ONE

Sarah believed Harris was a good match. She had faith in him, in his heart. He’d been kind to her, patient with her, but he still wasn’t in a place to commit to her. So when the opportunity arose to be alone with him in the school locker room, Sarah seized it.

He looked up as she entered, eyes bright in the fluorescent light. “Hey,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk to you,” she answered, smiling shyly at him. Her hand found his arm lightly and squeezed. His skin was smooth beneath her fingers.

His face lit up with understanding. “Oh, yeah? What about?” He moved so that he could sit on the bench and, then tapped his hand on the bench, inviting her to join him. Instead of sitting next to him, like she should have, Sarah decided to be bold, and slid into his lap. 

She pressed against him, wrapping her legs around him. The warmth of his body enveloped her, making her feel safe and protected from everything out there. “You,” she breathed into his ear. Then she leaned back to meet his gaze. 

Harris swallowed, then slowly raised one eyebrow, a smirk spreading across his mouth. “And what exactly did you want to talk to me about, Sarah?” His hands settled on either side of her, gently holding her in place.  They were warm and firm, his palms flat.  She closed her eyes for just a moment and allowed herself to feel comforted by his touch.

“Well,” she started.  When his thumb traced circles on her hip, Sarah shivered with anticipation. “I know you don’t really have time to date since you always busy with soccer. Or maybe you do, I don't know, but…” she trailed off, not sure if she should continue. 

“Is this the part where you say that you can help me make time?” Harris laughed a bit, a small, soft noise that made Sarah's heart melt.

“Yes! But I want us to try and do something, too.” She hesitated. “Like, uh…” she blushed. 

The idea of telling Harris she needed to be more than friends terrified her; it felt too risky. But something inside her told her she couldn’t stay away any longer.  With an effort, she forced herself to finish what she was trying to say. “Maybe we could try, instead of being friends... could we start dating?" 

For a moment, Harris didn’t move. Sarah held her breath, waiting anxiously for his response. Finally, he nodded.  His lips curled ever so slightly upward, which gave Sarah hope. “Yeah, okay. We should definitely try.”

Relief washed over Sarah like a wave of warm water. “Really?”

“Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I?” The smirk disappeared, and Sarah caught a glimpse of sincerity and earnestness in his dark eyes. She melted even deeper. This must be how girls felt when they kissed their crush, she thought idly.

Her eyes fell shut and she tilted her head forward slightly. 

Slowly, she pressed her lips to Harris’s, she couldn't deny it anymore. Immediately, she felt his lips press back eagerly. Their tongues met, dancing together and exploring each other’s mouths.  A feeling Sarah had never known rushed through her, making her dizzy. For the first time, Sarah felt alive and happy.

When Sarah pulled back to breathe, she noticed that they had moved to the floor. Harris' arms were wrapped securely around her. One leg bent awkwardly underneath them. Sarah rested her head on Harris' shoulder and took a deep, calming breath. Harris shifted, leaning down until he was resting his forehead against hers.

"Wow," Sarah whispered, gazing at him. She could feel his heart racing under her cheek.

Their gazes locked and Sarah suddenly realized she'd never before seen such passion in his eyes. She' d never seen someone look at her that way. It was breathtaking. 

Harris leaned closer, capturing her lips again. Sarah couldn't think of anything else. She'd never kissed anyone else like she had with him. All her thoughts disappeared as their kiss became even more intense. Every fiber of her being was focused on Harris. His taste and smell were intoxicating, and every part of her wanted more. She felt dizzy and weak, as the world seemed to fade away. All she could focus on were Harris's lips on hers. His hands stroked her hair, caressing her face.

Suddenly, Harris pulled back. “We shouldn’t do this here,” he muttered, looking down at her. “Someone will enter, and see us.”  Sarah nodded dumbly. She hadn’t even considered what would happen when they got caught like this.

Without warning, Harris pushed himself to his feet. Taking Sarah’s hand in his, he helped her up, then pulled her close, tucking a loose curl behind her ear. He smiled, his expression tender. “Come on,” he said, taking Sarah’s hand and leading her out of the locker room. They were both panting, cheeks flushed, faces pink.

Slightly embarrassed, Sarah let Harris pull her along. “Where are we going?” she asked.

“My place.”