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thedirtyverseAutumn of 1980.
“Have you ever kissed anyone?”
Claire looked at Avery. Her legs were resting on the small shelf behind her bed, one foot wiggling in time to an invisible song as she put down the book she had been reading to address her best friend’s question with rapt attention and a thorough answer.
“Just my family,” she said, rolling onto her stomach. Her hips ground into the book’s spine and she winced. After a careful extraction, she settled more comfortably in front of Avery and let her ankles lock together.
“That doesn’t count,” Avery said. “I mean like, y’know, a kiss kiss. Because at my school everyone’s always snogging in the halls.”
Claire made a face. “That’s disgusting. But no, I’ve never kissed anyone. I don’t really mind, either,” she added, resting her chin on her hands.
“Don’t you think it would be helpful to just get it out of the way, though? So you don’t have to worry about it later and no one will take the mickey if you’ve not.” Avery, who was picking at his socks, looked increasingly anxious, near to the verge of tears.
“Do people make fun?” Claire’s eyebrows rose. Perhaps it was simply the way her school was set up, but no one ever talked much about kissing. Of course, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that there weren’t very many boys to kiss, anyway, and that academics were the reason anyone was there. Academics in the form of dancing.
“Well, not directly. I mean, not to me. No one seems to mind me much, but they completely mess with weaker people. Bang out of order, really, but they do it. And this one boy is always snogging people in school. He thinks he’s so brilliant and all. Sick.”
Claire sat up, perching lightly on her knees. The idea of kissing wasn’t very important to her, but it seemed quite important to Avery. “I’ve never thought it mattered like that,” she said, tapping her slender fingers on bony knees. “Maybe it’s different in South Africa.”
“Maybe. I don’t know. Would you ever kiss me?”
Instead of alarm or embarrassment, Claire took in a thoughtful breath and made what Avery called a thinking face. “Yes, I would,” she concluded. “You’re very handsome.”
“Would you ever, y’know, like me?”
Another thinking face. “I don’t know. I like you as a friend. You’re really thinking too much about this. I believe you ought to kiss when it matters. Some people kiss just to say they’ve kissed, but that’s stupid.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s important. It’s like, growing up and shite like that. Okay, that sounds stupid, but y’know what I mean.”
“I’ll kiss you,” Claire said, trying to help Avery cheer up. “I bet I’ll be horrible, but I’ll do it.”
Avery looked elated as he turned to her and grinned. “I won’t be able to tell. I’ve never kissed anyone, either. It doesn’t have to be a lot, y’know. Just a kiss.”
Claire thought she understood what he meant and nervously licked her lips, which had become noticeably drier between now and five minutes ago. Avery was the confident one, now.
“Just close your eyes,” he said. Claire did. Leaning forward, Avery pressed his lips to Claire’s and Claire, who nearly started at the sudden contact, leaned a little closer, as well. Three seconds later, they pulled away.
“Thanks,” Avery said.
“You’re welcome.”
“Have you ever kissed anyone?”
Claire looked at Avery. Her legs were resting on the small shelf behind her bed, one foot wiggling in time to an invisible song as she put down the book she had been reading to address her best friend’s question with rapt attention and a thorough answer.
“Just my family,” she said, rolling onto her stomach. Her hips ground into the book’s spine and she winced. After a careful extraction, she settled more comfortably in front of Avery and let her ankles lock together.
“That doesn’t count,” Avery said. “I mean like, y’know, a kiss kiss. Because at my school everyone’s always snogging in the halls.”
Claire made a face. “That’s disgusting. But no, I’ve never kissed anyone. I don’t really mind, either,” she added, resting her chin on her hands.
“Don’t you think it would be helpful to just get it out of the way, though? So you don’t have to worry about it later and no one will take the mickey if you’ve not.” Avery, who was picking at his socks, looked increasingly anxious, near to the verge of tears.
“Do people make fun?” Claire’s eyebrows rose. Perhaps it was simply the way her school was set up, but no one ever talked much about kissing. Of course, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that there weren’t very many boys to kiss, anyway, and that academics were the reason anyone was there. Academics in the form of dancing.
“Well, not directly. I mean, not to me. No one seems to mind me much, but they completely mess with weaker people. Bang out of order, really, but they do it. And this one boy is always snogging people in school. He thinks he’s so brilliant and all. Sick.”
Claire sat up, perching lightly on her knees. The idea of kissing wasn’t very important to her, but it seemed quite important to Avery. “I’ve never thought it mattered like that,” she said, tapping her slender fingers on bony knees. “Maybe it’s different in South Africa.”
“Maybe. I don’t know. Would you ever kiss me?”
Instead of alarm or embarrassment, Claire took in a thoughtful breath and made what Avery called a thinking face. “Yes, I would,” she concluded. “You’re very handsome.”
“Would you ever, y’know, like me?”
Another thinking face. “I don’t know. I like you as a friend. You’re really thinking too much about this. I believe you ought to kiss when it matters. Some people kiss just to say they’ve kissed, but that’s stupid.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s important. It’s like, growing up and shite like that. Okay, that sounds stupid, but y’know what I mean.”
“I’ll kiss you,” Claire said, trying to help Avery cheer up. “I bet I’ll be horrible, but I’ll do it.”
Avery looked elated as he turned to her and grinned. “I won’t be able to tell. I’ve never kissed anyone, either. It doesn’t have to be a lot, y’know. Just a kiss.”
Claire thought she understood what he meant and nervously licked her lips, which had become noticeably drier between now and five minutes ago. Avery was the confident one, now.
“Just close your eyes,” he said. Claire did. Leaning forward, Avery pressed his lips to Claire’s and Claire, who nearly started at the sudden contact, leaned a little closer, as well. Three seconds later, they pulled away.
“Thanks,” Avery said.
“You’re welcome.”
