Free 17 First Kisses by Rachael Allen

his coppery hair away from his face. “But the best part of living in Europe was we got to visit all the other countries on weekends and holidays because they’re all right there. Russia is a train ride away. France is right next door.”
    I contemplate how wonderful it would be to have France next door instead of Alabama. “That sounds amazing. I would kill to travel to Europe.”
Or anywhere that’s not here, really.
    â€œThen we should go.”
    â€œYeah?”
Ohmygosh, he said “we.” Wait. Didn’t he?
    â€œYeah. We could do a backpacking trip. This summer or something. I know how to plan one pretty cheap.”
    That’s an affirmative. He is definitely talking about doing this together, and it isn’t just my over-romantic imagination.
    â€œOkay, let’s pretend we live in the kind of world where my parents would agree to that. What would we do on this backpacking trip?”
    â€œWe’ll start off in Germany because I know every place to go there. And in Capri, we’ll charter a motorboat so we can go swimming in the Blue Grotto, even though you’re not supposed to. And then we’ll go to the southern coast of Spain, where we’ll drink sangria and stay up all night dancing. And we’ll end in Paris, because you have to end in Paris, and I’ll take you to the best
macaron
shop, and we’ll have a
macaron
feast for breakfast while we sit on the Pont des Arcs and watch the sunrise.”
    Luke. Wants to go to Europe. With me. And do all that romantic stuff he just said. This whole staying-away-from-him plan? Not going to work. I realize Luke is looking at me and waiting for a response.
    â€œYes. Yes to all of it. I’m in.”
    He gives me a wink that sends my heart soaring into the atmosphere. “Assuming we live in the right kind of world?”
    â€œYeah. Assuming that.”
    I’m not thinking about my parents, though. I’m thinking about Megan. I am so totally screwed. Because I am really,
really,
REALLY starting to like this guy. And the more time I spend withhim, the more I realize I won’t be able to let her have him.
    The rest of the game passes by in a blur, and Sam finds me when it’s over. “Hey, we’re going to get pizza at Shorty’s now,” he says, even though I already know about the pizza plans. He looks pointedly at Luke. “Do you want to come?”
    â€œSure. Hey, thanks, man.”
    Sam smiles at me, probably thinking he is paying me back for helping him with Amanda. He probably forgot Megan will be there too. He probably didn’t see her glaring at me for the duration of the second half. So he doesn’t realize we’re headed for an extra-large disaster.

    Â 
    Kiss #5 xoxo
The Summer After Seventh Grade
    It never occurred to me how much time and energy girls like the Crownies spend on things like color-coordinated accessories and hair maintenance. It’s exhausting. The summer after seventh grade, I get a vacation from being girly in the form of Oak Hills Soccer Camp. For four glorious weeks I can play soccer, hang out with Sam, and not worry about clothes and makeup. When I get to camp, I realize it’s swarming with cute soccer-playing boys, but I’ve taken a stand. I will not break out my makeup until the end-of-camp dance.
    My resilience is tested the very first week when I meet Alex Martinez. It’s a match made in soccer heaven. He’s the best boy at camp. I’m the best girl. Is he the cutest boy? Maybe not. But being good at soccer makes him seem so to a bunch of soccer-obsessed girls. We show off on the field if we spot him on the sideline, take circuitous routes to the dessert station so we can squeeze by his table in the dining hall, and talk about him in our bunk beds after lights out. So far, all this talking and effort has amounted to absolutely squat. Alex has shown zero interest in any of the girls at camp (although we dissect