Nick and I had fallen into a nice routine. The only hiccup we've had in the last few weeks was that awkward moment when I blurted out how I thought he was cute after he said that I thought he was cute, and then I thought he was going to kiss me. God, that's a mouth full.

Maybe it was just wishful thinking but I swear he was going to kiss me. And every time I think about it I get mad at myself for not taking matters into my own hands and planting a big kiss on him myself. If I had to wait on a boy to do something I might be waiting forever. But that seems like what's happening anyway, I just haven't found the right time to make move yet. But I will...eventually.

So this is what happens.

He comes over after school. He changes, we eat, we talk, he works, we talk some more. He leaves at one o'clock in the morning, and we do the same thing again the next day.

After talking to Nick for days on end, I've learned that he has questionable taste in movies, and even though he has a collection of luxury vehicles he's not very materialistic.

I looked out my living room window to see him working to put a new engine in my car. He'd danced around the question when I asked him how much it had cost but thanks to my friend Google I found the answer myself, and almost imploded when I saw the price. Two thousand dollars! I had went into sticker shock, while Nick rushed to assure me it was a necessity, and it would be worth the money. I still get chills thinking of all the things that I could buy with two thousand dollars.

I could see dark rain clouds rolling in on the horizon. He might not be able to work for much longer. It made me sad to think that he might have to leave soon. I drifted away from the window and looked for something to do. Not being in school has proven to be extremely boring. I don't have any homework to do, so when I get home for work there's not much for me to do. I walked into my bathroom, maybe I could clean something.

Disappointed, I found that my bathroom was already very clean. Placing my hands on my hips there has to be something for me to do. I opened my medicine cabinet there wasn't much in there except my toothpaste, mouthwash, and all the things that Lavender gave me in her housewarming basket. I think I saw some face masks in there.

I rifled through the moisturizers and eye creams that I don't use to get to the different colored clay powders. I pulled out the two jars, and began reading the instructions.

"Pour a spoon full of clay powder into a bowl with equal parts water, and mix until it turns into a thick paste. Spread a layer onto a clean face and wait for fifteen minutes or until dry."

"That sounds easy enough to me," I said to myself. I went into the kitchen and began gathering supplies.

After laying out two spoons, two bowls, and a cup of water, it was time for me to decide which one I wanted to use. I could pick the Green Goddess mask, to clear and brighten. Or the Pink Peony mask, to hydrate and brighten.

I was in the middle of making my decision when I heard my front door open and slam shut. Nick appeared in front of the bar separating the kitchen and living room, his hair and shirt wet.

"It's raining," he said slightly out of breath. He ran his hand through his wet hair slicking it back.

"I can see," I said. If Nick's damp appearance didn't already confirm the storm outside the loud rumble of thunder sure did.

He asked, "I can't drive in that. Is it okay if I stay here until it's over?"

"Of course," I said trying to hide how excited I was that he wouldn't be leaving. "I wouldn't want you to get in a wreck or anything."

"Great." He looked over the bar to see what I was doing in the kitchen. He cocked his head to the side. "Are you baking?"

I laughed. "Not exactly. Lavender gave me these face masks and I'm trying to figure out which one to use."

He came in the kitchen to get a better look at them. He picked up the jar of pink powder. "Well, Pink Peony sounds promising."

"You think so? I thought Green Goddess sounded better."

"It's settled then," he said setting the jar on the counter. "I'll use this one, and you'll use that one."

I raised my brows. "You're going to do a face mask with me?"

"You don't mind do you?"

"No--no. Go ahead." I handed him a spoon and bowl.

"Thank you." I scooped a decent amount of green powder into a bowl and poured the a small amount of water into it before handing the cup over to Nick who did the same thing.

"Now you're going to have to help me put this on," he said as he mixed the mask into a paste.

"Only if you help me put mine on."

He looked down at me. "Deal."

We switched bowls. I could here the rain pounding on the roof. It didn't seem like it would be letting up anytime soon.

"I'll go first," I said. "You're going to have to crouch down a little." My arms can only go up so high. He obliged stooping down so I could spread the pink paste over his face.

I wiped the excess on the back of the spoon on one of his smooth cheeks before spreading it with my fingers. He was clean shaven so I didn't have to worry about getting any in his facial hair. I bet he would look hot with a beard. Yeah, he would.

While Nick's eyes were closed I admired his long lashes, full brows, how his lower lips were slightly fuller than the other. Cute wasn't enough, beautiful seemed more fitting.

I finished slathering the pink mask on his face. "Done," I said rinsing the already drying mask from my fingers.

Nick opened his blue eyes. "Do I look pretty?" he asked.

"Beautiful," I replied honestly. "Now it's my turn."

"Let me wash my hands first," he said moving to wash his hands in the sink. "I don't want to get motor oil on your face."

I waited for him to finish washing and drying his hands. After drying his hands, he turned towards me with the bowl of green goop.

"Close your eyes," he said coming closer to me.

Closing my eyes, I felt the back of the cool spoon before I felt Nick's callused fingers on spreading the mask over my cheeks and forehead. He suddenly stopped when he got to the area around my mouth and nose.

"Is everything okay?" I asked with my eyes still closed.

He spread it over my chin. "Everything's fine, I just don't want to get it on your nose ring."

"I can take it out."

"No, I think I can work around it." Carefully he worked around my septum ring. It had been annoying me alot lately and I had been thinking of taking it out. I'd gotten it on my sixteenth birthday to celebrate that I only had two years left with Roxanne. But now that I'm out, I'm not as into it.

"There," he said stepping back. "I'm finished."

Opening my eyes, I batted my lashes. "How do I look?"

"Like an alien," he replied. "A pretty alien."

"Thank you," I sighed.

"What do we do now?" he asked.

"We wait for them to dry." He nodded, understanding.

"I don't know about you but I don't plan on standing here until dries," I said. "I'm going to sit on the couch."

"I will join you," said Nick.

****

"Water is wet." My tightening mask making it hard for me to talk.

Nick looked over at me with his light pink face. Patiently, he said, "No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

"No, it is not."

"Nick, it is." I was trying not to crack my mask, but it was hard. I don't know how the conversation led here, but here we are, arguing if water is wet or not.

"It's not," he argued. "Because water is just water. If you have a bowl of water and you pour more water in it. It's just more water, it doesn't become more wet."

"That doesn't make any sense," I said bluntly. "Wetness is a characteristic of water, like oil is oily. Water is wet. It's common sense."

He shook his head. "No."

I could feel myself growing frustrated with him. "Look think about it like this, if my hand is dry and then I run it underwater, it becomes what? Wet. Why? Because water is wet."

He shook his head. "Nope, the wetness you feel from the water is a reaction to the water not the water itself."

"What! That doesn't make sense!" I exclaimed. "What are they teaching you at that fancy school?"

Instead of getting offended, he just smirked at me. "You're cute when you get worked up."

I scoffed, pushing him. "Shut up."

He laughed as much as his mask would allow. I glared at him. His mask was completely dry, and from what I could tell mine was too.

"Your mask is dry," he told me.

"I should probably wash it off then. I'll use the kitchen sink; you can use the bathroom."

"Okay, thanks." We both got off the couch and went to our respective sinks. I ran the water until it turned warm. Then I began rinsing the once dark green paste down the drain. I pulled a clean dish towel from under the sink and patted my face dry.

I'd have to wait until Nick was done in the bathroom to see if I saw any difference. I touched my cheeks they did feel softer, but at the same time they always do. Shout out to me for having a fat face.

Suddenly, I heard yelling coming from the bathroom. What is happening?

"Maya!"

.