I wanted him to kiss me.

But he didn't.

"Right. Um- I should head back," I said while pulling the blanket off.

"You're leaving?" he asked while straightening up.

"Yeah? The movie's over. So is the date. Isn't it?" I asked.

Please say no. Please say no.

"Yeah, I'll walk you," he nodded.

Of course.

I crawled and he followed suit. I grabbed my phone and keys and slipped my flip flops back on while he did the same before we headed downstairs. His phone dinged on our way out and he stopped. "My dad isn't coming home tonight," he said, seeming confused.

My phone dinged in my pocket as well, so I took it out and looked down. It was a text from my dad saying he's stuck in a meeting and won't be coming home. "Mine too," I said. Something felt wrong so I dialed his number immediately.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Dad, what happened? Why aren't you coming home?" I asked.

"Sweetheart, I'm here with Mr. Reed and our clients. We're working on a project together, it'll just take some time tonight. Don't worry."

I let out a sigh of relief before saying okay and then hanging up. "Meeting together," I huffed.

He nodded before we headed to his front door and then out as we started walking to my house. We walked in a very awkward silence.

It has never been this awkward between us.

"Have you done the Spanish homework?" I blurted out.

"We had Spanish homework?" he asked.

"Yeah, we had to finish the six worksheets," I said.

"Well, I don't know Spanish. Not that much anyway," he shrugged.

I nodded, nibbling on the inside of my cheek, hoping this walk would end.

Why is it so awkward?

I mean, I know I'm being awkward because I wanted him to kiss me, and I shouldn't want that. But why was he? "So, um- I'll see you..." I trailed off once I reached my front steps.

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

Tomorrow when?

"Cafe?" He raised his eyebrows at me.

"Right! Yeah, cafe. The cafe, yes," I nodded, "Okay, I'll see you then, bye," I said quickly. I probably sounded like a frickin' pipsqueak. I turned around to leave but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back, making me stagger and crash into him. My eyes widened a tad bit on their own while he looked down at me and I stared up at him.

"You know what besos means, right?" he asked.

I frowned in confusion. "It means kisses. Why?" I asked. He bit his bottom lip before chuckling. I deadpanned, "If you're about to give me a Hershey's kiss, then I'm leaving," I turned around.

"I'm not giving you a Hershey's kiss," he sighed, pulling me back.

I raised my eyebrows at him, waiting for him to explain but he wasn't. "What?" I laughed. He looked like he was contemplating something. "Okay," I said slowly, "I'm just going to leave. And you can just... continue doing what you're doing," I chuckled while pulling away and heading to my door.

I grabbed my keys out of my pocket and put them into the lock when he walked up and turned to me. "Oh, for God's sake, are you-" I stopped because I had to when he grabbed my face and pulled me in, crashing his lips on mine.

I nearly stumbled but my door caught me and I kept myself up. I didn't pull away because I didn't want to, duh. He didn't either. Instead, he deepened the kiss as his hands fell to my waist while I rested my arms around his neck, pushing myself up to my toes.

Before we could do anything else, the door swung open and I stumbled back, catching myself as my arms fell from around his neck. I cleared my throat while staring down at the ground, my hand tracing my lips while my mom glowered down at us.

I pulled my lips into a thin line, biting back a laugh. I made the mistake of looking up at him and I broke. I let out a giggle before smacking my hand over my mouth immediately. I cleared my throat before grabbing the keys and holding my hands behind my back.

"Go to your room," my mom huffed.

I turned to the house and stepped inside, not actually going up to my room. I stopped on top of the stairs and caught Carter's eye. I waved my hand rapidly, telling him to run. To book it. To run for his freaking life.

He lightly shook his head at me and my mom's head snapped in my direction so I ran to my room. I closed the door and leaned against it, grinning like an idiot. "What the fuck?" I whispered to myself, laughing airily.

Once I had my over the moon moment, I snapped back to reality. I have to listen to what she's telling him and what he's saying. I opened the door just a peek and looked out. She was talking and he was listening. By the time I tiptoed and hid nearby, he was talking and she was listening.

"I really like her, Ms. Williams. I'm not going to take offense to what you just said because I understand that you're only worried about your daughter. But I will not hurt her. I promise. And I'm sorry, but I can't stop seeing her. I'm sorry," he said.

I turned around to go back upstairs and crashed into a table with a vase on top. It rocked back and forth while I winced before catching it and quietly putting it back. "Jesus," I mumbled before running upstairs as quietly as possible.

I stopped in front of my room when I caught Carter looking at me. I glanced at my mom who was saying something to him before looking back at him. 'Sorry,' I mouthed.

He nodded and bit back a smile, still listening to my mother ramble. I sat at my desk the whole time after that, waiting for when he would leave so I could catch him before he left. I opened the window quickly and stuck my head out while I heard the front door close. "Carter!" I called out.

He looked up and stepped aside, standing under the window. "I got in so much trouble because of you," he said, keeping his voice low.

"I didn't tell you to kiss me," I replied.

"You seemed to enjoy it. Quite a bit," he smirked, giving me a pointed look.

"Shut up. I just wanted to say I'm sorry. For... well," I said with a small shrug.

"It's okay," he replied, "And I think I kind of convinced her."

I stared down at him, biting back the obnoxious grin I was getting used to. "So, you like me?" I grinned, propping my elbow up and resting my chin in my hand.

"Alex!"

My elbow fell from under me when my mom yelled my name. "Jesus, my turn. Bye! See you tomorrow!" I said.

"Bye," he chuckled before walking away as I closed my window and ran downstairs. She stood at the end of the stairs while I hesitantly walked out and over to her.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"What did I tell you?"

"Not to see him."

"And what did you do?"

"I went and saw him."

"What else did you just do?" She raised a sharp eyebrow at me.

She is scary.

"I kissed him. Back. I kissed him back."

She huffed, "I thought he was just your friend. Did you lie to me?"

I shook my head, "No. He was just my friend when you asked me. I didn't know I liked him that much. And I had no idea that he felt the same way. Just how I didn't know he was going to kiss me. I don't think he did either..." I trailed off.

"Well, he doesn't regret it. No matter what you say to him, he's stubborn," she sighed.

"He's determined. There's a difference," I mumbled.

"Don't tell me what the difference is. I will speak to your father about this," she said.

"Okay," I shrugged.

"Okay?" she asked.

"Dad isn't going to say anything. You know that. Dad liked Carter and him and Mr. Reed get along really well. They're working on a project together."

"They what?"

"That's why dad isn't home tonight. But mom, that has nothing to do with Carter. I like him, he likes me, case closed, right?" I asked.

"He is not a good kid."

"That's what you think."

"A mother has her instincts."

"You also thought Hudson was the best thing that could ever happen to me, and look how that ended." I was so happy just a second ago and talking to her is just... "A mother's instincts don't work if you've never been a mother."

She didn't know what to say.

"Mom, I think you should leave."

"Excuse me? You're telling me to leave my house?"

"This isn't your house. You and dad are divorced. You should find yourself a place and leave. Because you being here is worse than not having you around anymore."

And then I ran up to my room.

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