stopped in the first place. It never ceased to amaze me what this boy’s embrace could do to me mentally and physically.