The Kissing Deadline (19 page)

“She’s all yours. I hear she has been for
some time.”

Heart pounding, Cassie eased away, leaving
them to their drama.

* * *

“Congratulations to the crew. As you know
they completed the sets.” Students clapped and let out a few
cheers.

The director shot a resentful gaze at the
newest STOP banner. “Everything isn't quite as elaborate as we
originally envisioned because the STOP campaign dipped into our
budget.”

It read,
STOP in the name of love
, and
the words were surrounded by broken
acceptable affection
hearts.

“The budget money was designated for art
supplies.” Amber waved her post-its. “We needed money for the
banners and more STOP flags.” Amber glared at Ryan between
justifications for her STOP program while he ignored her.

Cassie had noticed that Ryan and Amber hadn’t
spoken in Biology this morning. They seemed even colder this
afternoon and Amber had been especially vicious with the flags.
Amber must still be pissed about the zoo. Cassie would feel guilty,
but having seen Amber with Kristnaldo she just didn’t. If anything,
she felt guilty about not telling her friend Ryan what she’d
seen.

“We hand-made posters for the play,” Sierra
said. “Is your STOP team offended by glitter glue too?”

Amber said, “This outbreak…”

“Yes,” the director said. “Thank you, Amber.
I am sure you don't need to tell us the value of the STOP
committee.”
Clap, Clap.
The director called for rehearsal to
start.

The Dragon’s Nest
rehearsals had a new
energy and some excitement now that the costumes were complete. One
of the cast members walked along the front of the stage with a sign
held toward the auditorium: ‘
The Dragon’s Nest
, Act II,
Several Days Later.’

Cassie sat alone at the table, dressed in
Madrageen’s wedding finery, adding beads to strings. The addition
of each bead wrought a sigh from deep within her soul. Ryan trudged
into the village store, shoulders drooping, posture defeated.
Cassie spotted him. “My heart returns in time for our wedding.”

She dropped the necklace and threw herself
into his arms, body against body, soul against soul. Beads flew
across the stage as if in celebration of their reunion.

Megan slipped on them and went down, hard.
Her arm jerked, and she knocked into one of the completed props,
taking it out. The set was no longer complete.

One of the stage hands groaned.

“We could find neither the dragon nor her
lair, but we know the nest is nearby.” Ryan swung Cassie in a
circle and stopped with her in his embrace.

Cassie clung to Ryan, scared to be dropped
again. Ryan grinned at her and leaned toward her ear to whisper,
“We should practice the Trust Fall again.”

“No.”

“It was as if an eternity passed while I was
away from you,” Ryan said, slipping back into character.

“It was an eternity--a lifetime. The earth
crumbled to dust, and no rainfall fell to restore it.” Cassie eased
her tight grip on Ryan so Madrageen could make her next move. She
waved her hands in a hula-like motion. “The ocean dried up. I
refilled it with my tears.”

Ryan clutched her hands and kissed them.

That was new. Cassie smiled at the sensation.
That may be even better than his hands on her neck. She wasn’t sure
though. She’d have to feel them again so she could compare. Ooh,
maybe he could kiss her hand while he caressed her neck, a daily
double.

In the background, Larry purchased the shiny
belt and put it on. He bloused his sequined shirt out around the
belt and did his own little spin.

“The Jeweler has gone missing too,” one of
the villagers said. “We must gather our forces again.

Cassie slid her arms around Ryan's waist and
held him to her. He stroked his hands along the sides of her neck
and put his mouth against her ear.

Ryan rotated his thumbs against her skin.
“The Trust Fall is a good idea.” His lips moved to her earlobe.

Closing her eyes, Cassie shifted her face
toward Ryan, her thoughts going blurry. “Maybe.”

The director hissed from the wings. “Cassie,
line! You cannot go…”

Cassie shook her head a little to clear it.
It only worked when Ryan stilled his thumb and lips. “You cannot go
out again, I truly would not, could not survive.”

“But you must survive, for without you--”
Ryan ran his hands from her neck along her back.

Tingles flickered through her, and she
pressed closer, laying her head on his shoulder. His cologne
smelled so nice.

Mike rolled his eyes. “Just go with him on
this journey, Madrageen.”

Yourgath turned to the shopkeeper in horror.
“No! It’s too dangerous.”

Ryan pushed Cassie behind his back. His arms
splayed defensively in front of her.

