To those yet to experience their first kiss and to those sitting at their computer thinking about their's, this is dedicated to you.
I was sitting behind the kissing booth counter at the fair that my high school was holding to raise money for the extra curricular activities and clubs. The wood sign behind me, that had red lips painted on it, was making a clicking sound as the wind smacked against it. I was making sure the pile of dollar bills were together neatly and I sighed as another boy, hoping for the kiss of his life time, stepped up and handed me a dollar. He leaned in and kissed Sharpay, leaving a layer of saliva on her lips. She wiped her mouth off and looked at me in disgust.
Yes, I wasn't the kissing booth girl. I wasn't about to volunteer to be kissed by hundreds of strangers, giving up the moment I have been dreaming of. My first kiss. Okay, it may be pathetic that I'm seventeen and still haven't kissed a boy yet, but I have been waiting for the right guy, the perfect moment. I always fantasized about being kissed under the stars or as the sun was setting, but I knew that only happened in the movies or in books when things happened because that's how they were written.
I looked over at the dunking booth as another boy handed me a dollar. Chad was falling into the clear water and Troy was laughing as he handed a tall brown-haired girl another baseball. The sky was darkening now and I knew as I heard another groan from Sharpay, that we needed a break. I placed the CLOSED sign on the counter and the guys in the line sighed as we left to grab something to eat.
Sharpay put her face in her hands and shook her head as we finished our fries. Her face was red and she looked like she was actually going to be sick.
"Are you okay?" I asked her quietly.
"I think I'm going to be sick." She said as she massaged her shoulder with her right hand.
"Really? Are you going to go home?" I asked her.
"I have to, Gabriella. If I kiss one more guy, I might die." She said dramatically as she stood up.
"We have to tell Ms. Darbus that you can't do the rest of your shift at the kissing booth." I said as I linked my arm with hers and walked through the crowd.
We waved at Taylor who was happily telling a fortune to a little girl, with blonde, braided hair and a pink shirt with a smiley face in the center of it. Ms. Darbus was sitting next to our principal at a picnic table, supervising the events at the different booths. She smiled when she as us coming toward her and Sharpay faked a smile as she started to tell her she was leaving.
"Ms. Darbus, I can't finish my shift at the kissing booth. I'm not feeling well." She told her.
"Okay, sweetie. I'm sure Gabriella can take over your shift."
There was no way I was going to take over that shift! No way in HELL! I couldn't. I wouldn't! My heart instantly started to pound in my chest and a wave of heat flushed through my body, but no matter how much I didn't want to take over the shift I found myself standing at the kissing booth counter, staring at the long line of guys, waiting to be kissed by me. Now I understand why Sharpay went home. I was suddenly sick to my stomach. My eyes were burning with anger and sadness as I was handed a dollar.
"On the cheek, okay?" I asked.
The guy sighed, but shrugged. I didn't realize how pathetic guys could be. They were upset when I told them that I only would let them kiss me on the cheek. Most of them never even talked to me at school, yet they were upset. I was beyond pissed as I saw the line growing and as I looked past the line I saw Chad and Troy watching me as they ate their dinner. Troy was watching and Chad seemed to be whispering something, Troy looked kind of upset and I wondered why as Johnny Stunner stepped up and handed me two dollars.
"It's only a dollar." I told him.
He grinned and nodded.
"I know." He said. "You're a very pretty girl." He told me.
I leaned against the counter and crossed my arms across my chest. I was standing in front of the booth because I was tired of being grabbed at from across the counter. I rolled my eyes and sighed as he continued to flirt with me.
"You look different today. Usually you're covered up, if you know what I mean." He said.
I gasped and looked down at my outfit. It was warm outside so I was wearing a tank top that was, okay I must admit, kind of low cut and a pair of hip huggers.
"You know you don't have to flirt with me." I told him. "Just kiss me and leave." I said. "Only on the cheek." I reminded him.
The fair was almost deserted now and everyone was cleaning up. He was the last person in my line and the way he laughed when I told him this made me feel awkward.
"I don't know if I can do that." He told me.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
He pulled me toward him and kissed me… on the lips and so hard that I would have gagged if I didn't push him off as soon as I did.
"What are you doing?!" I asked him.
He laughed again and shrugged.
"I know a pretty girl when I see one." He said.
"You're a jerk!" I shouted as I left the kissing booth for the first time in two hours.
My heart was pounding and my eyes were burning from the threatening tears. My first kiss was taken away from me without my consent, with out me agreeing to it. I was beyond upset. I was a wreck as I found my bag that was by Taylor's booth and grabbed my zip up sweater. I put it on and zipped it up so it covered my chest. I needed to get out of here and I made my way across the park where the booths were all set up and I passed Troy and Chad, who were collecting the chairs and picking up trash. I started to run as I felt the tears start to fall from my eyes and I stopped when I got to the bridge that went over the pond. I couldn't believe how pathetic I was being, crying over my first kiss.
"Gabriella, are you okay?" I heard Troy asked.
I looked up from the water and saw Troy standing at the end of the bridge, his hair was messy and he had a navy blue T-shirt on and jeans. I shook my head as he walked toward me. He leaned against the bridge and looked out at the water in front of us.
"It's okay to be upset." He told me, not taking his eyes off of the water.
"No, it's not." I said as I shook my head.
"Why not?" He asked me as he turned his head to look at me.
"I'm crying over something so stupid." I said. "I just spent two hours being kissed by disgusting strangers and I was fine until Johnny kissed me."
"Well, everyone else was kissing you. Why does it matter that he did?" He asked me.
"Because Troy. He really kissed me. It wasn't on the cheek or a quick blow off kiss. He really… kissed me."
"So, I assume you've had better kisses than him?"
I looked at him, not wanting to admit that he was my first. I was suddenly embarrassed as I looked away and inhaled the warm air.
"You were waiting, huh?" He asked me.
"What?" I asked as I turned to face him and stood up straight from my leaning position.
"For the perfect first kiss." He said.
"No, I was…"
"You don't have to deny it, Gabriella." He told me with a small smile.
"People just don't understand it." I said.
"Understand what?"
"A first kiss. Or any kiss at all." I said as I shook my head.
"You mean that you should actually think about having feelings or loving someone before kissing them because if not, it's nothing when it should be something. That if it's taken lightly it won't mean anything after a while?"
I looked at him in shook. I could feel my mouth drop open and he laughed quietly, but it didn't make me feel awkward or bad, it just made me feel better. I nodded.
"I understand." He said as he nodded.
"How would you understand about waiting? You're Troy Bolton, heartthrob of Albuquerque." I said what I honestly thought.
He looked at me and I could see that he was smiling with a sparkle of seriousness in his eyes. He stood up and put his hand on my arm as he leaned in close to my ear.
"I've waited for you for most of my life." He whispered, his breathe against my neck made me shiver, his voice so soft and his body so close.
Troy Bolton waiting for me? Impossible, but yet so exciting at the same time. He looked at me like he was waiting for an answer, but I was speechless. He brushed his hand across the side of my face and moved my hair gently as he rubbed the side of my neck with his thumb. I put my hand against his chest to keep myself up as my knees became weak. He leaned forward and stopped before he could kiss me. He brushed his lips against mine softly and waited as he stayed close to me. I smiled at him and leaned the rest of the way toward him and kissed him, letting him kiss me back, the feeling what I dreamed of; the perfect real first kiss.
The magic of a first kiss. )
Much love,
unknownbyhim22