My Soul to Keep - By Sean Hayden Page 0,39

bad feeling. I prayed to God, mom wouldn't bring up Claire. Please, please, please, please, God, no.

"Mom, this is my um…friend, Jessie." I panicked. I froze. I choked. I felt about a foot tall, but I didn't know what else to call her. Our second date and I screwed it up in the first few moments. It had to be a new record.

"Ex-girlfriend he means," Jessie said with a light chuckle. I felt about six inches shorter.

"Oh, Connor didn't say he had a girlfriend. Or ex."

I thought about fainting. Maybe that would get me out of it. Caelyn chose that moment to walk into the room.

"Hi, Jessica," she said almost reverently. I did a double-take. Maybe pod-people had replaced my sister last night. Stranger things have happened. Way stranger.

"You two know each other?" My voice cracked.

"Caelyn?" Jessie must have recognized her voice. I'm glad she did, because I didn't.

"Yes, it's me. What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Connor."

"Why?"

"I was just asking myself that very same question," Jessie replied and turned to me. "Is there someplace we can talk?"

My heart sank and I nodded. I realized she couldn't see me and I choked out a humble, "Sure." I gently touched her arm and she held out her hand. Instead of taking her upstairs I led her past my evilly smiling sister and out the back door to the patio. I wasn't looking forward to this particular conversation.

As soon as we reached the wrought iron table, I slid one of the chairs out for her. She heard the scraping noise and reached behind her to guide herself into the chair. I sat down in the one next to her.

"Jessie, I can–"

"Do you like her? Connor, don't lie to me. Just tell me the truth…I mean she is a senior and all."

I opened my mouth to say no, but something stopped me. She deserved the truth. "I think she's pretty. I won't lie, but there's something about her that scares the crap out of me. She's not someone I want to date." I watched Jessie's face as I started my conversation. She frowned when I called Clarisse pretty, but by the time I finished, she gave me a little smile.

"Do you think I'm pretty?"

"No. I don't think you're pretty." Her smile disappeared. I smiled and finished. "I think you are probably the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." Her smile not only came back but came back with a vengeance.

"Do you think I'm someone you can see yourself dating? Even with my grotesque deformity?"

As soon as my mouth opened, Clarisse's warning about humans came rushing back to me. If I were a brave person, I would have told her no. "Oh, hell yes. I think you're just my type," I said and smiled.

She leaned forward and tilted her head. I thought she might be listening for something, but I saw her lips come together. Very slowly I leaned forward and…

"Connor! Lunch is ready!" Caelyn slammed the door closed and giggled.

Jessie started to pull back, startled. I carpe the diem and leaned forward quickly. Grabbing her shoulder I stopped her from sliding back more. I quickly found her lips with mine and kissed her. My first kiss might have been with Clarisse, but my first true kiss was with Jessie. They were as different as night and day. The kiss with Clarisse had been hot, I won't lie. It melted in my mouth like candy. The kiss with Jessie, however, was soft. It was her smile while we did it that made it all the more sweet.

"Wow," she said as we pulled apart.

I wanted to seem intelligent, so I kept my mouth shut.

* * *

I shoved my books in my locker and thought about Jessie. It didn't surprise me. I thought about her all night after she left. I think I smiled all the way to school, too. Clarisse had been very quiet. I chalked it up as her knowing and not approving.

Homeroom started in five minutes. Jessie still hadn't shown up. My locker sat by the front entrance so I figured I'd wait. Four minutes passed before I saw her dad drop her off. She exited the car and nearly ran for the front door. I smiled and opened it for her before she got there.

"Bout time you showed up," I said and smiled at her. Even behind her dark sunglasses I could tell she wasn't happy. "What's wrong?"

"My dad. He's thinking about selling the house and moving back to Philly."

"Why?