“The true danger is my dying of sadness when
you leave,” Cassie said mournfully.

Ryan faced her again. “We go together.” He
leaned in for a kiss. His head tilted.

Oh. Cassie realized he had tilted so the
audience could see their faces. That’s why he had changed
direction. She tilted her head, matching his motion.

“Cut! We'll end here today. The STOP team has
slapped a few additional limits on our artistic freedoms.” The
director held up one of the pink heart-shaped papers. “We must
adhere to the list of acceptable affection.” She turned to Amber in
acknowledgement. Amber whirled a stack of red post-its in the air
and nodded self-righteously. “Thank you for your vigilance, Amber.”
Her tone lacked sincerity.

As Cassie and Ryan walked down the steps, the
director handed them each notes on their performances. “Better
expressions today, Cassie. Also, despite what the Principal said,
great improvisation last week. Work on today’s notes with
Ryan.”

Cassie had hit all her marks so she knew
there’d be very few notes from this rehearsal. Yay. The words on
the card caused her to stumble. She caught herself, quickly folding
the card and shoving it in her pocket.
Please don’t let Ryan
have gotten the same note, please.
She glanced at him, her face
hot, and saw him grin at his note card.
Crap!

* * *

Sierra and Cassie stood in front of Cassie's
locker. Cassie dug around for her kiss kit, opened it, and shook
out a wintergreen mint. She offered one to Sierra. Sierra shook her
head, so Cassie popped it into her own mouth. Minty. Fresh.

Ryan came within range. “Ooh, wintergreen.”
He opened his mouth.

Cassie popped one in with a giggle.

“Thanks.” Ryan bit down on the mint. “You
looked scared when I swung you around. I want to try the Trust Fall
again and show you…”

“Not happening.”

“Rehearsal. My house. Meet me in the parking
lot after school.”

Sierra said, “I can make this one.”

“Just Cassie, we have notes to work on.”

As soon as he disappeared. Brooke narrowed
her eyes. “What’s going on with you two?”

“Nothing. We’re friends.” No way was she
telling them about the performance notes.

“Focus on the plan. You're coasting, Cassie.
I'm not convinced you're trying hard enough.” Sierra reached past
Cassie and lifted out the jar of maraschino cherries. “You didn't
even open them.”

The cherries bounced against the glass. “I
don't know what to do with…”

“We're past number eight,” Brooke said. “How
can we already be past eight?”

“I'm trying,” Cassie insisted.

Sierra returned the cherries to Cassie’s
locker. She took a shirt out of her bag and held it in Cassie's
face. It was the
Sweet Sixteen and Never Been Kissed
t-shirt. “Here's a visual to keep you motivated.” Sierra hung the
pink monstrosity on a hook on the back wall of her locker. “Your
birthday’s this weekend. Up your game or else.”

“You promised, Cassie.”

Cassie slammed her locker door shut. She
dropped her head against the cold metal, her stomach sinking. She
wished she didn’t have to do the kissing plan anymore.

* * *

After school, Ryan’s foyer was distinctly
quiet with no extra luggage in sight. Cassie walked inside, feeling
guilty. She hadn’t told Mom that rehearsal would just be her and
Ryan at his house, and she didn’t tell Ryan that she wasn’t allowed
at boy’s houses when their parents weren’t home.

“Do you eat those maraschino cherries?”
Cassie asked, as they climbed the grand stairway.

“No.” Ryan wrinkled his nose, but in a
masculine way. “Nobody eats those. They just put them in
cocktails.”

“Oh,” Cassie murmured. Then why were they in
her kiss kit?

At the top of the hallway, Ryan opened a door
and led the way. He dropped his backpack just inside the door.
Cassie put hers beside it and looked around. The room was decorated
in navy blue and browns, the same as his study where they’d hung
out during the party. There was a large flat panel TV, sofa,
armchair, and …a king-sized bed.

What teenager has a king-sized bed? For that
matter, what teenager has a large flat panel TV in his bedroom? She
was standing in the bedroom of the spoiled boss’s son. From the
looks of his crib, he was the head of the company’s son. She’d seen
those guys on MTV and none were redeemable. Cassie picked up her
backpack and headed for the door.

