Last Kiss Goodbye • Teenage Juice Ortiz

3 - First Conversation

Edited

THE PAST

June closed her locker and got up. She started when she saw someone leaning against the lockers, looking down at her with an amused smirk crossing his face.

Suddenly she was a bundle of nerves and she felt her face turn red; her throat was tight, making it difficult when she tried to swallow. The reason why was simple and oh so complicated: Juan Carlos. He always had that effect on her, but why she was constantly feeling this way around, was a question she hadn't been able to answer yet.

At the start of this school year he'd smiled at her once while walking by, and ever since then there had been a knot in her stomach that was growing as each day passed. Her sophomore year was almost finished and even though they'd some classes together, he had never said a single word to her.

But now he was suddenly standing next to her, with a grin taking over his face.

She stood straight and wiped her clammy hands on her pants. "Can I help you?" she asked quietly.

She was trying to figure out why he was standing there – it was clear he wasn't waiting on someone else. Maybe he needed help with his homework? But why would he ask for her help? Sure, her grades were fine, but she wasn't a stand out student and she had no history of helping others with their homework. Then another thought crossed through her head; did he know that she liked him – for whatever reason that might be? She hadn't even dared to tell her friends, but her eyes were always drifting to him in classes.

"Well... yeah, I think you can," he answered, breaking her train of thought, answering with the confidence of a king. "You could answer my question with a 'yes'."

June shuffled her feet. The way he looked at her made her feel restless and she didn't dare to look him in the eye. "Then what's your question?"

"Would you like to go to the Jubilee Prom with me?"

June had the feeling she was choking, for a second she felt like she couldn't breathe and she definitely was not able to look at him.

The Jubilee Prom. In three weeks the Jubilee Prom was going to be taking place, because their school was founded 75 years ago. Her classmates had been whispering about it for months, since they were allowed to go to a prom a year earlier than expected.

June didn't really mind either way. In fact she hadn't even planned to go – and certainly not with someone else. What if she had to cancel her plans last minute? Then her date would be all alone, and she couldn't do that to them.

She had also never expected to be asked – and certainly not by him. Her group of friends didn't belong to the "cool" clique, and even though Juan Carlos wasn't on the football team, everyone knew him and his friends and she dared to bet that most people didn't even know she existed.

"Why?" she asked suspiciously. She knew how guys like him were; they would make fun of her, giving her hope when there was none.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Why? Well, as far as I know it's customary for a boy to ask a girl. And in case you haven't noticed: I'm a really nice guy and you are a really nice girl."

June felt her cheeks burn – and she hated the influence he had on her. It sounded so trite, and usually it would make her cringe. She resisted his charming words. "Do I really look that desperate?"

She didn't sound dismissive nor bitchy, rather sincere and she could see the confusion in his eyes. For a moment a strange feeling swirled through her body as she wondered if she had hurt his feelings.

"I know the kind of games you guys play, " she explained. "You ask a bunch of girls 'who wouldn't be asked by someone else'and then never show up on prom night." She shook her head. "A tradition your brother started, if I'm right."

She bent over, picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She smiled sadly to him. "I'm sorry if this makes you look bad in front of your friends."

She turned around and began to walk away. Suddenly his fingers were around her wrist, keeping her from leaving. "June..."

Her heart fluttered as she heard him call her name. In fact, she had doubted that he even knew her name. He pulled back his hand when she turned back to him and for a moment she thought she saw a blush upon his cheeks.

"I'm not my brother," he said. "I really... I really wanna go with you," he said almost bashfully.

For the first time in her life June looked right into his eyes. They were chocolate brown – beautiful, just like the rest of his face. It felt like a volcano was erupting inside her stomach, its heat spreading through her veins like lava while their eyes were locked on each other.

But June didn't dare. She didn't dare to believe he was speaking the truth. The only thing she could see, was prom night; staring out of the window, waiting on her date while the hours passed by slowly.

"I'm sorry," she told him again. "I don't think you would have a nice evening with me."

Before he could stop her again, she turned back around and walked away. In the corner of her eye she felt an itch as a tear slowly escaped.