Title: Lyrics and Kisses

Rating: T for Teen

Author: Magical Little Corner and XxXHeartbrokenTearsXxX

Summery: [SSTLS Their older sisters were best friends, and they spent more than a little time together. Was this time any different?

Author's Note: This one is truly short AND sweet…enjoy!

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Mari stood outside on the deck, watching the sun set behind the forest on the other side of her farm. She had escaped the stuffiness of her two-story farm house which was crowded with guests from her sister's graduation party. Nearly 50 different people came; some Mari knew and others she thought were party crashers.

"Mind if I join you?"

Mari turned around to see her sister's best friend's younger brother, Michael, leaning on the side of the house. Mari had always hung out with him when their families were out.

"No, don't mind at all. Escaping the stuffiness?" she replied, leaning her back on the railing.

"Yeah, you?"

Mari nodded. For the first time since she met Michael, Mari noticed an unusual softness in his features. Michael was usually playing guitar with his rock band or writing lyrics to something, and Mari never really had a chance to really study him. The gold light of the setting sun lit his face, and made his short brunette hair a lighter shade of color, but his almond-colored eyes were squinted. The black polo he was wearing was unbuttoned at the top, and his faded denim jeans were low below his waist.

Michael turned to Mari, squinting hard at her. The soft breeze blew her curled hair across her face, and her white sun dress was illuminated with the gold of the sunset. For the millionth time since he met her, he thought to himself something to say other than "yes" or "sweet" or other one word sentences. He wrote song after song after song about her, trying to describe the way her crystal gray eyes lit up at a simple sound or the way she laughed at a funny word. But he wanted Mari to here it, not from his emo friends or anyone else who knew he liked her. Michael wanted her to hear it from his mouth.

"Hey, I wrote a new song."

"Yeah? What's it about?"

"You. Want to here it?"

Michael saw her cheeks go slight pink and she looked down at her tan feet.

"Yes. I'd like to here it."

Michael gulped and walked over to Mari. Mari moved over to him. Slightly shaking, he took out the folded piece of notebook paper he had written the lyrics on nearly a year earlier. Michael looked at his handwriting; the words like a poem fell from his lips.

"When I close my eyes/all I see is you/the way you laugh/the way you smile/no one can describe my love for you/I will always fall for you/The way you walk so perfectly/flawlessness unperceived/your innocence begging for me/I-" A kiss fell on his cheek.

Mari had leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. Possibly the worst thing she could've done to him. Mari recoiled back and looked down at her feet. She could feel her cheeks burning and her face turning red from embarrassment. Her mind recalled it, the beautiful words that Michael had spoke about her. The way they rolled off his tongue made Mari feel so special, so unique, so…loved.

"Michael, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." Mari said. She could feel Michael's eyes stare blankly at her.

"No, I should've kissed you earlier. My mistake. I'm sorry." Michael replied, looking at Mari. He was blushing, and the spot where Mari had kissed him felt tingly and ticklish. He wanted to kiss her since the minute he was introduced to Mari and she ended up kissing him first. "You like the song?"

At that she looked up. "Of course I liked the song. What girl wouldn't?" Mari smiled and Michael smiled back at her. Her face looked soft and happiness filled her warm eyes. Michael went over to her and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"I love you." He whispered in her ear.

"I love you too." She replied, hugging him around the neck.