Ben698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTNii1gFRV
698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaXyXCvErx
December 31, 2004
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Same day
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698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgI9UxUKje5
After Nate orders another round, I convince him that I need to switch seats so I can watch the game. I can't believe he bought my lame ass excuse. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJNQOMBKTz
Nate slides out to help Red back into the booth. I can feel Kat's eyes on me, as I stare at the football game, hoping she will just sit down. Kat waits as our new drinks arrive, before turning her anger on me.698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQqN9Y3RMM
"Can you please get out of my seat?" She frowns down at me. I should have known my little hurricane would have a problem. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKk4ApEl0s
"He just wanted to see the TV." Nate explains for me as though I can't speak for myself. And for once I am thankful that he's speaking for me. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQDHfu2FbK
Red leans into him and my friend is gone again. I try to give Kat an innocent smile, but I probably just look like a creeper. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjJqPzSQxR
"There's not enough room for me." She sighs, looking defeated. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewhyVImKDT
I look down at the empty spot next to me. There's more than enough room for her to sit, this booth is massive. I scoot out to let her slide in next to her friend. I'm just relieved that she didn't pull me out of the booth and beat my ass. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXfeCKliPJ
"Thank you." She leans towards me as she speaks, but it wasn't long enough. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzpbXXnGCU
"No problem." I give her a half smile while leaning my head on my arms propped up on the table. I try to casually lean towards her, thankful we are seated in a curved booth. This is so bad. I'm already longing to be near her, to breathe the same air. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruAZXEydgZ
She doesn't pull back, but she also doesn't move closer. I can't tell if she wants me or wants to kill me... maybe both. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhjzSvxPfi
I switch my attention to the game as I scoot closer, hoping she will think I'm just trying to get a better view. When I glance back at her, we are as close as we can be without touching. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnFITj1WOP
As though she can feel me looking at her, she turns her head, gasping when our eyes meet. But she doesn't move away. Her breathing picks up and her chest begins to heave. Again, is that because of me?698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iyKJsUhmv
God, she's so intoxicating. I need to drink her in or maybe that's the alcohol talking. Shit. I don't even remember drinking. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhOVbqA8rV
"Hey, Ben," Vanessa pulls me out of my daze. "You need someone to kiss at midnight?" She giggles as Kat turns bright red. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2xA080wyB
"Are you offering?" I tease. "I'm not sure you're my type." 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5KNsEEZTE
Kat stifles a laugh, sliding her hand in front of her mouth. Guess she didn't see that coming. I try to ignore Nate's glare as I revel in the magical sound coming from Kat.698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZYtjDTZ3A
"No silly, not me." She nods towards Kat, not getting that I was making a joke. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1a0VkeAyNj
"Vanessa! Shut. Up." Kat hisses at her friend, her face turning an even darker shade of red. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqrbEZKl4H
"What? I'm just trying to help, Katie-bug." Red pouts, but at this point she just looks like a drunk fish.698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPX6EI3MSU
"I don't need your help. And I don't need you forcing him to kiss me." She sighs, gesturing towards me.698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjljL5mzSPC
"Forcing?" I can't help but interject, while laughing at the image of her trying to force me to do anything. She might be feisty, but she can't make me do anything. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNDJ8UsH8p
Not that she would need to force me, I would kiss Kat willingly... and so much more. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Dckpuv98o
"Oh come on, Katie-bug... Loosen up. It's just a New Year's Eve kiss, everyone does it." Kat rolls her eyes at her friend. Well, shit, she clearly wants nothing to do with me. I wonder why she hates me so much.698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQj9t2GEhx
"Katarina Rose Burke, don't make me say it." The redhead looks dead serious and I wonder what "it" could be. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy250KC1fel
Kat's eyes grow wide and she's violently shaking her head, while her face shows defeat. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQzZR0Nx71
"Don't push me Katie-bug." Her friend still looks serious, but there's a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth, like she knows she's already won.698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMQzrntPNt
"Fiiiine..." Kat doesn't look up from the table. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pDM6lmzA9
"Ben?" She asks shyly.698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8xJv1vVgf
"Yes, Kat?" I ask, genuinely curious where this is going. She looks into my eyes when I say her name, but she still seems nervous. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLExxaleK3
"Do you have anyone to kiss at midnight?" She blushes and looks away. I feel like we are in grade school and I just got a note on my desk asking me to check yes or no. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEYyt2qe5Y
"What?" is all I can think to say. Why am I questioning this? Am I a complete idiot? 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HhvYNd1ND
Kat glances over at her friend, pleading with her to say something, but she is only met with a silent dare. "Would you like to... maybe... kiss me at midnight?"698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLjIiFTR6E
"Fuck yes." Ah shit. That is totally not playing it cool. I clear my throat. "I mean, you know, if I don't get a better offer before then." 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkVR5Acr7c
Her face falls slightly, but she nods. And now I feel like shit. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYpt2ndtSb
I lean forward, so only she can hear me. "Sorry, that was a bad joke. I would be honored to kiss you." I desperately want to make her feel better, anything to get that sad look off her face. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUGgS5JAfZ
She gives a small smile, but I don't think she's completely convinced. Her face falls again when she thinks I'm not looking anymore. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9k4IBIVBtR
But I am. 698Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFJ1464vuZ
I couldn't look away from her even if I wanted to.
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