True Love and Magic Tricks (18 page)

What is a hat without a
rabbit?

The object is the
spark—the real reason why the illusion is worth seeing, worth
doing, worth discovering.

Sometimes magicians lose
their rabbits. They get lost in the act, or the magician makes a
mistake and has to coax the rabbit back out. Because without the
rabbit, the trick is useless. Without the rabbit, the hat becomes
insignificant.

Kaylee Elizabeth Sperling,
you are the rabbit to my hat, and I love you. Please forgive me for
losing the spark in your trick. I will do whatever I can to make it
up to you, starting with this deck of cards. 52 reasons why I love
you. And I could fill another deck. Perhaps two more or
three.

Whatever it takes to coax
my rabbit back out.

-Nate

My heart’s pounding by the end. My
eyes slightly blurry, my breathing heavy.

“
Wait!” I spin around,
hoping he’s still in the hallway. Nate looks over his shoulder, and
I head toward him.

“
I’m so sorry,” I say,
meaning every word, regretting all the time lost that was
my
fault. “It was an
accident and I said things because I was mad, not that I really
felt them. I was so mean, so mean, and I’m sorry, and I want to
take all of that back because I love you, too. I love you so much,
and it’s crazy early to feel this way but I do—”

His lips cut me off. His
hands wrap around my waist. My arms lock around his neck. My nails
scrape through his hair, our bellybuttons touch, hearts pounding
and pounding and pounding making it feel like they’re lifting me
off my feet. But then I realize I
am
off my feet. Lifted in the air
and spinning like in a movie.

I feel back in my puzzle box, fit
snuggly against my puzzle partner. I feel like I may have lost
something, but I’ve found something too, and it’s
fantastic.

No… more than fantastic. It’s
magical.

My feet touch the ground, and my lips
leave his. Our foreheads touch, sticky and hot from the run still.
I let out a tiny laugh.

“
I’m sweaty.”

“
So am I.” He sighs like we
both know we should head back to the locker room and shower, but we
don’t want to leave each other’s arms. “Do you want to come over
tonight?”

“
I can’t.” I frown. “I’ve
got that award thing for my dad. Put those swing dance lessons to
good use.”

“
Well, I think maybe you
need one more practice session before.” He half smiles. “Just in
case.”

“
I agree.” My teeth pull
over my bottom lip as I look up and down the hallway, then I lower
my voice. “I’ve never skipped class before.”

“
Neither have
I.”

“
There’s a first time for
everything.”

He grins a wicked grin with me and
pecks my nose.

“
I’ll meet you
outside.”

Then we walk hand-in-hand to the
locker room, and it takes us both a lot of effort to let go when we
get there.

***

Nate and I don’t make it too far past
my front door before I tackle him to the carpet. He only laughs for
a split second, then he kisses me back long and hard. His fingers
get tangled in my wet braid so I rip it out, flinging the hair tie
across my living room. Then I feel his warm fedora settle on top of
my head.

Our kisses taste like strawberries. I
blame my lip-gloss, but he doesn’t seem to mind it, keeping his
lips locked tight with mine. His hands run down my ribs and settle
on the exposed skin between my top and jeans. A sharp gasp flies
from my mouth when he squeezes, and all of a sudden we’re not on
the ground anymore. We’re fumbling to our feet, tripping up the
stairs, stumbling past my bedroom door, and he’s kissing me and
kissing me, and my head’s on a giant cloud, over the moon, sliding
down a rainbow.

My hands meet his chest and shove. He
flies back onto my mattress, and I’m on top of him in a second,
kissing him back. Kissing him and kissing him and not knowing how I
know what I’m doing but just letting it happen because I can’t
stop. I don’t want to stop. My body keeps buzzing and zapping and
tumbling down a big giant hill, and I want him close to me. Closer.
Closer. And closer.

He turns his face, making my lips land
on the stubble on his cheek. He breathes hard and lets out a small,
“Okay” before turning back to me.

“
Okay what?” I ask, and
then shiver uncontrollably as his hand sneaks under my
shirt.

He pulls me near so he can kiss a path
across my neck. “I was just saying okay.”

“
Is something wrong?” I
ask, still not understanding, mind too wrapped up in his hand
scorching up the bare skin of my back. My breath comes out ragged,
moans slipping past my teeth every second. My hips roll with his on
their own accord, and they don’t stop. I’m not sure if I should
worry about if we’re going too fast or too far. It’s not like we’ve
talked about this, but instead of asking, “How far is this going?”
he flips me underneath him, giving me a twitchy and adorable
smile.

“
I was just making sure the
door is closed.”

I giggle. “Paranoid much?”

“
I have every reason to
be!” he shouts, batting at the fedora on my head before pulling it
off entirely. My shirt follows after that. Then his. Then both our
pants. He blushes like crazy when he pulls a condom out from behind
my ear. I tear into it and I don’t know how this is happening but
it is and it’s wonderful and thrilling and nerve-wracking, and I
haven’t felt more loved or cared for than the moment when he pauses
over me, wipes my bangs from my forehead, and asks if I’m
okay.

And I am. So we keep going till we’re
done.

He stares at the ceiling while I stare
at him, both our bodies knocked out of breath. I reach across the
bed and slide his fedora back on. He offers up a lazy
grin.

“
Let’s not fight again,
okay?” he says. I lean up and kiss his nose.

“
People always say that.” I
snuggle into his arms. “But I want the fights just for this right
here.”

“
Make up sex?” he jokes,
and I pinch his side.

