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I see the confusion on his face give way to clarity, and then his mouth falls open and I catch the unmistakable look of horror in his eyes

“You…you what? Is this soer in his voice and I shakethat the bubble has noell and truly burst

“No, I’nize me”

“But you…how old are you?” He looks mortified

“I’ he’s no doubt totally forgotten e, if he ever knew it at all “I’m nearly twenty”

“So, nineteen then,” he says drily I nod

“You’rebreath

“If that was supposed to be soame, it wasn’t a funny one,” he says and his whole attitude towards ed now He takes a step back, his body language closing down and his eyes cold Withdrawing from me I want to tell him that I don’t think it’s funny at all, that I have wanted this to happen since I was sixteen and even if he never gives ain, it would have been worth it for that kiss But I don’t say any of that Instead I just say, quietly, “I’m sorry”

He nods briskly as though he has come to a decision

“I won’t tell your father,” he says “Let’s not speak of it again, it’s forgotten And I apologize I would never have done such a thing if I had knoho you are, it’s not like I usually go around kissing girls on beaches”

“Okay,” I say, trying to sound as though I agree, as though I’ was just a teenage prank As though I haven’t been longing for his kiss ever since I cae

“Right, I’ to my car I’ll see you at your Dad’s Hopefully it won’t be too long before he can join us”

He turns on his heel and walks off before I can reply and I watch hiain the way he just did Never touch or kissers to h I could soible the memory of his kiss

Chapter Four

Alex

I stomp back to ry, taken for a fool, guilty on Jeff’s behalf and also, incredibly, devastated that I have lost ly