Ryan caught her midway down the stairs.
“Where are you going?” She didn’t respond. Two steps later, “Stop,
Cassie, what’s wrong?” Ryan took her arm and forced her to stop.
“Talk to me.” He pulled on her until she sat on the steps.

Cassie stared at the pole on the balustrade
and didn’t say anything. She wasn’t sure how to explain that she
wasn’t allowed to be alone in his house, much less upstairs, much
less in his bedroom. Ryan scooted closer. He put one hand on her
arm and one hand behind her neck. His fingers stroked her skin.
“Talk to me.”

Ooh, dirty pool. Cassie knew what he was
doing, but still couldn’t resist. “No fair, you’re using Yourgath’s
knowledge.”

Ryan smiled a very Yourgath-smile at her. He
rubbed a thumb down to her collarbone. “Talk to me.”

Cassie clasped her knees. “That was your
bedroom.”

“Oh. I didn’t take you in there to have sex
with you,” Ryan said in a reassuring manner.

Cassie tensed at his words, and her mouth
dropped open a little. Sex? Had he said sex? Man, Sierra wasn’t
going to believe how accurate she’d been with the Ferrari nickname.
He was totally 0-60 in 4.6 seconds flat. She put a hand against the
step and rose.
Time to go.

Ryan tugged her back down. “Kidding.”

Her back pressed into the balustrade’s wooden
bars, and she didn’t look at him.

Ryan stood. “I know.” He took her backpack
and one of her hands and stepped down. Since he was going in the
right direction, Cassie followed. He dropped her bag in the foyer
and led her into his fancy granite kitchen. At the counter with the
cookie jar, he lifted her up. She let him. He went to get glasses.
Knowing the drill, Cassie lifted the lid, grabbed a cookie and took
a bite. The chocolate melted against her tongue. Thank you Mr.
Nestle, she thought. Not bad. Not Mom’s, but not bad.

“Let me see it,” Ryan said.

Cassie swallowed and shook her head.

“I know it’s like mine. I could tell by your
reaction.”

Cassie tightened her lips and dug the note
card from of her back pocket. She handed the 3x5 ruled card to
Ryan, and took another bite of the melting chocolate cookie. He
leaned against her leg and took a bite before reading it. The card
read,
PERFORMANCE NOTES:

1. Double the longing looks.
   

   1. Act I--gazes should linger and look
      away.
      

   2. Act II & III--never lose eye contact
      (except during battle scene).
      

2. Double the passion.
   

   1. Madrageen’s hands should touch something
      other than Yourgath’s arms.
      

   2. Rehearsal: do the Trust Fall, Cassie. You
      should have complete faith in Ryan. I have no doubts about his
      ability to catch you. Side note: maybe practice it on a softer
      surface than the stage.
      

Ryan placed her card on the counter and
tapped it with his index finger. “Yeah, that’s pretty much what
mine said.”

Cassie snatched up the card and stuffed the
thing back in her pocket.

“So that’s why I thought we could use my
bed.”

Cassie just stared at him. She didn’t care
what Amber let him do, she wasn’t going near his bed. Amber! Amber
would kill her for just sitting on his countertop much less his
bed. It wasn’t a bad argument. “Amber would kill me or I wouldn’t
mind that we use the mattress to practice on,” she lied.

“Great,” he said. “We’ve got no problem
then.” He took the crumbling cookie from her limp hand, lowered her
from the cold granite, and led her toward the stairs. “I broke up
with Amber.”

Her heart pounded as she followed him up the
stairs and back in his room again--his bedroom. As soon as they
arrived, he bent and scooped her over his shoulder, fireman carry
style, which was neither romantic nor comfortable. She braced
against his hard waist, and he yanked off her shoes. Moments later,
she stood on his mattress. The mattress was one of those dense foam
ones. On the commercial, the glass of wine doesn’t spill while a
person bounced on the bed. She didn’t feel stable at all. Her arms
flew straight out into warrior two yoga position in an attempt at
maintaining her balance. Ryan kicked off his shoes and climbed up
beside her.

Cassie wished he had a bed with four bedposts
instead of this sleigh style so she’d have something to hold onto.
Then again, without poles she lessened the odds of hitting her
head. At least his floor had carpet, in case she kept rolling.
Cassie peered up at Ryan. He wore a huge eager smile, and she
sighed. Fine, she could do it. “Okay, but stand in the middle. I’m
falling toward the middle. Not the wooden headboard or the
edge.”