Just a Kiss

This piece has been taken from my Novel "Drift" and adapted for entry into the Bill Bunder Cup competition.

As expected, Murray was waiting for me outside. Upon seeing me, he headed out the double doors of the pool house and I followed him over to the bike sheds. He began unlocking his bike, whilst I waited by the rear wheel. He glanced up from where he was fiddling with a combination lock that twisted between his spokes, “Most girls who have followed me under the bike sheds, got more than just a kiss.” He winked.

I shook my head, “Don't hold your breath.” I laughed with satisfaction at using his joke. Our swim coach had made the team hold their breath under water to see who could stay under the longest. Murray had always been the best, until I came along. He had been a sore loser and used that very line against me at every opportunity to make a dig at me. I was the butt of all his jokes. That was partly the reason I was wary about the deal he had made me, that and the fact I didn't want to kiss him!

To my surprise he laughed with me. Perhaps he did have a sense of humour after all.

He rolled his bike out of the shed. “Hop on, I'll give you a seaty to your house.”

He had to tip his bike for me to get on as his seat was set quite high up. I felt dangerously high perched on his saddle. My feet dangled off to the side, so I tucked them under so they wouldn't catch on his peddles. The cross bar pushed my pleated school skirt up and I blushed at the sight of my milk bottle legs.

“Hold on.” he said swinging his legs over the cross bar. Before I could say another word, we were off.

I gripped hold of the narrow part of the seat. The momentum pulled the unruly strands of hair off my face. He bobbed up and down in front of me as he glided up and down with the spin of each peddle.

“Which way?” he yelled.

“Right at the gate, then straight over at the lights.” I answered.

He tipped the bike as he paused one foot on the pavement, checking it was safe before pulling out into the main street. Then we were merging with traffic, winding our way down the roads. Racing along towards my house. It was just a pedal bike but it felt dangerous and I loved it. My heart raced with the excitement and adrenaline. Every time he turned a corner the bike tipped and I held my breath and closed my eyes. He had control and soon we were upright and moving straight forward. We were at my house in no time at all. In fact, it was over too fast.

Disappointedly, I said, “That's my house. The one with the white picket fence.”

He stopped and got off his bike.

Compared to his house, mine was tiny. The whole terrace block of four houses was still smaller than his house alone. “Wait here,” I told him.

“This is the second time I have taken you home. Most guys get a kiss for that.” He said wishfully.

I ignored him as I unlocked my front door and raced up the stairs to my room. Murray could just wait!

“Is that you?” my mum called. “I thought you were going swimming and would be late home.”

“I was.” I said throwing everything I owned out of my drawers onto my bed as I desperately hunted for anything I could wear.

Mum entered my room, “What happened?”

“A group of us are going to the cinema.” I said quickly. “It's a swimming thing.”  I lied, thinking it made it sound more valid.

Mum smiled, “I'm glad you're making friends, at last.” She peeked out my bedroom window. “Is that boy one of them?”

“Murray?” I blushed. “He's just some lad in the swim team.”

My mum nodded. I could see that she didn't believe me. I just hoped if I did follow through with that kiss, that she wouldn't find out. Murray had agreed for the price of a kiss, I could come with him as his date to the cinema. In return, I got to spy on my best friend Sam and make sure he didn't kiss Murray's sister Jen. We hadn't yet agreed the finer details like when I would kiss Murray and secretly I planned to get out of it.

Mum sensed my agitation and put it down to my fashion dilemma. She decided was best to leave me to it and returned downstairs to watch her soaps. I gave up looking, I hadn't got anything cool to wear. I settled for my favorite blue jeans and the only top that hadn't faded in the wash or needed ironing, a crinkle black vest top. I put on my friendship bracelet and returned to Murray outside.

I smiled when I saw him. He looked pretty cool in his jeans, T-shirt and leather jacket. I couldn't help but allow my mind to recall the toned body that lay underneath, those muscles I had seen working as he lapped the pool. He waited, poised with one foot on the pavement and the bike tilted towards me.

“Won't you get cold in that?” he eyed me suspiciously.

“I don't care!” I said defiantly. This was for Sam's benefit. Not mine. And I didn't care what Murray thought either. Our arrangement, was just business as far as I was concerned. But I couldn't help but noticed the way his eyes lingered when they met mine, communicating that perhaps this arrangement was more personal for him. I could only hope that one day soon , Sam would look at me that same way.

I got back on his bike. Murray was my partner in crime for sabotaging my best friends date. I'd do anything to make sure things didn't work out for him and Jen. The deal was on! It was, just a kiss...

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