Sierra's POV

My father gave me permission to see Michael today. I've been hanging out with Michael for a month now. He told me soon he'll be signed to Motown. We really don't know why that's so great.

I knock on his door. I tug at my dress. My father makes me wear dresses and dress shoes. I hate them! I prefer to wear shorts and a shirt, but my father says that's what boys wear.

Michael answers the door. He smiles at me.

"Hey, Sierra!"

"Hi, Michael!"

He closes the door behind him.

"I don't think you want to go in there. My parents are having an argument again. Let's go to the park."

I nod. "Ok, but let me change first. Is the bag still over there?"

He laughs. "Duh, its always over there."

I playfully push him and run around his house. I find the pile of leaves and pull the black garbage bag out. I pull out the boy shorts (Not actual boy shorts, but shorts that boys wear.)

I hide behind a tree as I change into them. I put on a white shirt and fold my dress carefully and put it in the bag. I sit down and take off my dress shoes. I put them in the bag. I search through the second pile of leaves and pull out the small shoe box.

I open the box and grab old Nikes. I put them on then hide everything. I run around front and say,

"OK. Let's go!"

We run to the park. Once there we get on the swing.

"I can go higher than you!"

Michael laughs. "You're on!"

As usual Michael won.

I laugh. "You cheated!"

"How did I cheat?"

He's starting to laugh really hard now.

"The wind helped you!"

I always make ridiculous assumptions to make Michael laugh. He slows down the swing and falls over laughing. I stop the swing and start laughing.

"The wind, Sierra?!"

I hold my side. It's starting to hurt from all the laughing.

"Yes!"

Michael wipes his tears and says,

"Let's go down the slide!"

We run over to the slide and go down together. Then we go down individually. Michael does a surfer pose as he goes down the slide on his feet.

I do a ninja pose as I go down on my feet. We laugh at each other's poses then climb on top of the jungle gym. Michael checks his digital watch.

"Wanna go home for lunch?"

I sit up and say, "Yeah, but can we try something first? "

He sits up and looks at me. "Yeah. What is it?"

"I've seen people do this on TV all the time and want to try it."

He laughs. "What is it though? "

"Kissing."

He seems surprised. "Um...sure. How do we do it?"

"You lean your head right and I'll lean my head right also."

He leans his head to the right. "Like this?"

I laugh. "Yeah, I think so."

I lean my head to my right.

Michael asks, "Now what?"

I had to think about it. "Um...oh, pucker your lips."

He did. I started laughing. He laughs.

"You're messing me up, Sierra."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Ok, then I'll pucker my lips then we just lean forward until they touch."

He nods. I pucker my lips and lean forward. He leans forward. I back up quickly. So does he.

"What? I do something? "

"No, I just remembered we have to close our eyes."

He nods. He closes his eyes, leans his head and puckers his lips. I do the same. We lean in. Our lips slowly meet. We stay there for about five seconds.

We pull away. Michael blushes.

"That was...good."

I laugh and say, "You're lips are soft!"

He laughs. "So are yours!"

I start to feel weird inside. I decide to change the subject.

"Let's go to your house for lunch."

He nods. We climb off the jungle gym and jog to his house. When we get close, I see my dad's car.

"Oh crap!"

Michael knows why I said that.

"I'll go stall. You just hurry!"

I quickly run to the side of his house. I get dress quickly and hide the other clothes in the leaves.

"Where's Sierra, Michael?"

I hear my dad's voice. Before Michael answers, I walk inside the house.

"Sorry, dad. I was walking to keep my shoes clean."

He smiles. "Good girl."

I knew he'd believe that.

"We have to go, Sierra. You need to practice. "

Michael's dad says, "Same goes for you, Michael."

Michael looks at me. Sadness in his eyes. I wave goodbye and follow my father to the car.