After the gymnastics lesson
“Ready to go?” asked AJ.
“Sure, let me just get my stuff.”
They got in the car and started back to Calista’s house.
“You were really good today, ya know?”
“Thanks! You know, you didn’t have to stay.”
AJ gave her a strange look. “Why wouldn’t I have?”
“I dunno...Nick wouldn’t have.”
“And Michelle wouldn’t have gone to gymnastics.”
They both looked at each other. There was silence for the rest of the car ride, but they were both thinking.
Ahhhhhh! I thought I liked Nick...but he just forgot about me today...AJ on the other hand...I practically woke him up, he got to my house quickly, he took me to the class, and he stayed for the whole thing.
Shit! Now what? I thought I wanted Michelle...but she didn’t want to talk to me last night. On the other hand, her brother was there...but still...Calista is nice and she’s beautiful and...What am I doing?
When they arrived at Calista’s house, they got out and AJ walked her to her front door.
“AJ, I just wanna thank you for driving me...and staying there.”
“No problem!”
“Uhhh...well...do you...want to come in for a while?”
AJ looked at her. “Sure.”
They walked in and sat on the couch.
AJ sighed.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know...First I thought I liked Michelle...but now...I’m not so sure...”
Calista stared at him. “What?”
He laughed. “What part didn’t you hear?”
“Ummm...nevermind...” she stood up and walked over to the window. She stared out of it vacantly.
AJ walked up and stood beside her. “So...”
She turned to face him. He was so close that their lips brushed. She jumped in surprise. AJ wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her again. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
When they broke apart, they stared at each other.
“Uhhh...Calista...I think I better go...”
She stared at him. He wouldn’t look her in the eye and he was blushing. She walked him to the front door. He started down the path, when she called him back.
“Are we still going to the movies tonight?”
He grinned. “Yeah...unless you don’t want to...”
“No, no. That would be great.”
Then he leaned over and kissed her again. “I’ll see you at 7:00?”
“OK...”
She watched him get into his car and drive away. She sighed. Now what had she gotten herself into? Had she kissed AJ because she honestly liked him, or because he was free and Nick wasn’t?
AJ was thinking much the same. Had he kissed her because Michelle wouldn’t kiss him? On the other hand, all the time he had been watching her at gymnastics, he hadn’t even thought of Michelle.
Calista walked out of the house and went to the beach. She saw Nick and almost waved to him. Then she saw who he was with. She sighed. So that was why he hadn’t been able to take her to her lesson. He had been with Michelle. They looked like they were having so much fun. Nick was throwing water at her, and she was throwing water at him. Then Nick rushed at her, knocking her over. Michelle got up and started to laugh. Calista was quite close to them...close enough to hear what they were saying.
“Nick! That wasn’t very nice!”
He laughed. “I know.”
He grabbed her around her waist and kissed her. Long and passionately. Calista turned away, feeling sick. Why am I doing this to myself? I have AJ. Then she thought about it. Had he kissed her because he felt alone, like herself, or had he kissed her because he wanted to?
She walked back to her house, confused.
She didn’t know what to do. What if she was forgetting Nick? She hadn’t thought about him the entire time...the entire time AJ had been with her. She groaned. Why was this getting so complicated?
AJ was sitting in his room, thinking. Who did he really want?
~That night~
Nick and Michelle were watching the movie...at least that was what they were supposed to be doing. They were actually making out. There weren’t many people in the theatre, so there was no one to tell them to shut up.
AJ and Calista walked into the movie. AJ spotted Nick’s blond hair and then saw what he was doing. He sighed. Calista heard him and looked where he was looking. She sighed too. Then AJ took her hand and led her to a seat.
Half-way through the movie, AJ put his arm around Calista. She leaned against him. His lips met hers.
She kissed him passionately, and he returned it equally.
Michelle and Nick had stopped to try and figure out what was going on in the movie. Michelle looked around, and her eyes widened when she saw AJ and Calista. Nick followed her gaze.
Michelle felt her stomach twist, but she wasn’t sure why. AJ had had tons of girlfriends, so why was she feeling like this?
Nick felt his head start to spin. He closed his eyes briefly, hoping that when he opened them, AJ and Calista wouldn’t be kissing. ‘Wait a second...why should I care whether they kiss or not? It’s none of my bussiness.’ Then why did he feel so weird?
Kim wrote this chapter. E-mail her questions and/or comments at