Here it is... finally.
4
The Kiss
„Did you know that, when given the choice, wasps will chose a yellow tunnel over one with a different color?"
Hornet rolled her eyes.
„Liza, biology lesson just stopped, alright? I can deal with that stuff tomorrow."
She sighed. „If you have to chew my ear off, can't you tell me something interesting?"
Liza didn't even look at her.
„Your darling's here."
Hornet's head shot around. „Where?"
„At the fountain."
Liza grinned as she saw the smile on Hornet's face.
„So he is your darling?"
Hornet stuck out her tongue at her as she made her way across the school yard towards Scipio.
„Like you'd believe me if I told you otherwise."
Liza saluted smartly and left them alone, occasionally glancing over her shoulder.
Hornet smiled as Scipio hugged her, a little longer than necessary.
„Listen, Hornet, I have to hurry, I have an appointment about, uh, five minutes ago."
He talked on rapidly before Hornet could show her disappointment.
„But listen, do you wanna do something tonight? I can come pick you up if you like."
Hornet smiled. „Yeah, I'd like that."
Relief spread on Scipio's face.
„Great. Uh, seven? See you then."
He wrapped her arms around her once more and hurried off.
Hornet smiled at his departing back.
„Great," she whispered, before turning around herself.
„Hey, Liza," she called after the girl, „wait up!"
Hornet didn't even think about a book that day. She spent the whole afternoon in front of her wardrobe, which was unusual for her. She even turned on the music so the others wouldn't hear her mumbling. She debated with herself for hours, tossing this skirt aside and replacing it with another, then throwing the shirt she had just decided on over her shoulder in search for a new one.
In the end, she had just finished dressing when the doorbell rang.
„I'll get it!" Hornet called, trampling down the stairs, but Ida was quicker. She opened the door halfway, barring it with her arm.
Scip smiled tentatively, but it quickly faltered as he saw the look on Ida's face.
„Hi," he muttered, „is Hornet there?"
„No," Ida said coldly.
„Yes," Hornet cried over her shoulder.
„I'm sorry, but Hornet really doesn't have time."
Ida talked on as if she wasn't even there, her face cold, her voice hostile.
„Have a nice evening."
Ida shut the door with a thud.
Hornet stared at her.
„Are you crazy?" she exclaimed violently. Without waiting for a reply, she sprinted up the stairs, slamming and locking the door behind her. Without hesitating she grabbed her coat, opened the window and swung her legs outside. Climbing down the wall with a skirt proved more difficult than she had thought, but she managed to drop onto the pavement in time to see Scip walking away, looking stumped.
„Scip!"
He turned, a startled frown on his face. When he saw her in the shadows, he broke into a broad smile. Jogging back, he bent down to envelope her in a hug.
„Hornet, what… Didn't Ida say…"
Hornet grinned.
„Well, she's right, you know. I really don't have time… for them!"
Scip grinned uncertainly, then laughed.
Hugging her, he spun her around.
„That's my little pick-pocket."
Hornet stuck her hands into his coat pockets.
„If you're finished drooling all over me, can we go, please? I'm freezing, and I really don't feel like parading around in front of them."
She gestured vaguely towards the house.
Scip, blushing crimson, put his arm around her shoulder. „Well then., what do you think about ‚parading around' at the movies?"
Hornet grinned. „Love to."
Scip bought their tickets. Hornet couldn't help teasing him about it as they walked towards their seats, hugging his waist. They passed a group of grown-ups in their fifties who stared at them. Scip was so occupied with popcorn, tickets and Hornet that he did not see the hostile looks, but Hornet did.
„That's disgusting," she heard one of the women mutter, but when Hornet turned around, she looked the other way.
Scip didn't notice Hornet's face until they were seated in the darkness of the cinema.
„What is it?" he inquired, but Hornet shook her head.
„Don't worry about it," she muttered, but Scip could see the tears glistening in her eyes.
He bit his lip as jealousy gripped his heart.
She's still thinking about Prosper, his head told him, playful banter doesn't mean you can ever be as important as he was.
He sighed and stared at the empty seat at his side.
Hornet could see he was hurt, even though she did not know why. Maybe he had heard the woman too.
„What a bitch," she muttered, snuggling against Scip's chest. She smiled as she saw Scip's surprised look.
„Like I said, don't worry about it."
The movie wasn't very good, but they were to preoccupied to care. Hornet was so content lying over Scip's chest that she hardly noticed she couldn't even see the screen properly, and Scip, who was tall enough to see from anywhere, spent most of his time staring down at Hornet. When the light came back on, they blinked slightly disorientated and reluctantly disentangled themselves. Scip stretched, completely blocking the view of the man sitting behind him, and grinned down at her.
„Comfy?"
Hornet yawned.
„Yeah."
She slowly got to her feet and led him toward the exit, wrapping her arm around his.
They passed the same group of people as before, and Hornet was sure she heard the woman mutter again, something along the lines of „Some people…!"
She spun around.
„Excuse me."
The woman looked up, a trace of red creeping onto her cheeks.
„Yes?"
Hornet pulled Scip to her side.
„Would you mind not making comments about people you don't know? I personally would like to spend an evening with my uncle without anyone making disgusting comments about it. If that's alright with you."
The woman nodded and Hornet was pleased to see she was embarrassed.
„Get your mind out of the gutter!"
Opening the door forcefully, she stepped into the icy breeze.
Scip grinned.
„Boy, that showed her…"
Hornet shook herself.
„Gah, these people make me angry. Know nothing, yet comment on everything."
„Yeah, but… uncle?" Scip muttered. He tried his best to sound distanced, but it proved harder than he had imagined.
„Well, I had to say something, didn't I?" Hornet growled. „I certainly don't see you as my uncle."
Scip supressed a happy grin.
„So, what now?"
Hornet yawned again.
„I think we should head home. The others have probably noticed that I'm missing by now."
Scip quickly hid his disappointment.
„Yeah."
They walked in silence, only stopping when they had reached the dark façade of Ida's house.
Hornet stared into the darkening winter sky.
„I'm cold," she complained, wrapping her hands around Scip's waist under his coat, which was now covering both of them.
Scip did not say anything, he was thinking about Prosper. So was Hornet. She had never noticed how similar the two boys were. What if she was attracted to Scip because he reminded her of Prosper? Was this fair to Scip?
„I should go inside now," she whispered.
Minutes passed and still they stood, not moving, not speaking.
Finally, Hornet raised her head.
„You know, you're just too tall. I can't even think about you without my neck hurting."
Scip grinned before gently prodding her nose with his forefinger.
„So you do think about me."
Hornet's answer was muffled by his sweatshirt.
„Did you doubt it?"
Scipio did not answer, even though her reply sent a jolt of happiness through his entire body. He pressed her against his chest with one hand, scratching his head with the other.
„Hhmm."
„What, ‚hhmm'?"
Without a reply he suddenly scooped her up, his arms under her shoulders and knees, and hoisted her against his chest.
„Is that better?" he asked at her laugh of delight.
She nodded breathlessly, and for one brief, fleeting moment his lips brushed against hers, so softly it could have been a dream.
He set her down onto the pavement.
„Can I see you tomorrow?" he asked, clearing his throat.
„I'd like that," Hornet replied, her voice barely audible. Standing on tip-toe, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before disappearing into the dark garden silently. Her heart was pounding and her knees were shaking, she hardly managed to fumble her keys out of her pocket.
With a broad smile she opened the door and ran her hand up and down the wall for the light switch when she saw Ida standing in the darkness, her face bare of emotion.
"Hornet," she said, her voice shaking with anger, "we need to talk."