“Auntie?” I say as I put away the clean dishes from the dishwasher the next evening.

“Yes?” She looks up from the kitchen table.

“Does your alarm system go off if anyone comes in through the windows?” I try to ask as nonchalantly as possible. Auntie is sorting out her sewing box as the orange sunset streams in through the windows. The sun is staying out longer now that spring is finally making it’s way into summer. We basically had no spring at all and now it’s jumping into summer.

“No dear. Why? Are you afraid of someone coming in through your window?” Auntie looks concerned.

“No,” I say. Quite the opposite actually, I’m hoping to get someone in, I think.

“The window screen can be removed from the outside, it would need a screwdriver but I don’t think anyone will try to get in. I'm sure we would hear them if they did try. We live in a safe part of town. The security system isn't really all that necessary, it was your grandmother’s idea…” Auntie trails off and I wonder if she is sad that grandma died last year. My mom never took me to visit grandma in the old folks home.

----------------

“I think it’s the wrong kind of screwdriver for these screws,” Morgan says. He is squinting at the corner of the window, shining his phone at the screen to see better.

“That’s okay,” I whisper.

It’s midnight now and I’m actually glad our plan isn’t working. Morgan wants to sneak me out and take me to a party his brother told him about. I haven’t figured him out yet. I knew the old Morgan a lot better than this new one. I don’t think he even knows this new version of himself. It’s like he’s determined to rebel, but I don’t know how far he’s willing to take it.

With a sigh he puts away his phone and sets both palms onto the window screen. I set my palms up against his and he smiles.

“Are you cold?” I ask, feeling his ice cold hands.

“I’m okay.”

We stand in silence for a moment.

“Are you still going to the party? I don’t mind if you go,” I say. Morgan hesitates.

“No,” he sighs. “Not if you can’t come.”

“What, you don’t want to rebel alone?” I ask, jokingly.

“I just wanted to go out and have fun,” Morgan shrugs. But somehow I don’t think it’s that simple. “My life is boring.”

I nod. I can understand that. Right now I kind of like boring and knowing that I have a place to stay and food to eat.

“I don’t want to care anymore.” Morgan continues, resting his forehead onto the screen. “My parents are always talking about grades and college… I don’t want to study all the time or always have the highest grades. I didn’t study for the science test on Monday.”

“What did you get?”

“An A.”

I laugh.

“It’s not funny,” Morgan says, but he is trying not to laugh too. “Brandon studied for two days and barely passed.”

“Admit it, you’re just smart.”

“I don’t want to be smart.”

“Why not?”

“It’s the only thing anyone knows about me. And no one’s interested in that.”

“Your parents are.”

Morgan pushes away from the screen. “Ya, that’s all they’re interested in. They don’t even ask if I have a girlfriend or about my friends.”

I frown, realizing that Morgan is trying to rebel because he wants his parents to see him, not just his grades.

“That‘s so stupid, they should care about you, not about what you can accomplish, that’s not what makes you worth loving…” I stop, my face flushing.

Morgan smiles. “If I got bad grades you’d still like me right?” Morgan says in a teasing way, but I can tell he’s also serious too. he wraps his arms around himself, a shiver overtaking him as a wind blows through his hair.  

“Of course,” I say. “I don’t care what kind of grades you get...you look cold,” I say

“I’m okay.”

“You’ll get sick.”

“I don’t care.”

“Sorry you’re missing the party.”

“I only wanted to go if you could go.”

My cheeks turn red. “Wait! I have an idea to get you in.”

-----------------------

I pass Morgan a butter knife through the kitchen window. 

On my way back to my room I look into Auntie’s room. She’s sound asleep and I feel a twinge of guilt. She’s doing the best she can with me disrupting her quiet and organized life, which is exactly what I didn’t want to do. I hate being a burden on anyone. My mom always made a point of letting me know I was a burden. I’m not going to be a burden or make Auntie worry I decide. 

“I can’t go to the party with you,” I say to Morgan as soon as I step into my room. He has already removed the screen and is climbing through the window. I close my door gently behind me.

Morgan climbs in the rest of the way then looks at me with such a cute smile my knees feel weak. Is he trying to change my mind? “I’m not in a rebellious stage like you are," I continue, "I‘m not mad at my parents...actually that’s not true. But I’m not going to make Auntie worry about me. I like having a simple life. I’ve had enough drama to last me a lifetime.”

Morgan stops smiling. “Do you want me to leave?”

“No,” I quickly reply. “I just don’t want to go out to the party.”

Morgan sits down on the bed and looks around. There’s not a lot in the room that’s mine. The framed cross-stitch on the wall and the quilt on the bed are Auntie’s.

I sit down beside Morgan. He turns to me then kisses me. It’s so unexpected I squeal in surprise and Morgan pulls away. I cover my mouth with my hand, embarrassed by my squeal. 

“Sorry,” Morgan says, turning slightly red.

“No…I’m not…upset.” I can’t let him think I don’t want him to kiss me, he‘ll never try again! I lean over and push my lips against his, hard, because I don’t know how to kiss. He reaches his fingers behind my neck and the touch is such a pleasant surprise that I let out a small gasp, parting my lips. Morgan parts his too and our kiss deepens. Tonight there is no doubt that I’m definitely having my first real kiss…