Free A Missing Peace by Beth Fred Page B

prerogative.”
    â€œThen you’re dumb.”
    â€œWe can’t all be perfect, Miss Mirriam.”
    My hand still cupped her cheek. She made no effort to move it, but she didn’t move closer to me either, and now she glared at me. “Why do you keep patronizing me?”
    I shrugged. “I’m not sure I’m patronizing you.”
    â€œCaleb, you’re so annoying.” But those chocolate eyes had softened. She wasn’t glaring anymore. “And you’re not quitting school. And you will do your half of the project, even if I have to come sit in your living room and watch you work every day.”
    â€œWon’t happen.”
    â€œTry me.”
    Instead of looking for a reply, I took a huge chance. The kind of risk you could easily come to regret. I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. It didn’t take long to force her lips open. She clasped one hand around each of my arms and squeezed tightly.
    She was kissing back.
    It was perfect.
    Until, she gripped my arms harder and pushed away from me so fast she hit her head on the wall.
    She let out a deep breath and looked up at me. A swift silence passed and then she said, “I’ve never done that before…”
    Not knowing what to say, I didn’t answer.
    â€œSo we’re, are we…okay, where I’m from, this would mean something, but here…”
    â€œIt meant something.”
    â€œWhat?”
    I have no clue.
    â€œI’ve never asked, but I know I’m not allowed to date.”
    I laughed. “Are you tryin’ to tell me this was a one time thing?”
    â€œNo!” Her eyes went wide, and there was a bit of panic in her voice.
    â€œI could talk to your mom,” I offered.
    She laughed. “It’s Abrahem you need to worry about, and you should not talk to my brother about dating me. He’s big and mean.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œSo, maybe it’s a secret for a while?”
    I nodded and moved my hand from her face into her hair. It was like silk between my fingers. It felt as nice as it looked.
    â€œI should go.” She maneuvered around me to head for the door, and I worried for a moment I’d freaked her out. She called over her shoulder, “I cannot have a drop-out for a boyfriend.”
    I hadn’t freaked her out. She was being Mirriam.

Chapter 16
    Mirriam
    That kiss caught me completely off guard. It changed everything and nothing. In a moment of honesty, I’d have to admit Caleb Miller was gorgeous—beautiful. I had known that since I first laid eyes on him. Even our heated debates brought a rush I wasn’t used to. So it wasn’t that I didn’t see this coming, kind of. But I never thought—he never really seemed like the kind of guy to go for an Iraqi girl, especially an Iraqi girl who hated the U.S. And I did.
    Back home, a kiss like that—it was something engaged people did—married people. Not single people. I sat on my bed, hugging my knees and contemplating what it meant. It meant something, or I was a harlot, and I wasn’t a harlot, when I got a text from Caleb.
    School district will send someone to my house to finish the semester.
    I smiled.
    C u @ debate.
    Really? That long?
    What r u expecting? I’m not allowed to date.
    Need help with Gov. I’m an infidel.
    My whole body hummed. He was right. There was no way Ommy or Abrahem would ever tell me I couldn’t study. They might not like me going to Caleb’s routinely, but after his accident, they wouldn’t argue.
    I left a note on the table that said I was at a classmate’s working on a project. I didn’t mention who the classmate was to avoid unwanted questions. Two minutes later, I was at Caleb’s. We watched TV on his couch. He had all the channels. Most things on cable here were too racy for me. Lots of things on cable here wouldn’t have been allowed to air at home. So I settled on the ABC Family