"So did you kiss?" Vera asked, eagerly. They were inside the salon getting their hair done for the prom tonight. Nikka had told Vera everything and now the latter was so eager to hear the details of what transpired in her bedroom this morning. "C'mon, tell me!"
"No," Nikka replied, disappointed." Mom suddenly knocked on the door and called us to have breakfast."
"Bummer! Ugh!" Vera commented, rolling her eyes. "You could have your first kiss right there."
"Well.. I guess it's still not the right moment."
"I do hope it will be tonight. So you better glam yourself real good before I steal your man," and she giggled.
"You wouldn't dare," and Nikka laughed.
"You don't know me, honey. I walked across the room and all the boys turned their heads on me."
Vera was right. With her voluptous body and seductive brown eyes, guys drooled over her whenever she walked across the hall.
Nikka laughed.
Vera was one of her closest friends in their school. She was the first one to welcome her while every girl in their class ignored and snobbed her. Although she was somewhat in the rich and popular group in her school since her father was a CEO of an investment company, she was very easy to get along with.
Having sex with boys was quite normal for Vera but what others didn't know was she still longed to find true love. Her parents were mostly away in business trips, leaving her basically alone in their condo unit in Manhattan. Often, she would invite Nikka and Dominic for sleepovers or just to hang out.
She was Puerto Rican, who grew up in South Hampton, New York. Two years before she met Nikka, her parents bought a condominium in Manhattan and decided to move there. Nikka and their gay friend, Dominic were her only true friends despite of having all the popular kids in school who tried to hang out with her.
"You two are the only true friends that I have," she would say every time they get the chance to talk about personal stuff.
Although she grew up having everything, Vera was never a spoiled brat. But she did love fashion and would often go to malls, rummaging for the next trends.
She considered Nikka as her best friend and the latter did as well aside from having Marcus.
"Oh. My. god! You are such a beauty," exclaimed Vera, looking at her in the mirror after a few minutes of hairstyling in the salon. "I wish I have your face. You look so natural."
She smiled.
"Thank you. You're very kind," she commented.
"You can attract any man but I know your heart belongs to only one. So, Marcus should better make his move tonight or else I would personally go to his apartment and slap the receipt on his face. I will let him pay for the wasted effort of glamming you up," she said and winked at her.
Then before she could protest, Vera walked over to the register to pay. "Don't worry, honey, this one is on me. Consider it as my gift to you for being a great friend always."
She smiled, and said, "Thank you."
She waved her hand as if to dismiss it and said, "No problem. Anything for my bestie. What friends are for, right?"
That salon was one of the most expensive in the city that only the wealthiest people can afford and make an appointment. Vera had always been generous to her, but this one was something she really was thankful for somehow.
She sighed, tonight better be the night, and as she stared at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but remember about this morning...
"Nikka," Marcus whispered huskily.
"Hmmm..." she can't seem to say anything at that moment as she stared at his lips. Her heart pounded faster in her chest.
"Did you ever think of..." his voice almost above the whisper now.
"Of?"
"Doing it?" His eyes narrowed, and she could feel his breathing goes faster.
"D-doing what?"
He smiled at her, and she felt so nervous.
'This is it,' she told herself. My very first kiss.
Her whole body was shaking as she moistened her lips. She saw Marcus angling his face towards her and she closed her eyes, parting her lips, ready for him to take it.
She had been waiting for this for so long. It felt like forever. Her endless effort of continously making herself pretty for him, with the help of Vera, had finally paid off.
He noticed her.
She knew he had desires for her, from the way he looked at her. That's why she tried her best to make sure she gets his attention every time they're together. She was not wrong at all. His eyes told it all eventhough at times he would look away so she would not see it.
She knew by now that they both desire each other. She was so ready for this kiss when she heard a knock from the door.
"Nikka.. Marcus.. time to eat," her mom called behind the door.
Nikka opened her eyes quickly. She felt like a bucket of cold water fell on her, and she saw Marcus straightened up. Both of them shocked and let each other go so suddenly. They stared at each other for a moment as she heard the door open.
"Hey you two! Are you alright?" her mom asked. She eyed them suspiciously and then smiled. Her eyes sparkling. "Are you two-"
"Okay, Mom, let's go," she said, her cheeks flushed, and stood up quickly. She walked towards the door. She saw Marcus stood up and walked after her but before he could reach her, her mom stopped him.
"Wait, Marcus!" Martha said sternly, raising a hand to stop him. "Just remember, she's only eighteen and she needs to finish her studies before anything else. Not that I object if you two will eventually be a couple but-"
"Mom, please," Nikka didn't let her finish. She felt embarassed. "Nothing happened, okay," trying not to sound disappointed. She looked at Marcus, his hands in his pockets, as he smiled sheepishly.
"Okay, okay. If you say so," Martha said, lifting her hands up as if to surrender. "We better get to the table before the food gets cold."
She went ahead of them. Suddenly, Nikka remembered Marcus' hoodie behind the door and Marcus tried to grab it too at the same time. His hand was on top of hers. That simple move was enough for her to turn to him. Her emotions came rushing back. She stared at his lips and she saw Marcus narrowing his eyes as he looked at her lips.
Once again, they were stunned, not knowing what to do next. Marcus bit his lower lip as she moistened her lips once again. She was expecting him to come closer but instead, he took his hand off her and took a step back. She tried to take a step towards him but he looked away.
He let out a deep sigh. She wondered what happened.
Why the sudden change?
She sighed and unhooked the hoodie from the door and gave it to him. Embarassed, she turned on her heel and went..
"Earth to Nikka," she got startled as she heard Vera's voice. "We need to go, honey. We don't want to be late for the prom."
"R-Right," she stuttered and she grabbed her purse. She looked at herself one more time in the mirror and admired herself.
She hoped tonight will really be a special night for her.
A special night to remember forever...