My lips are on fire, that's the only way I can describe it. The last thing I remember was giving Ryder a piece of my mind during which he grabbed me and kissed me. Considering the buildup and the fact that I have been waiting for what seems like forever for my first kiss, the result was an out-of-the-world experience. His lips were soft unlike his attitude and his hold on me strong, almost as if he was scared that I would bolt. Not that he should be worried about that, I literally melt into his arms and was reciprocating his kiss.

Once he realizes that I wasn't going to put up a fight and that I was kissing him back with equal if not more passion, he loosens his hold on my upper arms and wraps one arm around my waist to draw me in closer to him with his other hand locked in my hair to kiss me properly. . My body feels like it's burning up and I wrap my arms around him playing with his soft hair as we kiss. I had often dreamed and imagined of my first kiss but never in life had I thought it would be like this. He nibbles on my lower lip and his tongue probes my lips seeking entrance, when I dont give in, he bites my lower lip making me gasp, and slides his tongue into my mouth. I could feel the anger, lust, frustration, and longing in his kiss, all feelings that I could relate to.

He tastes minty and amazing and I can't get enough of his lips. After what seemed like an eternity, at a point when I feel like I would die if I didn't take another breath he releases my lips softly. We were both breathless and panting. He rests his forehead against mine, his eyes closed the whole time and I close my eyes just feeling his hot breath on my face.

After five seconds or so he releases me from his iron grip and steps back his face in utter shock. I don't know if it was because the kiss was fucking amazing or because he thought it was shit. Either way, I couldn't think properly. I touch my lips with my fingers, feeling them swollen from the kiss.

We stand there for a few seconds just staring at each other. I even forgot what we were fighting about. I open my mouth to talk to Ryder, but before I could say anything he shakes his head and stumbles back "I..I umm, I didn't mean to" he bites his lower lip looking everywhere but at me.

Without saying another word, he opens my gate and literally pushes me in "Go inside, I don't want you out here alone, it's late and it's not safe'' He looks at me his eyes filled with regret while I am still staring at him wordlessly, and he shakes his head almost as if in denial, he mumbles " I'm sorry Annabeth, I never meant for this to happen'' he shuts the gate on my face leaving me there still with my mouth open in shock. I recover from my shock and open the gate to peer out and I see him running off to a motorcycle and hop on it, he doesn't even bother with his helmet and without even a look at me, he rides off into the night.

I stand here for god knows how long still trying to process what just happened when I hear mum's voice at the door. "Annabeth, what are you doing there standing like an idiot, come in, has Dylan gone?" I make my way up the steps into my house almost as if I was floating on a cloud not responding, or even comprehending what she was saying past that point.

Once I was in I shut the door and walk to the table to sit down when I see mum still standing by the door looking at me suspiciously "What?" I ask her 'She looks at me again " Did you not hear me before... I asked if that nice boy Dylan has told you when he is going to take you out again, god Annabeth, sometimes I feel like I am talking to someone retarded"

I shake my head annoyed at the way she spoke to me and look at her " Umm yea, pretty soon... I think the next weekend we are invited to a dinner at his parent's place, I mean he said hell invite you and dad as well I think''

Mom gleams and claps her hands "Yaaay, that sounds exciting, it will be good to make some friends here, and well you know meet your potential in-laws as well" she giggles while wiggling her eyebrows.

I cringe and actually almost puke when I hear her describe Dylan's parents as my in-laws but I think it's because of the emotional and sensory overload from my first kiss that I don't even feel like responding to her. I turn to look at her again and see her just standing there expectantly. I wish just for once she would ask me about me, like how was my night out, did I have fun, how was I feeling, but hearing her still going on all excited about being invited to Dylan's parent's house, I know that this was something which will never happen. After another one minute of her going on about something which I had tuned out, I interrupt her "Mum, I'm really tired and my head hurts, I'm going to bed now, umm I've already had dinner so it's all good"

I don't even wait for mum to respond and make my way upstairs to my room. I jump on the bed and lie down trying to understand what just happened with Ryder. I mean he knew he was taking my first kiss yet he took it, then he said he didn't mean it, and to top it off he apologized. I would have rather he continued being mean to me, this almost felt like he was sorry for me and that made me so much more insecure. Maybe I was not a good kisser, I mean I didn't know what I was doing and I was just following his lead.

I cover my face with my hands wondering what to do when my phone rings. I jump and pick my phone up and look at it, hoping against all hope that it was Ryder, but it was Kimberlee. I feel a bout of homesickness take over me and I quickly answer her call.

"Hey babes'' she literally yells through the phone, I smile at her familiar voice and whisper back a hi. "What happened" Kimberlee's concern was evident in her question and so I told her everything that happened including the kiss. When I finish she whistles through the phone "Woah, that's a lot of things to happen in such a short time'' She pauses thinking, and then she continues "You like him don't you, I mean although I could give you a hundred reasons why he is bad news, you like him''

I sigh into the phone "Yea, I like him" She pauses again and I can almost imagine her twirling her hair deep in thought " Look Anna, I know you like him, and from what you've said he obviously likes you but there is something that's stopping him from being with you. I think we shouldn't just speculate about what it could be rather you should confront his punk ass and ask him what it is. Whatever it is, either you can move on past it and make things right, or maybe it's just a deal-breaker, and then you guys just have to make peace with it and move on with your lives"

I nod my head in agreement "Yea that makes sense, ill speak to him on Monday at school''

We talk for another ten minutes before she leaves and once I hang up I definitely feel a lot better than I did before. I decide to take up her advice. The only thing left for me to do was to confront the bad boy headfirst.