Braces

We all remember the day you got braces.

"Notorious," said Miss Miriam Forcible. "I've never seen so much metal in a person's mouth."

I couldn't help but agree. You were stacked with metal. It was as if someone shoved a scrap metal factory in your mouth.

"How do you eat with all zat stuff in your mouth? I do not understand," Mr. Bobinski stated studying your new smile, "it is not natural."

But it was the modern world, anything goes. Nobody could see though, only me and you.

"It throws off your whole complexion, don't you agree Miriam?" asked Miss April Spink. "I don't know how they make childrens' teeth nicer by ruining their appearance for years."

Little did they know it only made me like you more. I remember how you looked a little more dorky, but a cuter dorky.

"Coraline, I don't have time to examine your friends teeth. Now leave me be," my mother addressed sharply.

But I had all the time to examine and experience them.

"If I say they are 'da bomb' will you let me work on this paper?" Dad asked. "Why don't you count how many brackets there are and how many are orange or purple or whatever color they are?"

I remember there being at least twenty-three brackets yet none of them were purple or orange, but different shades of blue.

"Why born!" your grandmother called. You were about to rush off when I stopped you. You turned around, cocked your head, and asked, "Yeah?"

I scanned my brain for an excuse and came up with a lame, "Let me come with you. I haven't seen your grandmother for a while."

I remember you nodded your head solemnly and we walked side-by-side throughout the woods. We were halfway to your house when my urges came over me.

I was seventeen and hormonal, you lost your hunchback look and blossomed into a sleek, still slightly nerdy, stalker Wybie. I remember pushing you against the tall, Birch tree that you later carved W+C in a heart into the exterior with a switch blade.

My lips smashed against yours in haste. I had yet to fill my satisfaction. I could feel you loosen then tighten, again and again until you finally relaxed and got more into it.

I remember you put a hand on the small of my back where my yellow raincoat covered. You always said you loved it, that was one of the only reasons I kept wearing it. I slid my slender fingers through your messy curls.

They always had this unorganized look to them, even if you brushed it. I always wondered what would happen if I put a straightening iron to it.

We took a breath simultaneously, I couldn't help but giggle as you kissed me again. It was too sweet a moment.

Then you slowly opened your mouth to let my tongue in. I remember being nervous about this. I'd never used my tongue when kissing anyone. It was a whole new experience.

I slowly, oh so slowly, moved my tongue near your mouth. It entered and my tongue tip glided the metal just behind your lip. I hastily put my tongue back in my mouth for a voice called out, "Wybie! I need my 6:30 pills, and it's 6:28!"

I remember jumping back as you cringed at the voice of your grandmother. "I gotta run," you said apologetically. I never wanted you to leave. You never should have left me alone in the woods.

On the way back to the Pink Palace I still tasted your mouth faintly. It had that pickle juice flavor to it that the glue left behind. I never like pickles before this experience. But now all I wanted to do was eat pickles just to get that moment back.

I remember that well, it gave me hope for the future, straight teeth, and us. I'll never, ever forget that five minute moment, especially when you remind me of it each time you flash me a smile.

The last thing I remember was that it made me finally realize how much I love you.