me out the corner of his eye.
“Okay, remember if it lands on the same couple three times, that means tongue action. Juno’s house, so she goes first.” Emily eyes Xavier and they share a laugh. They’re all about this game.
I twirl the bottle with my hand and swallow, watching the bottle spin and spin, releasing my breath when it bypasses Xavier. At this point, I’d rather kiss Emily than Xavier. It slows between Emily and Colton. We look at them for the answer since this is their game.
“Midway always goes to the right. You and Colton,” Emily says.
We look at each other and I press my hands on the floor to lean forward. He does the same and our lips meet, pressing together for the briefest moment. Then I’m back in my space as quickly as possible. That wasn’t so bad. Colton continues to play with his shoelace and all I can feel is how red my cheeks are.
Xavier and Emily stare at us as if we’re about to rate the kiss. When neither of us says anything, Xavier spins the bottle and it lands on Colton, to which Xavier says redo. Then it spins and points at Emily. They kiss with tongue on the first go. I guess once you go tongue, you don’t go back. Emily spins, and it lands on Colton. I watch as he kisses her just like he did me, glancing in my direction. Colton spins, and my heart is in my throat as it stops between Xavier and me.
“That’s you, Juno,” Emily says.
“But you said—”
“I’m not kissing him,” Xavier says.
“Come on, Juno. It’s only the second time,” Colton says.
I lean forward and our lips stay connected a little longer than the first time, and I realize how soft his lips are. He got his braces off last year and he’s been obsessed with Chapstick since. I vow to never make fun of his addiction again.
Emily wiggles in her spot, almost clapping and giddy as if she had the kiss.
I spin the bottle and it lands on Xavier. He gets the quickest peck ever from me and I run my hand over my lips after. Emily’s spin lands back on Colton, and I watch them kiss again.
As Colton’s hand covers the bottle, my gut twists, and I have no idea if it’s because if it lands on me, we have to use tongue, or if it’s the fact that if it lands on Emily, his first tongue kiss will be with her.
My eyes follow the bottle’s movement, and I realize as it slows down that I’m holding my breath. It comes to a stop right between Colton and me, and a rush of hot air flows out of my mouth.
The room seems so small, as if there’s a spotlight above us as our eyes lock, both of us conveying that this is it. We’re going to have our first kiss in front of our friends.
We lean in toward each other and our lips touch.
“You have to use tongue,” Emily says.
Colton presses a little firmer, his tongue sliding between the seam of my lips. I open for him, not sure what exactly I’m supposed to do. All I can think about is that Colton is kissing me, his tongue is in my mouth, and a funny feeling rushes to the pit of my stomach. I kind of like kissing Colton. I mean, it’s not horrible.
Then the lights flicker on and footsteps barrel down the stairs. “What’s going on here?” Brooklyn says.
Colton and I fly apart, and I wipe my mouth.
“Your friends have to leave,” she says, turning off the radio. Her eyes are red and swollen. “Where are Rome and Denver?”
“Why do they have to leave?” I stand up and press the stereo back on.
A minute later, more footsteps sound on the stairs.
“Brooklyn!” Grandma Dori yells downstairs. “I’m calling Austin and then Savannah.”
Brooklyn presses the stereo off. “I told you, Juno, your friends need to go.” A tear slips from her eye.
“Where are the boys?” Grandma asks from upstairs.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Just have your friends go home. Grandma needs to speak to all the kids.” Brooklyn heads up the stairs, wiping at her face the entire time.
“Did something happen?” Colton asks at my side.
“I’m not sure, but I guess you guys should go.”
My friends leave, and I sit on the floor of our family room with my siblings, minus Austin and Savannah, who are away at college.
Grandma sits on a chair and fists her shaking