Free Cloud Walking (A Find You in the Dark novella) by A. Meredith Walters

that I wouldn't ruin our friendship. 
     
         But with her finger tracing lazily up and down my fabric-covered skin, I forgot about that.  Screw morals.  They were overrated anyway.  I was going to kiss that girl tonight.  And I would do it so that there would never be any doubt about how I felt about her.
     
         I was practically bursting with the anticipation of it all.  I whipped into the school parking lot, eager to get to the dance and to get on with my night.  Two more seconds of smelling her skin and feeling her finger dancing up my leg and I wouldn't be responsible for my actions.
     
         Rachel, Clay and Maggie were tossed around a bit in my haste to get into the parking space.  “Take it easy there, Danny Boy.  We'd like to get there alive, you know,” Maggie quipped, jumping out of the truck as Clay slid his arm around her waist.
     
         Not even their subtle PDA would ruin my good mood.  I grabbed Rachel's hand and dragged her toward the school.  “Dude!  I'm wearing heels, slow down!” Rachel laughed.  I stopped, turned around and lifted her up, carrying her as though over the threshhold or something. 
     
         “What are you doing?” she squealed as we walked up the stairs.  I could hear Clay and Maggie laughing behind us.  I pressed her into my chest and leaned down so that my lips were next to her ear. 
     
         “Can't have a high heel related catastrophe, now can we?”  I joked, enjoying the way my breath on her neck made her shiver.  I wanted to kiss the white, creamy skin less than an inch from my mouth, but restrained myself.  Once inside the school, I put her back down on her feet.  She was a little wobbly and grabbed my arm for support.
     
         We walked into the decorated gym, our arms around each other and it felt like this was a date.  Rachel leaned her head into my shoulder and I rested my chin in her hair as we waited for Clay and Maggie to join us. 
     
         We were instantly greeted by Ray and Claire.  Then Jake came up with his date, though I noticed he watched Maggie as she entered the gymnasium with Clay.  Poor guy had it bad.  I could empathize as my eyes wandered over to Rachel, who was laughing with a few other girls in our grade. 
     
         “So, are they together now?” Jake asked me, nodding his head in Clay and Maggie's direction where they still lingered by the door.  They weren't touching, but it was very obvious that something was going on between them. 
     
         I looked at my buddy.  Jake Fitzsimmons was a decent guy.  One of my best friends outside of Rachel and Maggie.  It had never been a secret that he had been crushing on Maggie since middle school.  He had told me that they hooked up a few times at different parties, but I had asked him to spare me the details.    He had wanted advice on how to get Maggie to go out with him.  But I didn't do the whole Dear Abby thing.  Plus, Maggie had never been particularly interested in a guy before. 
     
         But it was clear she was very interested in Clayton Reed and I knew that was like a kick to Jake's gut.  I clasped his shoulder in sympathy.  “I don't know what they are, but I know she likes him, dude,” I said quietly, so that no one else could hear. 
     
         Jake's smile was strained and I could tell he was lying when he said, “That's cool.”  But I wasn't going to stand around and talk about Maggie's love life all night.  Not when I wanted to jump start mine with a certain someone.
     
         Maggie joined Rachel and me as we found a table with a few of our friends.  I didn't know where Clay had gone, but I wanted to get Rachel's fine ass on the dance floor.  So I finally pulled her with me, just as a slow song came on. 
     
         Eric Clapton's “Wonderful Tonight” played as we moved together.  I couldn't help but press her up against my body and I felt the moment she relaxed and gave into