"What do YOU want?" Kat asked rudely, moving back to the bookcase to return the Shakespeare volume safely to its place. She moved away when she realized how close Patrick was.
Patrick leaned over to see the title of the book Kat had been reading. "'Taming of the Shrew?'" he stated. "How ironic."
Kat moved over to the chair where she had been sitting and crossed her arms as she faced him. "What's that supposed to mean? And what are you doing here, anyway?"
Patrick tapped a finger thoughtfully on Kat's book and after a moment recited, "'Say that she rail; why then I'll tell her plain she sings as sweetly as a nightingale.'"
Kat stared at him, completely nonplussed. She tried to think of something to say but nothing came to mind as she processed the fact that Patrick Verona knew Shakespeare from memory. Patrick moved away from the bookcase and came to where Kat stood near the chairs. "'Say she be mute and will not speak a word; Then I'll commend her volubility.'"
Kat felt his nearness and took in a slow staggered breath as she uncrossed her arms to lean against the table behind her. How was it possible that a boy she didn't even like could affect her so much just by standing near her? "Um," she started. "Can you step away? There's something called 'personal space' and you're invading mine." Despite her words, she made no move to leave his side.
Patrick chuckled but continued reciting lines from the play without moving away. "'Come, come, you wasp; i' faith, you are too angry."
Recognizing that passage, Kat tartly responded, "'If I be waspish, best beware my sting.'"
"'My remedy is then, to pluck it out.'" Patrick warned softly, bending slightly so that his face hovered near hers.
Kat stood entranced as she gazed into his glittering eyes. Raggedly she replied, "'Ay, if the fool could find it where it lies.'" From head to toe, he was mere inches from her, but all Kat could focus on was his eyes, which were looking intently into her own. She could tell he was having fun reciting the lines, but underneath she could also sense the seriousness of their conversation - the gauntlet that was being thrown by each.
Patrick raised an eyebrow at her quote, then broke from the role and murmured, "Kat, I'm no fool, and I sure as hell will find your stinger whether you want me to or not."
With that, Patrick closed the gap between them and laid his mouth on hers, his warm lips moving across hers and all but forcing Kat to respond. Her mouth parted slightly as their kiss deepened, and she felt his tongue dart into her mouth and flick against hers.
Kat barely registered when Patrick raised his head for a moment and muttered, "'Why, there's a wench! Come on, and kiss me, Kate,'" before bringing his mouth to hers again. Then before she could raise her arms - to push him away? to pull him closer? - Patrick suddenly stepped away from her. Kat opened her eyes slowly and met his gaze. She could see that Patrick had been as caught up in the kiss as she. Before she could say anything, Patrick took a few steps toward the doorway, turning only to say, "I'll see you later, Kat."
And then Kat was alone in the library, her breathing shallow, her lips slightly swollen and red, her heart racing, and her mind in tatters. Patrick Verona had given Kat her first kiss. And it was a doozy.
Patrick leaned over to see the title of the book Kat had been reading. "'Taming of the Shrew?'" he stated. "How ironic."
Kat moved over to the chair where she had been sitting and crossed her arms as she faced him. "What's that supposed to mean? And what are you doing here, anyway?"
Patrick tapped a finger thoughtfully on Kat's book and after a moment recited, "'Say that she rail; why then I'll tell her plain she sings as sweetly as a nightingale.'"
Kat stared at him, completely nonplussed. She tried to think of something to say but nothing came to mind as she processed the fact that Patrick Verona knew Shakespeare from memory. Patrick moved away from the bookcase and came to where Kat stood near the chairs. "'Say she be mute and will not speak a word; Then I'll commend her volubility.'"
Kat felt his nearness and took in a slow staggered breath as she uncrossed her arms to lean against the table behind her. How was it possible that a boy she didn't even like could affect her so much just by standing near her? "Um," she started. "Can you step away? There's something called 'personal space' and you're invading mine." Despite her words, she made no move to leave his side.
Patrick chuckled but continued reciting lines from the play without moving away. "'Come, come, you wasp; i' faith, you are too angry."
Recognizing that passage, Kat tartly responded, "'If I be waspish, best beware my sting.'"
"'My remedy is then, to pluck it out.'" Patrick warned softly, bending slightly so that his face hovered near hers.
Kat stood entranced as she gazed into his glittering eyes. Raggedly she replied, "'Ay, if the fool could find it where it lies.'" From head to toe, he was mere inches from her, but all Kat could focus on was his eyes, which were looking intently into her own. She could tell he was having fun reciting the lines, but underneath she could also sense the seriousness of their conversation - the gauntlet that was being thrown by each.
Patrick raised an eyebrow at her quote, then broke from the role and murmured, "Kat, I'm no fool, and I sure as hell will find your stinger whether you want me to or not."
With that, Patrick closed the gap between them and laid his mouth on hers, his warm lips moving across hers and all but forcing Kat to respond. Her mouth parted slightly as their kiss deepened, and she felt his tongue dart into her mouth and flick against hers.
Kat barely registered when Patrick raised his head for a moment and muttered, "'Why, there's a wench! Come on, and kiss me, Kate,'" before bringing his mouth to hers again. Then before she could raise her arms - to push him away? to pull him closer? - Patrick suddenly stepped away from her. Kat opened her eyes slowly and met his gaze. She could see that Patrick had been as caught up in the kiss as she. Before she could say anything, Patrick took a few steps toward the doorway, turning only to say, "I'll see you later, Kat."
And then Kat was alone in the library, her breathing shallow, her lips slightly swollen and red, her heart racing, and her mind in tatters. Patrick Verona had given Kat her first kiss. And it was a doozy.
