classic silver cup-and-saucer set that her parents had told Alek was from the Arts and Crafts period.
Alek started running down the steps to the basement.
“I’ll meet you downstairs in a sec, okay?” Becky called out. Alek grabbed and popped open two Diet Dr Peppers from the little basement refrigerator. Becky loved Diet Dr Pepper so much, Alek sometimes saw her drinking it on the way to school in the morning. Her parents had tried to limit her intake, so Becky had taken to hiding cans in her room to make sure she could get her fix when she needed to. To Alek, Diet Dr Pepper tasted like Becky’s basement.
Alek took his usual position on the sofa: on the right, with his feet up on the table. A few minutes later, Becky came down and sat next to him in her usual position: feet crossed on the sofa, snuggled into the corner between the back cushion and the armrest. Alek noticed she’d swept her hair back and taken her socks off.
“So, tell me what’s going on,” Becky said cautiously, as if Alek were the one who’d acted crazy the last time they hung out.
Alek recounted the entire Algebra class story, from the moment he noticed the mistake on the chalkboard to the way the bell rang the moment the incident was over. He took his time in the telling, hoping that by pretending that things were normal between them, things would become normal between them. He even impersonated Mr. Weedin’s British accent, knowing that Becky would get a kick out of it.
“He sounds just like Henry Higgins from My Fair Lady !” Becky said.
“That’s exactly what I thought!”
“And this just happened today?” Becky asked.
“Yeah. I was walking home, and I passed your street, and I thought that there was no one in the world that I wanted to tell this to more than you.”
Becky’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Of course, Becky. I don’t think something counts until I’ve told you. These last few days made me realize how much I miss you, and how much you mean to me.”
And she leaned over and kissed him.
Not a friendly, peck-on-the-cheek-because-we-got-into-a-fight-and-now-we’re-making-up kiss. A full mouth-on-mouth kiss. The kiss lasted for a few seconds before Becky disengaged. Her face was still alarmingly close to Alek’s, and he had to go cross-eyed to see her. Her eyes were wide. Alek had never seen them so wild.
Alek didn’t know what to do, so he just sat there. He didn’t mean to be encouraging, but that’s how Becky must’ve taken it, because she leaned in again. Before her mouth could land on his, Alek put up his hands. He knew he couldn’t kiss her again. “Don’t.”
Becky pulled back immediately, as if he’d shoved her. The excitement drained from her eyes, and her body went rigid. “I thought you wanted…”
Alek tried to choose his words carefully. “I don’t know. If this. Is a good idea.”
Becky’s expression hardened. “Look, Alek, I think you really have to figure out what’s going on here. Last week, you asked me if I’ve ever done something that scared the shit out of me. Then you blow me off for a week, and now you show up and tell me how much I mean to you, and how important I am…” Becky’s eyes welled with tears. “Why are you messing with me like this?” she asked him.
“I’m not! I swear!” Alek couldn’t understand what was going on. “I thought we were going to make up, not make out!” He could taste Becky’s peppermint lip gloss on his lips. He couldn’t believe that a few seconds ago her mouth had been on his. “You are my best friend, and you are that important to me—”
“I think you should go,” Becky said, looking away from him. He could see she was exerting all of her willpower to keep the tears from spilling out of her eyes.
“But—”
“Alek. Go.”
He had never heard such finality in her voice. Even last winter, when her grandfather died, she hadn’t seemed this upset. Becky stood and ran up and out of the basement. He could hear her
Alek started running down the steps to the basement.
“I’ll meet you downstairs in a sec, okay?” Becky called out. Alek grabbed and popped open two Diet Dr Peppers from the little basement refrigerator. Becky loved Diet Dr Pepper so much, Alek sometimes saw her drinking it on the way to school in the morning. Her parents had tried to limit her intake, so Becky had taken to hiding cans in her room to make sure she could get her fix when she needed to. To Alek, Diet Dr Pepper tasted like Becky’s basement.
Alek took his usual position on the sofa: on the right, with his feet up on the table. A few minutes later, Becky came down and sat next to him in her usual position: feet crossed on the sofa, snuggled into the corner between the back cushion and the armrest. Alek noticed she’d swept her hair back and taken her socks off.
“So, tell me what’s going on,” Becky said cautiously, as if Alek were the one who’d acted crazy the last time they hung out.
Alek recounted the entire Algebra class story, from the moment he noticed the mistake on the chalkboard to the way the bell rang the moment the incident was over. He took his time in the telling, hoping that by pretending that things were normal between them, things would become normal between them. He even impersonated Mr. Weedin’s British accent, knowing that Becky would get a kick out of it.
“He sounds just like Henry Higgins from My Fair Lady !” Becky said.
“That’s exactly what I thought!”
“And this just happened today?” Becky asked.
“Yeah. I was walking home, and I passed your street, and I thought that there was no one in the world that I wanted to tell this to more than you.”
Becky’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Of course, Becky. I don’t think something counts until I’ve told you. These last few days made me realize how much I miss you, and how much you mean to me.”
And she leaned over and kissed him.
Not a friendly, peck-on-the-cheek-because-we-got-into-a-fight-and-now-we’re-making-up kiss. A full mouth-on-mouth kiss. The kiss lasted for a few seconds before Becky disengaged. Her face was still alarmingly close to Alek’s, and he had to go cross-eyed to see her. Her eyes were wide. Alek had never seen them so wild.
Alek didn’t know what to do, so he just sat there. He didn’t mean to be encouraging, but that’s how Becky must’ve taken it, because she leaned in again. Before her mouth could land on his, Alek put up his hands. He knew he couldn’t kiss her again. “Don’t.”
Becky pulled back immediately, as if he’d shoved her. The excitement drained from her eyes, and her body went rigid. “I thought you wanted…”
Alek tried to choose his words carefully. “I don’t know. If this. Is a good idea.”
Becky’s expression hardened. “Look, Alek, I think you really have to figure out what’s going on here. Last week, you asked me if I’ve ever done something that scared the shit out of me. Then you blow me off for a week, and now you show up and tell me how much I mean to you, and how important I am…” Becky’s eyes welled with tears. “Why are you messing with me like this?” she asked him.
“I’m not! I swear!” Alek couldn’t understand what was going on. “I thought we were going to make up, not make out!” He could taste Becky’s peppermint lip gloss on his lips. He couldn’t believe that a few seconds ago her mouth had been on his. “You are my best friend, and you are that important to me—”
“I think you should go,” Becky said, looking away from him. He could see she was exerting all of her willpower to keep the tears from spilling out of her eyes.
“But—”
“Alek. Go.”
He had never heard such finality in her voice. Even last winter, when her grandfather died, she hadn’t seemed this upset. Becky stood and ran up and out of the basement. He could hear her
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