Flavors of Love | COMPLETE

Chapter 18

Things are tense between me and Andrew the next week. I can tell he hasn't forgiven me, but he won't talk about it. He snaps at me, gives me one word answers, leaves me to take care of Mom on my own and goes out with his friends.

At school, the secret is out. It's a delight, to be able to walk down the hallway holding his hand, and to have him there to defend me from gossips and loudmouths. He kisses me 'till I'm exhausted nearly every day after school behind the building, and I'm able to tell Jaclyn and Sara where I'm going. Jaclyn nearly faints with excitement when he sits with us during foods. And all week, I'm loving it.

The last football game of the season is an away game. Owen invites me to a party afterwards, and even though I have my reservations, I'm so mad at Andrew for leaving me with mom every night I decide to give him a taste of his own medicine and agree to go.

They win the game-- and the championship-- and the party is a blast. I try alcohol for the first time-- tastes terrible, very fun-- and Owen teaches me how to play beer pong. Then I fall asleep in the passenger's seat while he drives me home, and I allow him to carry me to bed. Andrew isn't home, and neither is Mom, but I'm so out of it I fall right back asleep and forget about it.

I also get to meet Owen's dad. He's Hispanic, and when he makes us dinner, it's some of the best I've ever eaten. Owen tells me he's a construction worker. He's very sweet, and even Owen's brother lounging around the house doesn't lower my opinion of their family.

The beginning of November passes in a flash. Me and Owen start plotting where we want to go to college, finishing applying and comparing costs and potential scholarships. He takes me to two more parties. I like them. Study sessions regularly end up with us making out. Andrew stays cold and distant.

Owen brings me out to dinner the Friday before Thanksgiving break because he's traveling out of state to see his grandparents, and we end up in his dad's den, kissing like there's no tomorrow.

"You know," he says, brushing my hair out of my face, "I'm really going to miss you."

I smile giddily. "Me too."

"Like, really really." He kisses my neck. "You're, like, the light of my life."

"You're the light of mine, too," I say softly. We're half-sitting, half-laying propped on the couch. There's a movie playing, but neither of us is paying attention.

"I wish..." Owen runs his fingers through my hair, looking off at the TV. "I wish we could stay like this forever."

"What do you mean?"

"Just me and you. No one around. Nothing to do."

"Yeah." I sigh, and he pulls me closer. "I've got to get home, though. For my mom. You know."

"Eventually. Not now."

"No. Not now." We watch the movie quietly for a while, and then I say, "You know what I wish?"

"What?"

"I wish I had a little sister. Or any sister at all."

"Why's that?"

"So I could tell her about love and all the amazing things you get to experience."

Owen chuckles, looking at me. "What amazing things, exactly?"

"Well," I tease, "Kissing, for one. All the different types of kissing."

Owen lets his lips graze my neck. "I'm sure she'd appreciate that," he whispers.

"She would," I whisper back.

"What exactly would you tell her? Everything?"

Owen's eyes catch greedily on my lips as I speak. "Well..." I dip my head and allow my hair to create a curtain around us. "Maybe not everything."