a/n-ussually my chapters aren't this short, but this was a good place to leave it and hey, its only the first chapter...
Kissing Cousins
Ch.1-You Come Around Here Like You Know Me
After my shower I got dressed in the powder blue shorts and tank top I'd received as a PJ set from my parents last Christmas. Those were the moments I was still their little girl and we were all in denial for a moment just for the sake of our sanities.
I didn't bother to go back out and face Nick. I just opened the thin curtains and sliding glass door that led onto the terrace. The city was an ensemble of dark blue sky playing host to diamond stars set behind an even darker array of shadowed buildings and streets. Wet pavement below glittered like a stagnant black river in the streetlights.
The time was lost to me as I leaned against the door way, arms folded, just staring. I was at peace for the first time since before high school.
However I wasn't lost enough in my thoughts to completely loose track of reality. When the door knob turned and Nicholas walked in, I did hear him. I just didn't bother to shift my gaze, or move at all for that matter. He stood just behind me for a few seconds until realizing that if he wanted to talk he'd have to initiate the conversation. I felt his warm, strong hand on my almost bare shoulder. The warmth sunk in and made me realize just how cold the wind was that evening.
"Are you gunna tell me why you came, Kody?" His voice was soft. It was obvious that he was genuinely curious. My frame turned, brown eyes finding his own dark blue. The moon was playing tricks, making us both look like our skin was much paler and luminescent than it actually was.
"I ran away." I murmured. Half-expecting him to say something like 'Well that's obvious.' I was pleasantly surprised when h didn't say anything while giving me a look that said 'please continue'.
The shrug my shoulders performed came out of no where as I made my way to his bed and sat down on the edge.
"I don't know Nick. I'm sick of breaking my back to be perfect for everyone in my life." That came out a lot better than I thought it would. He'd followed and was now leaning against the side of the bed, arms folded as he watched me.
"I caught my boyfriend cheating on me with his best friend; my parents went off on me when I came home from his house; and when I tried to call my best friend to talk to her about it she blamed me for all the stress in her life. I got into another fight with my parents after that and that was it. I packed up and left. It's my senior year in high school and I left…its funny how liberated that makes me feel…" It'd had all spilled out when he'd stayed silent for me. I had to say though, the more he listened, the more I just wanted to pull him down and kiss him. However, the moment wasn't allowing me the emotional capacity to be ashamed for wanting to make out with my cousin on his queen sized bed. So I didn't bother trying to make myself feel guilty.
"But you're probably going to call them first thing in the morning, right?" I looked up at him hopelessly.
"Not if you don't want me to. I know what it feels like to need to get out. I'm the one that dropped out of college and moved from Albany to Chicago, remember?" he offered me a smirk.
I stood up and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Thank you so much." My words were a whisper. His own arms held me tight and the peacefulness I'd felt earlier melted into knowing I was safe for the first time since my parents' divorce ten years ago.
"And you're parents just let you drop out?"
"Kody, they disowned me first, then I had no choice but to leave." I was amazed that he could talk about it with a smile on his mouth.
We were in the living room in front of the fire, sitting on the only couch he owned and wrapped in throw blankets while drinking coffee. Judging by the fact that was 3am, we'd been talking for about 2 ½ hours. Somehow we'd come full circle and were again discussing family.
"Some damn family we got, huh?"
He smiled into the firelight at my words.
"I guess if we both took off, they're the ones doing something wrong, right?"
When he turned to look at me I was caught a tad off guard. Still in occurrence was my struggle to snuff out the physical attraction I had for Nicholas.
Nicholas…It was a name I didn't say much. The full word was like church bells on my tongue. Like the jangling of Christmas ornaments on a tree. Or maybe that was just a subconscious correlation to St. Nicholas. Then again my cousin could be a saint.
"You still with me?"
Snap back to reality.
Right. Conversation. Gotta follow it to keep it up.
"Yah, sorry." A sheepish smile and a creeping blush decorated my features, "Just spacing."
"What were you thinking about?"
Why did the one person who I wanted to care right then actually have to care?
Figuring if he hadn't defeated me already, I was in no mood to really put up much of a fight. I sighed wryly and turned to him, a sardonic smirk my only ammunition.
"I was thinking about how unbelievably sexy you are."
The look he gave me was nothing short of uninterruptible. I didn't know whether he was trying to hold back a smile, judge my seriousness, or if he was put out. Resolving to save the situation the best I knew I how, I gave him a smile that told him I pitied him and patted his thigh.
"It was a joke Nick. Lighten up."
When I came to my senses the next sunrise it was to an exhortation of traffic three stories below in the busy city of Chicago. White sunshine punctuated the shadowy living room at intervals parallel to the windows. Sitting up, I took in a 360 degree view of Nick's studio apartment.
Small kitchen, large living room and only two doors on either side of the fireplace. The one to the right I already knew was his bedroom. The one of the left had no choice but to be the bathroom I'd used the night previous. A second door on the inside connected it to his bedroom and so I guess I'd never noticed the alternate entrance.
Making my drowsy way back to his bedroom, I groped around in my duffle bag for something to wear. Ah yes, ripped and baggy jeans and a t-shirt should do nicely. Style at its most comfortable. Walking back out into the kitchen I was hell-bent on finding something to satisfy my stomach. Pushing around the contents of his fridge I noticed there wasn't much variety.
Beer…beer…more beer….Did he not know how to utilize his local 7-11?
Behind the long necks I found some milk and poured myself a glass. Turning to the counter behind me for the glasses that were in cupboards just within my reach, I spotted a small square of white. Nick had left me a note on a scrap bit of notebook paper, torn and frayed where metal rings had once held it prisoner beside all the other leafs of paper. Now it was set free and half destroyed in the effort, tainted even more so by my cousin's unruly script. That 'unruly script' read as follows:
Dear Kody,
Hope you find this before I get back. I'd forgotten until she called me this morning but a woman I met at work asked me to come to a company party. I know its short notice, but see this is perfect because I've been too busy to find a date to go with me. We're leaving at 7pm tonight. If you don't have a dress, that's fine. Go buy one with my credit card. It's alright; I'm good for it I swear ;). If you need me, don't hesitate to call, however if I were you I wouldn't pick up the phone if it rings. Let the machine get it first and pick it up if necessary (meaning only if it is I your dear and darling cousin). I'll talk to you when I get home,
Love Nick