Free The Time Until by Casey Ford Page A

smile.
    “I’ve been going here since the start of the
year,” she concedes. “I’ve been watching you since then.” She turns a light
shade of rouge and shyly bites her lip.   I didn’t think anyone was looking at me like that and it makes me feel
good.   A flash of wanting Sam to look at
me like that passed through my head.   I
mentally shake the thought away and focus on Kate.
    “Katelyn,” I start before she interrupts me.
    “Kate, remember.   I told you on Saturday I prefer Kate.” I nod
and suddenly realize that my back is burning.   I risk a look over my shoulder and cringe inwardly as I see the look on
Sam’s face.
    Great, now I have to deal with her.
    “ You going to
introduce me to the rest of your friends?” Kate motions
toward Sam specifically, a look of challenge in her eyes.   Sam snorts and leans back as if it means
nothing to her.
    “Hey, Ethan, how you doing?” Ethan pumps his chin up in greeting.
    “Great.   Just telling all about Saturday.” Ethan smiles impishly and
glances sideways at me and Sam.   Uh oh.
    “You really made my friend sweat that
night.   He seemed to really enjoy
himself.” Kate smiled brightly, obviously excited about the news.
    “Is that true?   You had fun being with me?” I nod and she jumps on me.   Wrapping her arms around my neck, she starts
playing with the hair on the back of my head.   She pulls herself closer and gets her mouth right next to my ear.   I feel the same heat start to course through
my body, her breath causing lewd things to play in my mind.   Her body is not helping the imagery.
    “God!   You smell great, exactly how I imagined you
would,” she whispers.   I shiver slightly at
her words, goose bumps trailing my arms.   I gasp loudly as she nips my ear lobe with her teeth and then slides
down my body back to the ground.
    It takes a moment, but I suddenly remember that
we’re not exactly alone.   I turn quickly
and look at my friends faces.   Arianna
and Quentin are shocked and surprised.   Ethan is smiling a smile of victory.   But Sam’s face is the hardest to see.   She has a mixture of disgust and anger.
    And pain.
    I turn back to Kate, unable to look at Sam
anymore.   Kate seems to understand what’s
going on and a look of understanding passes and fades from her face.   She places a hand on my arm and looks me in
the eyes.   Her bluish green eyes seem
more emerald today than they did in the artificial light of the club.   They are drawing me in again.
    “I actually came over here for a specific
purpose,” she finally tells me breaking eye contact. “I was wondering if you
wanted to see a movie with me on Saturday.” Did she just ask me out?   I believe she did.   I’m struck a little dumb at the prospect.   I’ve never been asked out before — I’ve never asked anyone out before.   I finally snap out of my surprised daze when
Ethan clears his throat behind me.
    “Yes,” I answer, “I would love that.” Kate’s
smile grows brighter and a warmth spreads through my
body.   I find myself smiling along with
her.
    “Great.   I’ll see you at… say, six?   In front of the theater?”
    “Sounds perfect.”
    There’s a loud bang from behind me and I turn
slightly to see Sam walking away quickly.   She’s wiping her eyes — or nose, hard to tell from behind — and she
seems on the verge of running.
    I can’t say I’m not confused.   She can’t be angry after what she did, but I
can kind of understand her feelings at this point.   She’s probably feeling like I’m going to
leave her alone.   I would never do that
no matter how much it hurts for me to be by her side.
    She has to know that.
    I watch her briskly walk away for a moment when
Katelyn steps next to me.
    “Seriously,” she inquires, “what happened
between you two?”   There’s no malice or jealousy
in her voice, just concern.
    “Nothing,” I lie.
    “Obviously, since nothing usually sends a girl
running with tears in