Short Story
Title: I Want a Kiss
Author: Philip Chan
Email: goodadvicechsn@gmail.cotrm
A large group of about 400 parents and students gathered together at the Montville School in New Jersey for a high school graduation ceremony.
I stood behind a big tree, away from the crowd, looking at the graduation ceremony square searching for Martin. I finally found him. He had been my idol since I was a little boy.
Martin looked more matured with his graduation gown. He would soon go to Boston College for his college degree.
It took me a while to single him out from the crowd. Luckily compared with other boys, he was a bit taller, about six feet tall. He was indeed a handsome young man. No wonder he was surrounded by girls. I didn’t want to get close to him because I knew he would not have time for me.
Martin and I were neighbors. He was two years older than me. Although I had no chance to play sports or do extracurricular activities with him, we walked to school together everyday. He was the only son in his family and he treated me like his younger brother. Whenever I didn’t understand my homework, he would be happy to coach me.
During school year, every day I got up early, I hurriedly had a simple breakfast. Then I sat near by the window and watched Martin passing by. As soon as I saw him, I rushed out to join him walking to school together.
At one time, he didn’t see me coming out to meet him, he knocked my door to look for me. I was unwell that day, and I had to rest at home.
After school, he came to see me, chatting and laughing with me. I opened a box of chocolates. We both loved chocolate and finished the whole box. My mom later found out and was angry with me. But that was one of my happiest days.
On his last birthday, after school, he asked me to go home alone, because a friend invited him to watch a movie. After school, I went to the library and sat near the window to watch him leaving school. As I expected, he walked hand in hand with a female student leaving the campus. I should have been happy for his dating, but I didn't. I felt I was hurt. Was I jealous? Jealous of what?
On my birthday, we went to the stream behind Martin’s backyard for fishing. We caught some small fish but we put them back into the water. We had a good time till he started telling me his dating experience. Every time he praised his girlfriend for being beautiful and empathetic, I would feel like a knife piercing my heart. He characterized her as a gentle, caring, lady-like girl, always smiling and cheerful. Was she really perfect?
When he told me his intimacy with her and taught me what sex life was, I lost my focus on fishing.
Instead of sitting on my rock, I stood up not realizing a big fish was on my hook. The fish pulled my string and I lost balance. I fell into the stream. He tried to catch me but he too fell into the water. The stream was about four feet deep.
I hit my head on one of the rocks and blood trickled down my chins,my arms and shoulders bruised.
He dragged me out of the water, and took me into his bedroom. He stopped the bleeding and put on a bandage.
We both then went to shower together. He rubbed me with soup, got rid of the blood stain at my back and washed the smell of water from the stream. He them help me to dry my body.
Apart from feeling embarrassed at that moment, I didn’t feel a bit shy but a sense of pleasure. Looking at him showering and changing clothes in front of me also gave me a thrill.
Since then, I always flashed back to that shower experience and I developed a desire to kiss him. I occasionally said to myself secretly, why not take the initiative to boldly pursue my wish: rush forward to hug him, and then make a mouth-to-mouth kiss.
While I was thinking of the times we were together, a voice called my name "Chris."
I turned back, and it was Martin who was standing behind me.
"So you are here," Martin said, "I've been looking for you everywhere.” I became numb and speechless.
"Hey, Brother," Martin continued, "Are you going to give me a hug?"
I remain intact.
"Come on." Martin walked close to me, hugged me, and patted my back. He said in my ears, "In a few years, you will graduate too.”
After that, Martin started to walk away. He keot on walking. My eyes turned red. All of a sudden, he turned his head and said loudly to me, "What do you want? I’ll send it to you from Boston.”
I said in a low voice, "I want a kiss."
