One kiss from you
By Darla P
Summary: She’d always wondered how it would feel like to kiss him,
will she ever find out?

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She hated to feel so lonely. She felt so left out, so invisible. Maybe she really was a ghost, sure she felt like one.

Maria sat alone outside the cabin. It had been a mistake going to this party, she knew that now. She didn’t belong there. This was not her kind of people, they all had this thing in common – horses, and Maria wasn’t that interested.

She should be happy though, he was there. The one and only. The one she had secretly loved for more than a year. Her beautiful Alex.

She got ten minutes alone with him, the best ten minutes that whole day. Now he was inside with the others again. Maria still sat there with her dark hair blowing in the wind. She had been looking forward to this night so much. She had been hyper all day, just thinking of him. Now she wished she had never come. She wanted to go home. After all, who would want to spend time with a ghost? That was how everybody treated her, even Alex.

As she turned and headed into the darkness tears were threatening to fall. She heard music and laughter from the cabin, and for a brief moment she considered heading back. She didn’t. Instead she stood there with dark trees surrounding her. Stood there and just watched as the tears made their way down her cheeks in silence.

How could life be so unfair? Hadn’t she been through enough lately? All her life had been a rollercoaster of emotions; she couldn’t longer count the days she had felt like life wasn’t worth living. This was one of those moments.

She couldn’t stay here, she knew that. Maria gave the cabin one last look, a look filled with longing and sorrow. Then she turned and continued her path through the woods. Usually she would feel scared walking this way with only the moonlight as a light, but tonight she didn’t care if she’d fall and hurt herself, she didn’t care if someone jumped out from one of the trees and took her, all she could feel was defeat.

She thought she heard footsteps, but didn’t have the strength to stop and find out if she was right. All she wanted now was to get away from this place. She wanted to be home, curled up in her bed…

A hand on her shoulder made the blood freeze in her veins. She stopped dead in her tracks feeling the fear take over. It wasn’t until she heard the familiar voice she let out a trembling breath. Slowly she turned around.

“You’re going home?”

Maria nodded, still not meeting his gaze.

Instead of some cocky comment or one of the jokes she used to love, he just put his hand under her chin and forced her to look up at him. The action made her totally lost for words; this wasn’t the Alex she knew. But of course she didn’t know him that well and obviously he could be serious too and she guessed he knew this was not a situation that could be saved with a joke.

“Hey, you’re crying,” Alex stated the obvious. “Come here,” he took her hand and started to walk back to where they’d come from.

Maria stopped him. “I don’t want to go back.”

“Alright, then we’ll stay right here, tell me what’s wrong.”

“You should go back there; it’s where you really want to be isn’t it? Why did you come after me?”

“Ah, they won’t notice I’m gone, besides it’s not that fun.”

Maria looked at him suspiciously, did he just say that to make her feel better, or was it the truth?

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She couldn’t believe he’d come after her, he’d actually left the group of people that he seemed to have so much fun with, to be with her. As they were sitting there, leaning against a rock and with the stars above their heads, Maria was sure she was the luckiest girl in the world.

He had his arm around her shoulders, he was sitting so close she could feel his breath against her skin as he talked. She was surprised how easy it felt to talk to him. It was like they’d known each others forever, but the truth was, this was the first time they’d had a real conversation.

“So come on now why don’t you tell me what’s making you so sad?” he spoke in a low, soft voice and Maria almost felt like confessing everything. But she couldn’t. This boy had a girlfriend, there was no way he could be interested in her. Telling him her true feelings would make her die of embarrassment.

When she didn’t say anything, Alex continued. “It’s as guy,” he said, not as a question, but a statement. Alex watched her closely, thinking of what to say next. “Someone who already has someone, and you think there’s no way he could be interested in you…”

Maria was stunned. How could he have known?

“You haven’t told him yet,” Alex went on with his little story and Maria couldn’t do anything else than to nod in agreement.

“Why?”

“Why… what?”

“Why haven’t you said anything?”

“You already have the answer to that,” Maria mumbled, not really wanting to talk about this.

“The girlfriend yeah… so how do you know he’s not totally fed up with her by now?”

Maria rolled her eyes. Maybe Alex wanted to help, but he sure as hell wasn’t doing a good job.

“Maybe he feels the same way,” he was staring at her now, carefully memorizing every line of her face.

“Oh come on, of course he doesn’t! You know what this isn’t funny anymore, I don’t want to talk, why don’t you just let me go home?!”

“You don’t want to go home.”

“What? Yes I do!” Now Maria started to feel angry. She knew Alex could be a pain in the ass, and normally she’d enjoy it, but not now.

He ignored her. “You know, I think this guy is totally in love with you, he just hasn’t let it show…”

Maria was on the verge of crying again, why did he have to go on about this, it wasn’t funny anymore!

“Yeah right,” her voice was full of sarcasm. “And how the hell could you know?!”

There was a long silence and Maria was beginning to think he was actually lost for words.

Alex looked at her. One of his arms was still around her shoulders and his hand was playing with her hair.

“Because,” he smirked. “This guy is me, isn’t he?”

Maria’s brain was desperately trying to take everything in, trying to grasp the meaning of what he’d just said. Was it possible… was he trying to tell her he felt the same? No, that was impossible…

“By that stunned expression on your face I’ll take it as a yes,” Alex grinned at her and Maria managed a trembling nod.

They just sat like that for what felt like an eternity. Finally Maria gained enough courage to talk. “Is it that obvious?”

Alex laughed. “Oh yes it is, you’re drooling all over me.”

“I’m not!” Maria slapped him playfully.

“If you say so baby!”

Maria smiled shyly. “What about your girl, don’t you…” her voice trailed off.

“We broke up three weeks ago, she confronted me and I couldn’t lie to her, I’d fallen for someone else.” When he saw Maria’s still doubting look he smiled. “Yes I mean you!”

She giggled. “Wow, I just can’t believe this is true!”

“It is,” Alex assured her. His lips on hers made the little doubt she had left blow away. How she’d dreamt of this moment. Ever since she first saw him she’d always wondered how it would feel like to kiss him. Now she didn’t have to wonder anymore. The feeling was way better than she could ever have imagined.

Alex was right; she didn’t want to go home. She was right there she wanted to be, there she belonged. She was finally with him – her beautiful baby, and she couldn’t have asked for anything more!

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The End