FOR YOU

First Kiss

After Adrian's performance, he offered to drive me home because I didn't have enough money for a cab, and there was no way I could catch a bus at this time of night.

"You were good out there tonight," I tell him while he's driving me home.

"Thank you. Hope you had fun."

"I sure did. I'm a little tipsy, though."

"You told me you've never drunk before?"

"Mmh."

I remember telling him that. Today, I felt so bad about everything at home that when I saw the wine, I decided to sip it just to help with my anxiety. Then, I couldn't stop sipping.

"I never have. I'm so frustrated, and by the way my head hurts, I'm never drinking again."

The wine hasn't solved any of my problems, and the thought of going home and finding my mom in a situation I can only imagine isn't comforting either.

"It was just wine, pretty face. It will fade off in a few minutes. So, what's going on with your mom?" I don't want to tell him any of my problems, but I feel like I need to get it all out.

"She lost her job, and we had an argument about it." I can't go into details, and I feel that he understands that. Instead, he pulls the car over to the side of the road, and out of the blue, I feel his long, warm arms around me. He is hugging me, which catches me a little off-guard, but I still wrap my arms around him.

"How bad is it? Can I be of help?" He's being so nice again, and the last time I checked, I remember telling him I hated it. Deep down, I love it when he's nice.

"No, we'll just talk it out tomorrow when she's sober. Right now, she's drinking herself to death." I just wish I didn't have to go back home, but Ger really needs me, especially with his schooling.

"I'm really sorry for getting you involved with my family issues."

"I chose to get involved, Pree, and I don't mind helping you out. I'll be here for you anytime you need someone to talk to."

"Thanks a lot. So, what are we, friends?" I consider us friends already, but I feel like I need his clarification.

"I just want to be honest with you, pretty face. I know it's not the right time, but ever since I saw you at that concert, everything about you has just been right."

I don't get where all this is coming from. Hell, I don't even understand what he is talking about.

"I don't get you, Adrian."

"Look, what I'm trying to say is that I want to get to know you, Priscilla. Not just as a friend but as someone you trust more than anyone in this world. I want to be the guy who sees deep inside you, the guy you can tell your problems to without holding back. I want to be a part of you, your life, your passions, your dreams, and even your family." When he stops talking, I'm in the midst of laughter, even shedding tears.

"Why are you laughing? I'm so serious." He looks serious, then he breaks into a smile. "Did that work?" he asks.

"You know I'm a writer, and I must say that would perfectly fit in one of my romance books."

"You write?"

"Yeah, I do. Actually, the day you gave me that ride, I was going to meet an editor, who I can now call my editor because he loved my work." I feel like I'm explaining too much, but then again, I don't know what's been happening to my mouth ever since I met Adrian. I just can't seem to shut up.

"Wow, that's so good. So what do you write?"

"I write a lot: novels, poems, and articles sometimes. But I focus more on novels." He looks like he doesn't believe me.

"Romantic novels, huh?"

"Yeah, you're so good yourself. For a minute there, I thought you were being Ed Sheeran, you know, his 'Perfect' song. You were trying to bring out the lyrics."

"Hahaa, I can sing too." Somehow, I knew he could sing. I mean, he is a DJ, he's around music all the time, his friend is a lead band singer, and who can't sing?

"You know, my friends call me Ed, so I can be the Kenyan Ed Sheeran." I can't hold my laughter when he says that.

"You know you're nothing close to Ed Sheeran, let alone physically, but talent-wise too," I tell him in the midst of laughter.

"I will prove that to you someday. So now that we are friends, please, I want you to be open with me and confide in me your problems."

We might be friends so far, but there is no way I'm opening up to him more than I already have. After all, apart from the fact that he is my best friend's friend, I don't know him.

"So, tell me, who is Adrian?" I decide to ask him.

"I thought you already knew. I'm a DJ."

"That isn't enough, dude. You drive a very expensive truck, and there is no way you'd be earning that much from your talent." That's so true. In this country, very few DJs have made it that big.

"My dad got it for me."

"You're one of those rich kids?" I kinda expected it because anyone that hangs out with Luke happens to be a rich kid, apart from me, of course.

"I wouldn't call myself that, but yeah, I unfortunately happen to be," he says, and I can see his facial expression change, as if he's thinking of something.

"It's really nice to have a rich family, you know," I tell him, trying to lift his mood.

"Not when all the wealth is being earned in an unjust way."

"What do you mean? Don't tell me witchcraft is real?" I say jokingly.

"Ha, yeah, witchcraft is real in Africa, but no, that's not how my family got rich." He has a lighter mood now.

"I know, I was just joking."

"Well, my dad is a judge, and my mom is a lawyer. They have made some decisions that I wouldn't like to talk about."

"I understand." I don't know why, but I take his hand as a way of consoling him, though I'm not sure how to do it. Then, out of the blue, he hugs me. It makes me realize that behind that cute smile is a young man carrying his family's burden. When he releases me, I feel a little nervous. I take my phone to check the time. It is two in the morning. I need to be home to catch some sleep because I have to prepare my younger brother for school.

"We need to be going."

"Yeah, sure." He says, and I expect him to start driving, but instead, he just grabs me, pulls me close, and suddenly his lips are on mine. For a moment, I feel offended, but then I give in and let him kiss me. I don't know what to do; this is so new to me. I feel something I've never felt before, something I could only write about. Now, I'm experiencing it, and it scares me. I hold his chest to push him back, and he stops.

"I'm so sorry, Pree." He apologizes, but I'm just quiet. I can't move or say a thing; I guess I'm in some sort of trance.

"Pree, if you don't lock your lips, I may just kiss you again and not be able to stop myself." He tries to lighten the mood, but I'm still in my trance. My mind is racing in overdrive. I am having a lot of mixed emotions. He kissed me, a guy kissed me—not just any guy, a hot guy sitting next to me in his expensive car kissed me. He stole my first kiss, and I'm supposed to be mad, but I kind of liked it.

"Pree, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just need a minute." What is he doing to me? Just one kiss, and I can't talk or move. After my not-so-comfortable trance, I speak.

"Why did you do that?" He didn't get my consent before he kissed me. I won't let him get away with it.

"I'm so sorry. It just happened."

"Don't ever do that again," I tell him, feeling more relaxed.

"I promise not to, unless you let me. Was that your first kiss?"

"Yeah, how did you know?" I can see the surprise in his eyes. It makes me blush.

"I could tell from the way you were kissing. I'm so sorry for doing this. Your first kiss should be special, with someone you love, not some random guy you met at a concert."

"It was special." I mean it. The kiss made me feel different, and it doesn't matter if he is some random stranger. That kiss was special.

"Pretty face, you're gonna make me kiss you again." I don't think I'd mind if he kissed me again.

"You can." And before I can say another word, his lips are on mine once more. He kisses me deeply, this time slowly. He isn't holding back; he kisses me with passion. I kiss him back as I feel his hands hold my back and pull me closer. I hold his back giving in to the kiss without thinking of anything else but the moment we are in at that particular time. This feels so good but wrong at the same time.

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