“
For a stronger
relationship.”

He squeezes my shoulder and gives me a
small kiss on the forehead. My mind starts drifting and drifting,
body glued to his while my eyes close. Nate lightly snores over my
head. The world goes black for what feels like two seconds, but
when I blink my eyes back open, I look at the clock and shoot
upright.

“
Nate, get up, get up!” I
roll over him and land with a thud to the floor, tangled in my
comforter. “I have to get ready.”

“
Huh? What?” he asks,
rubbing his eyes, sitting up and showing off his yummy bare skin. I
chuck his suspenders at him.

“
My dad’s award dinner.
It’s in an hour.”

He lazily stretches. “So that’s it?
Wam, bam, thank you, Magic Man?”

He grins, and I growl because he’s not
getting it.

“
Nate!” I grasp his
shoulders and shake. “He’s gonna be home any second!”

Crystal eyes widen, and he sits up so
fast we knock foreheads. After fumbling for clothes and shoes and
rushed kisses, Nate gets out the door, hair an adorable mess and
only one suspender strap in place. I give him a small wave, biting
my smile back as he gets to his car. But before he drives off he
comes back for another kiss.

“
I love you,” he says, and
my heart explodes into pink fireworks.

“
I love you,
too.”

I watch him drive away before shutting
the door and sighing at the ceiling. I already feel like calling
Lexie and spilling, knowing that I totally could and she’d listen.
But an even stronger impulse to keep this special between me and
Nate tugs at my heart. I went from having a gerbil as a best friend
to having two actual people. One I love more than anything and one
I can talk to about everything.

I slide down the back of the door and
squeal into my knees. I will be Nate’s rabbit for as long as he
lets me.

Chapter 20

Dan Barrington stands on stage, his
hood pulled up over his head and his pants practically hitting the
floor. The music turns on and he starts rapping Jay-Z. Really? He
grew up on the rich side of town and drives a BMW to school. This
is my competition? Ha! I got this in the hat.

“
We’re up next,” Kaylee
says. She tugs my suspenders, pulling me into a hug. She smells so
sweet, and it takes all my restraint not to push her into the dark
corner and christen the high school’s stage. Our luck the curtains
would open just as we are about to… “You’re going to be awesome!”
Kaylee exclaims and my X-rated thoughts move to the back of my
mind.

“
No,” I reply.

“
What do you mean no?” She
plants her hands on her hips in that stubborn way of hers, and I
can’t help but kiss her cheek. She’s adorable when she gets
bossy.

“
Not me.
We
. We’re so going to
rock this thing.”

A huge smile spreads across her glossy
lips. “Heck yeah we are!” She smacks my butt, jolting me forward.
“Let’s do this! First let me change.” She takes off, and I walk
over to check the zig-zag box one last time to make sure all the
parts are working.

“
You good to go?” I hear
behind me and turn to Ryan. He walks over, and we do our hand shake
then pat each other on the back.

I tap the box. “She’s looking good.” I
turn to Ryan and spot Lexie beside him.

“
Loving the outfit,” Lexie
says. “I’m happy you opted out of the suit jacket. Totally would
have looked like you were trying too hard.”

“
I still think he would
have looked hot in that jacket,” Kaylee says as she walks toward
us. My eyes land on her silver sky high sparkly shoes then follow
up the silky smoothness of her legs, past the black mini skirt to
the tight red sequined shirt and linger on her amazing…

“
Nate?” Ryan says and
elbows my side.

“
Huh?”

“
Answer her,
dude.”

“
Sorry… what was the
question?” I mumble, staring at the specks of glitter along her
rosy cheeks. She says something, and I search my mind for words,
but they all seemed to have joined the disappearing act. Not a
single one is in reach.

“
Don’t worry, Ryan.
Speechless is the best compliment.” She winks a beautiful green eye
at me.

I nod like a trained puppy, hoping to
god I’m not drooling. How am I supposed to go on stage when I can’t
take my eyes off her?

“
I think he’s comatose,”
Lexie says. “You better snap out of it. I paid five bucks to see
you tonight. I’m expecting to get my money’s worth.”

“
I told you I’d pay,” Ryan
says, and Lexie rolls her eyes.

“
I work three jobs, Ry. I
think I can afford five bucks.”

“
I didn’t say you
couldn’t—”

“
We’re up!” Kaylee says,
cutting Ryan off and snapping me out of my Kaylee coma.

“
Crap. We have to get to
our seats. Give us two minutes,” Lexie says. “Good luck
guys.”

“
Luck!” Ryan yells and
swoops Lexie up throwing her over his shoulder.

“
Dammit Ryan, put me down.”
She pounds his butt, but is laughing so hard I doubt she minds the
free ride.

I take a deep breath and stare out to
the stage. Mr. Harris announces us, and for a split second, my
nerves take over, but then Kaylee slides her hand in mine and the
nerves are gone.

Kaylee struts out first, owning the
stage like she’s done this time and time again. She’s a natural and
for a minute, my mind takes a trip into my fantasy
world.

Kaylee and I on a Vegas stage,
performing our act for a sold out show. A promise ring on her
finger symbolizing my undying love. Because even though this love
thing is new to me, to us, I can’t imagine never feeling like
this.

Kaylee holds her hands out and waves
them across the box, putting Vanna White to shame. I spin the box
around for the audience to see then bring it to a stop. I open the
door and hold my hand out for Kaylee. She slides fingers in mine
and winks a made up eye at me.