Page 34 of The Death of Kisses

Lilly: Lee said you were going to meet us at the school, so I caught a ride with him.

I quickly silenced the screen and tucked my phone into my purse, a fragile attempt at hiding my unease. Mike's hand gently placed a bottle of pills into mine. “Text me if you need anything. I can pick you up when it’s over,” he said, his voice thick with concern. He stepped away, leaving me wrapped in a swirl of emotion.

“Mike?” I called out, with a surge of gratitude and fear swirling inside me.

“Yeah?” he replied, opening the driver’s side door.

“Thanks—for everything. You’re a good friend,” I managed, my voice barely a whisper, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. Without waiting for more, I turned and started toward the school’s entrance, my heart pounding in my chest.

They’d be lining up seats in the gym, but I needed to find Lee and Lilly first. I knew Lee’s aversion to crowds; he wouldn’t be with the rest of the seniors. Heart pounding, I moved slowly down the hall, passing the locker rooms and the cafeteria, watching students and teachers filling their stomachs before the ceremony. Just as despair threatened to swallow me whole, a familiar, jarring laughter drew me in.

I followed the sound to an abandoned classroom—an old, neglected space craving renovation.

“You brought me a present?” Lee’s voice was calm, almost seductive, a dangerous softness that made my blood run cold. “How thoughtful.” The rustling of clothes and another burst of Lilly’s laughter echoed through the room. “Now, be a good girl and suck my cock, and I might let you go back to my sister,” Lee hissed, his words laced with menace.

Lilly’s voice, playful yet defiant, responded, “What if I don’t want to wait for Charlotte?”

My heart tore apart, each beat a sharp, piercing ache that sank deep into my chest, as if icy claws had seized my lungs and refused to let go. My body froze in place helpless, clutching the wall as if it were my only lifeline, desperate to hold onto some semblance of stability amidst the chaos.

My eyes were glued to Lee’s figure—frozen in shock—yet my gaze betrayed me, stealing in a flash to Lilly’s knees hitting the cold floor. It was like a dagger twisting into my very soul. In that devastating instant, my chest shattered into a thousand pieces, breaking anew, overwhelmed by a storm of helpless rage and unspeakable grief that crashed over me like relentless waves. An inferno ignited within, fiery and uncontrollable, burning through my veins with the intensity of a thousand suns.

I somehow made it back to the gym, every step heavy with grief, every breath a struggle as the pain in my body intensified, clawing its way through me. Then Dad arrived—out of place yet unmistakably himself in his expensive suit—an image of pride in a moment I could hardly bear. His presence, so composed and confident, made my insides churn with even deeper turmoil.

"Charlotte, how are you feeling?" he asked, studying me with that scrutinizing gaze, as if trying to decipher my worth in that fleeting moment.

“I’m fine,” I managed to whisper, voice trembling, “just on my period.” I hunched over, clutching my stomach, trying to hold onto what little strength I had left.

“Oh dear, we should get you to see the doctor. I’ve been reading that birth⁠—”

“Dad, not now,” I cut him off with a strained groan, sinking into a chair, overwhelmed by everything.

He looked for Lee, eyes narrowing slightly. “Leeroy, where have you been hiding?” he asked, and I looked up—Lee smiling, cap tilted jauntily on his head, his gown out of place, as if he didn’t quite belong here.

“Hey, Dad,” Lee said casually, “I was just checking on the team. Some of them were having trouble figuring out the cords.”

Lilly slid into the seat beside me, wrapping her arms around me in a gentle, comforting hug. “Cramps?” she asked softly, voice filled with genuine concern, as I doubled over, a wave of nausea swallowing me whole.

I nodded—what else could I do to keep from breaking completely? My mind raced frantically, questioning how long this had been happening behind my back, whether I had been foolish all along, blind to the truth.

Throughout the ceremony, Lilly kept her hand on my thigh, rubbing soothing circles, trying to chase away the storm within me. Conflicting feelings ripped through my heart—hope and despair, love and betrayal. Maybe Lilly didn’t love him, I tried to cling to that fragile thought. Maybe it was just a fleeting mistake, a one-time thing.

When the ceremony finally ended, I hurried to get in a car with my dad, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me—my shattered heart, the ache in my body, the gnawing suspicion that nothing would ever be the same again.

23

SLIP AND SLIDE

5 months ago - May 14 - Town of Coldwater - Population 1,250 - 18 yr old

“Congratulations,” I smiled, my voice filled with pride as I watched Lee embrace his dad and Charlotte. She looked so exhausted, as if the weight of the world had stolen her sleep, and my heart clenched with worry for her. Yet, when I reached out to ask if she was okay, she quietly slipped away with her dad, leaving Lee and me standing in the crowd—surrounded by family making plans for the future, for the next chapter, for everything that lay ahead.

“Come with me,” Lee said softly, his hand reaching for mine, and I couldn’t resist. We moved past the bustling crowd, hearts pounding, until we slipped out the back door of the gym and onto the empty field.

“Where are we going?” I laughed nervously, slipping in my heels as I followed him.

“Just to the field,” he replied with a smile. “The teams are throwing a little party before we all head to dinner with our parents—talks about colleges, boring stuff. But I thought maybe… something different.” His eyes sparkled with mischief.

The football field was transformed into a wonderland—streamers fluttered in the breeze, party favors scattered everywhere. Someone had rolled out large tarps, covered them with water and soap suds, making little bubbles that shimmered in the sunlight.