Free Lingering Touch - A Story of Young Love by Anna Howard Page A

dog.
    "Consider it my gift." I said, taking his hand to make him look at me. When our skin touched it sent a shock through my fingers and up my arm, making me shiver. I almost forgot what I was about to say. "It can be an early birthday present! Or a late one, depending on when your birthday is. When is your birthday?"
    Trevor stared at our hands for an extra moment, and then slowly moved his head to look up into my eyes. Tears brimmed in his eyes, and he blinked them away. He smiled broadly and threw his arms around me, crushing the puppy between us.
    "I'll go ring that up for you. Would you like the puppy-starter kit to go with it?" The woman smiled at us, her eyes glinting like she knew something I didn't.
    .o.O.o.O.o.
    The woman, her name was Maggie, explained to us that this was a Miniature Alaskan Husky and that she probably won't get much bigger than about 30 pounds and she needs to be taken on daily walks and other useful information about the dog, which I mostly tuned out. Trevor listened intently and held the puppy possessively.
    "So what do you want to name her?" I asked in the car while we were driving away. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him glance at me, at my hair, then turn back to his puppy and stroke it adoringly.
    "I think I'll call her Copper," he whispered.
    Copper. My hair was kind of a coppery color. Does that have anything to do with why he named his dog Copper? Of course not, that would be ridiculous. Why would I care anyway? It wasn't like I liked him or anything. He was my best friend, and besides, he was still just another stupid high school boy. Right?
    "Um, yeah. That's a good name," I mumbled just a little too late. He stopped petting Copper and looked at me, concern showing in his face.
    "You ok?"
    My stomach was doing flips and tingling and my toes were twitching inside my shoes. What the heck was going on with me?
    "Uh, I uh – I'm fine. I think – let's – I'll just take you home now." I stuttered. I never stutter.
    He didn't say anything more and neither do I until I'm stopped outside his house.
    "Hey, thanks Ari," He'd never called me Ari before. Why was I noticing all of this all of a sudden? And then he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. His lips were warm and moist and I found myself wishing they were somewhere else on my face... They lingered for the longest moment. Then he broke away and I didn't move as he got out of the car and walked into his house, holding the happy puppy to his heart and waving to me before closing the door.
    Trevor just kissed me.
    My cheek was on fire.
    My lips were jealous.
    My stomach was swirling.
    With what? Excitement? Nervousness? Disgust? No, not disgust, it was definitely swirling with something good.
    I couldn't move.
    But I had to leave or he'd think I'm creepy.
    I was on autopilot as I turned the key and drove to my house. I didn't notice that my father's car was parked in the garage where I usually parked. He rounded on me as soon as the door was closed behind me.
    "Where have you been?" He bellowed and staggered toward me. I barely dodged the beer bottle he threw at me. His face was blotchy. I would assume he had been crying, but I knew he didn't have emotions so that couldn't be.
    "I was studying," I said carefully, edging around the kitchen as far from his as possible.
    "Oh yeah?" He snarled, and laughed loudly, "What for? It's not like you're smart or anything. You don't know anything, and you're never going anywhere!"
    I wanted to yell at him that I had near-perfect grades and that I would leave this place as soon as I possibly could. I wanted to tell him what a horrible father he was and how he was ruining my life. I wanted to tell him how I hardly eat and that I exercised beyond belief trying to be pretty and loved by other people because I never was by him. I wanted to scream and cry and break things, like he did, but I'll never be a monster like him. I just wanted my daddy back.
    But I didn't do any of these things. I wouldn't