After dinner, we left the restaurant heading for our house. My father drove carefully through the Washington streets The trees line the road putting everyone in almost a trance-like state as we continue back to our home. Dinner had been all right. My father drowned on about work and everything back home while my mother asks Sammy and I questions about our house.

The nerves about my parents meeting Gage for the first time had worn off as we sit around the coffee table in the living room playing board games. Everyone seems to be laughing and having a good time once my father decided to stop interrogating everyone else.

My mother asks about Gage's house and how his childhood was like. Did he have a family? Anything you could think of my mother was asking. At about 8 p.m. I pull Gage aside.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I questioned. Gage should have never been here in the first place, he had no reason to show up when he knew my parents were coming. My brain was trying to figure out why he would do something like that.

"What do you mean?" his hands shot in the air like lightning bolts. He ran his fingers across his scalp as if he were trying to itch away my anger. I quickly folded my arms over my chest, my foot tapping rapidly on the ground as I awaited his response.

" I mean why did you show up tonight? You knew my parents were coming, did Sammy set you up to this?" of course Sammy didn't set him up to this she knew my parents just as well as I did, and she was very well informed of the fact that my father would not be okay with Sammy and I hanging around a boy we didn't even know.

"I didn't mean to barge in while your parents were here Olyvya," I nearly rolled my eyes, then why did he if he didn't mean to, why did he barge in here like he owned the place. I hadn't even had time to open the door before he was already standing in my living room greeting my parents.

"Oh you didn't?" he shook his head, I was obviously getting on his nerves.

"No, I didn't! I actually wanted to talk to you about what happened earlier, I needed to explain myself." suddenly I was interested in what he had to say again. All the confusion around why he kissed me and what it meant was driving me crazy. My life had become a rollercoaster of new mysteries right after another and my brain was having a hard time keeping up. I fell backward until my back was pressed gently against the wall I let out a breath of hot air. I guess I needed to give him a chance to explain. Rolling my hand through the air I ushered for him to continue.

"Look I'm sorry about what happened earlier, you were missing and I got all caught up in the situation. You really freaked us out. I don't know, I honestly felt responsible for your disappearance. So when you just showed up like that, I don't know what came over me..." his head hung low, his words seem sincere. I wanted to run up and hug him to make him feel better. I don't know what was in the kiss but something about it was mesmerizing. The way his lips went over mine made me wish we had tried it one more time.

"Its okay," I mumbled matching his body language. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to say, was I supposed to tell him that the kiss was driving me crazy, that my lips haven't felt the same since. Or was I supposed to pretend like nothing ever happened, that I didn't want to kiss him again?

The sound of someone calling my name from downstairs pulled me from my thoughts. I glanced around to make sure we were alone before I reached forward pulling Gage into a quick hug. Before I could even think of what I have done or his reaction I rushed back downstairs to be with my family. He took a few minutes before he joined us in the living room to continue the board games.

My Palms feel sweaty as we played, the nerves of what happened upstairs taking over my body. I wish I knew how I felt about Gage, he was stunning with his buzz cut hair, his perfect smile, and those blue-green eyes prettier than any I've ever seen before. I could see myself getting lost in him, and something about him drew me in. I wanted to know everything. I wanted to meet his family to see if they were just as outgoing as he was, did he have any siblings, was he friendly with his parents, and where were they in the first place?

"Olyvya, are you okay?" my mother reached over wrapping her arm around me she pulled me close to her chest. I nodded my head in response looking up at her. She had aged over the last few years, her upper eyelids sunken in slightly, her cheekbone protruding more than they used to. But for her age she was stunning. I would be lucky to look half as pretty as she does when I'm her age.

The room is filled with laughter, the light from the lamp creating a warming glow around the atmosphere. Suddenly everything felt safe. All the dread I had about my newfound secret washed away with every laugh echo through the living room. We played for what felt like hours, starting with my favorite game Yahtzee, and ending with Sammy's favorite game Risk. We all won some we all lost some but no one was really keeping count.

I glanced around one more time, something about this situation just felt right. I had my parents, I had Sammy and something on the horizon that could end up really great. My eyes kept stealing glances over at Gage, maybe I ought to give that boy a chance.

My father seems to like him enough.