Ben721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2S352KdnR
721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjrdeMevII
December 31, 2004
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Same day
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721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhFpeL252X
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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgG33Ng3OP
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.721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4Iy8YfoYj
"Can you please get out of my seat?" She frowns down at me. I should have known my little hurricane would have a problem. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4ey9pMwyT
"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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVKpHz2Qcm
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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PYoEbaT3z
"There's not enough room for me." She sighs, looking defeated. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4fVM7e8SD
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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAvktf5GRr
"Thank you." She leans towards me as she speaks, but it wasn't long enough. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMLQ9wTacl
"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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2l6t46snJX
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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNUMJsfB4B
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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyznlAKMYEL
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?721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ387HUcKSsH
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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fn8BJcfqo
"Hey, Ben," Vanessa pulls me out of my daze. "You need someone to kiss at midnight?" She giggles as Kat turns bright red. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkoOHsUptj
"Are you offering?" I tease. "I'm not sure you're my type." 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDnWNc6o9T
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.721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffXN1IMO1j
"No silly, not me." She nods towards Kat, not getting that I was making a joke. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmk479Jb6va
"Vanessa! Shut. Up." Kat hisses at her friend, her face turning an even darker shade of red. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpwrNclxJ7
"What? I'm just trying to help, Katie-bug." Red pouts, but at this point she just looks like a drunk fish.721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJImmTQy7iA
"I don't need your help. And I don't need you forcing him to kiss me." She sighs, gesturing towards me.721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWRq58Wylz
"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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn70slyOGJD
Not that she would need to force me, I would kiss Kat willingly... and so much more. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7G7gFcwFkn
"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.721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzWQjuTps3
"Katarina Rose Burke, don't make me say it." The redhead looks dead serious and I wonder what "it" could be. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9W0izVejnc
Kat's eyes grow wide and she's violently shaking her head, while her face shows defeat. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsF4RDbldSk
"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.721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiT7COZtTK
"Fiiiine..." Kat doesn't look up from the table. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxjyvQsboX
"Ben?" She asks shyly.721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeayU8vYR8
"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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡraAvrPB9jy
"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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOM3U2B3bwI
"What?" is all I can think to say. Why am I questioning this? Am I a complete idiot? 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNwicSplLg
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?"721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJfbp1l3zH
"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." 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVEOoSPsG9
Her face falls slightly, but she nods. And now I feel like shit. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpfrwrPLIP
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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojR33R8w45
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. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPk5f1z9S1w
But I am. 721Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDS4HNQe7f
I couldn't look away from her even if I wanted to.
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