Chapter 7
I drove the rental car out of the city. Jo sat in the passenger side staring out the window. She never said a word. It was very unlike her to be quiet or upset. I still couldn't believe that Jo had not told Kendall about that summer. It seemed like it would make a difference in their relationship in she did. I did think that it was important information though. I had to ask her about it.
"Why didn't you tell Kendall earlier in your relationship that we kissed?" I was very blunt.
Jo let out her breath, "I didn't think it would be such a big deal. It was only once, and it was like three years ago. That's a long time."
"I am not taking sides in this. I know what you mean, but it would be nice to know that in one point in time your girlfriend kissed one of your best friends. Escpecially when it's your first kiss."
"I guess you're right. I should have told him," Jo gave up in fighting with me. She gazed out the window. "Logan?"
"Yeah?" I answered.
"Do you remember that night we kissed?" she whispered.
"How could I forget? I was your and my first kiss. Both of us had never kissed anyone so we told each other we would just to get the stress over with."
Jo giggled, "Yeah."
***FLASHBACK***
Jo and I, at the age of fourteen, sat on her living room couch watching a romantic comedy movie. Jo, of course, picked it out. Jo's parents were over at my grandmother's house next door with my family. We had the whole house to ourselves.
"Ugh," Jo groaned, "why is there always a happy ending to these sappy movies?"
I smiled, "That's what makes them a sappy movie. The dude sweeps the girl off her feet into the his arms and spins her around in cirlces. Then, slow motions start, and... BAM! They kiss. The end."
"That's always true,," Jo agreed.
"Speaking of kissing..." I exaggerated, "how was Mr. Dale Murray's lips?"
Jo blushed, "I told you we broke up."
"So, that doesn't mean that you didn't kiss some point in your relationship!"
"You want to know the truth?" Jo turned her head to look at me.
"All of it," I smiled.
"I have never kissed anyone," Jo was embarrassed. "I probably sound like a dork bu..."
I interrupted her, "Don't worry Jo. I haven't either."
"Are you serious?" Jo was stunned.
"Yeah," I said, "but this conversation stays between us."
"Agreed."
We sat in silence for a minute. All of a sudden, Jo popped up from the couch and ran to the window. She peeked through the curtains to see something.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Okay, they are in the house."
"Jo, answer my question."
"Okay Logan, I am going to sound crazy, but what if we kissed. I mean just to get it over with. I mean. I want to get it over with, and I'm sure you do, , what do you say?"
"I don't know, Jo. What if we get caught. Both of our families already tease us enough. If they catch us, we can never tell them that we don't like each other," I pointed out.
"Please, Logan. They are all inside over at your grandma's. There's nothing to worry about. Come on! Please," Jo made a puppy face at me.
"Okay, fine. Only just this once though. That's it!" I clarafied.
"Okay."
Jo leaned in with her eyes closing slowly. I couldn't believe I was about to do that. I was about to kiss my best friend. I had so many thought running through my mind in those few seconds. As I thought, I noticed I was also slowly leaning forward. Before I could react, our lips had touched gently. We kissed for a few seconds. After that, we returned to our previous settlements.
"Well," Jo said, "we did it."
"Yeah, we definitly did," I ran my finger on my right hand through my hair.
I could tell that Jo felt very awkward about what just happened. She slipped out, "Nice work."
I laughed and shook my head, "You, too."
***END FLASHBACK***
Jo smiled as she turned her head to look out of the side window, "We used to be so close, and I was dangerously foolish."
"No you weren't!" I argued. "We were just.. well I gues we were foolish, but not dangerously."
"Remember what happened the next day when we were swimming in the river. That was dangerously foolish," Jo remembered.
I laughed, "Oh yeah. That was."
`***FLASHBACK***
"Come on, Jo" I yelled over the rumble of the rushing of the water going downstream. I was in the freezing water. I had swung from the rope that hung where Jo stood.
"No! I'd hurt myself. You know I am an extreme clutz," Jo replied.
"I know you are, but that doesn't mean you can't take a chance and jump in. Does it?"
Jo stood slient for a second, "No, but what about my parents and your grandma? This is exactly what they told us not to do!"
"I know, but sometimes breaking the rules is worth it. It is like a hundred ten degrees out here. We have to jump in or we might die of heat!"
Jo shrugged, "Good point."
She slipped off her shoes and ran towards the rope. She gripped it and lifted herself from the ground. A second later, she splashed my face with the water that was caused my her landing. Jo's head popped out from underneath the water.
"Now, isn't that better?" I laughed.
"Definitly," she smiled. She looked around at the nature surrounding us. "Hey, Logan."
"Yeah."
"What happened last night. Do you regret it?"
"Of course not. Why? Do you?"
"No. I am just thinking. Some guys probably would. I just wanted to know if you were one of those guys."
"Guess I'm not," I shrugged.
"Guess not!" Jo said, then splashed me.
Then, the splash attack began. We splashed and giggled. As we reached the bank of the river, we sat down. Jo glimpsed at her phone.
"Logan, it's four thirty. We have to get back before dinner, remember? That's at five." Jo was worried.
"No worries. It won't take us thirty minutes to get back," I was totally calm.
"Okay, but let's go ahead and start back."
We walked all the way home. When we got back, it was almost six. We were late. Oddly, we were still soaked from our swim earlier that day. As we reached the front porch of my grandma's house, the screen dorr flung open to show my mom and Jo's dad.
They noticed our attire. We had to explain what we did. Our actions caused us to get grounded for a week. We couldn't see each other. Both of us had extra chores.
For the next seven nights, I snuck into Jo's window every night after all the adults had fallen asleep. We used the time to catch up even though there was nothing to catch up on due to our groundment.
***END FLASHBACK***
As Jo and I finished talking about the good 'ol days, I pulled the rental car into Jo's mom's house.
