First Kiss, First Slap

[Two weeks ago]

A girl was standing in front of the mirror, admiring her beauty and looks. She has a curvy body with sunrise gold hair that goes till her waist. She has green forest eyes with syrup, sweet luscious lips.

She stared at herself in the mirror. She looked gorgeous in a light pink off-shoulder ball gown. Her hair was in a messy bun.

“Wow, Ash. You look pretty gorgeous.” Kate, her friend, admired her beauty, coming into the room.

Ashlyn smiled towards her in the mirror.

“Everyone is waiting for you. Let’s go,” she said.

“You go. I’ll come in a minute or two.”

“Fine. Come fast.” Kate exclaimed and went out.

Ashlyn extended her hand, taking out a choker necklace from her dressing-table drawer and put it on her neck. She placed her palm on the choker and again saw herself in the mirror.

“Ashlyn, you are looking adorable, my sweet little sister,” William spoke, putting his hand on her shoulder. He just came to take her downstairs.

“Thanks, William bro,” Ashlyn’s lips curved into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“Are you missing mama? Don’t be sad. She’d be happy to see you turning twenty first today. Don’t make her worried about your gloomy face.” William exclaimed, looking at her palm on the choker necklace which belongs to their mother.

Ashlyn nodded.

“Now, smile, we are getting late. Everyone is waiting for you down the hall. Let’s go down and cut the cake. I’m starving.” William tickled her slightly. Ash smiled and moved downstairs in the hall with her brother, where they had arranged her birthday party.

She was going downstairs when everyone’s attention diverted towards her. She was looking like a Disney princess moving down with her hand in her brother’s hand.

Everyone was praising her beauty. She was the single sister of two brothers, William and James, who love their sister unconditionally and could die for her. Ashlyn’s mom and dad died in a plane crash when she was 15 years old. So, from then, her brothers and sister-in-laws spoiled her with their love and care.

She reached towards the table where they had placed a huge princess-style cake. She cut the cake and fed her brothers, then her sisters-in-law.

After the cake had cut, everyone became busy with eating.

She was talking to her college friends Helen, Kate and selah when her other friend Samara came and wished her birthday with a gift. Samara wasn't Ash's top friend, but she assisted with a bandage and they became friends. However, they met occasionally because Ashlyn was studying finance with her other three friends while Samara was a medical student, so their buildings were different.

They did a little chit-chat, and the party ended.

>>>>>>>Next Morning

Ashlyn was sleeping when her brother, James, came to rouse her up.

“Ashu, wake up. You’re going too late if you don’t get up within five minutes.”

“Urghh, Jami, leave me alone. I want to sleep. I’m tired.” Ashlyn shouted at him and went back to sleep. She gave him a nickname, Jami, because he was only two years older than her, and they were best buddies.

“I also don’t want to disturb you, but you specifically asked me to wake you up today because you have an important presentation.”

Ashlyn immediately got up, listening to the presentation word. She glanced over at the bedside clock.

It was telling her. It’s 9 am.

“Jami, you’re late. I told you to wake me at eight o’clock and see it’s nine. My presentation is at 10. I’m going to be late. Now, step aside.” She scowled at him and moved towards the washroom.

“Wow, that is great. It’s you who is not waking up. I was trying, but it’s you dumb.” He also shouted.

“Whatever,” she yelled from the washroom door.

“Come fast in the dining hall. Caroline had made breakfast.” He told her and went downstairs.

Ashlyn took a shower and wore ripped jeans over a white crop top and a denim jacket. She wore sneakers, took her uni bag with books, and moved down the hall.

On the dining table, James and William were eating while Caroline and Amanda were serving their husbands.

“Ashu, come and eat first. You can’t go like this.” James gestured to her to sit beside him.

“No, Jami. I’m getting late.”

“Ash baby, at least drink this orange juice and take a sandwich with you,” William uttered.

“But William bro,” Ashlyn knew they would not let her go without eating, so she drank orange juice in one go and took one sandwich in her hand.

“Bye Jami, bye everyone,” Ashlyn exclaimed, placing a kiss on James’s cheek and went to the porch where her black Mercedes had parked.

“See, James Ashlyn loves you more than any of us,” Caroline said. She and Amanda didn’t like her. Ashlyn took precedence for their husbands, making them both envious of her, but they concealed their feelings because of their husbands' affection for Ashlyn.

“Our James had also devoted himself to her. So, how can she not love him?” William spoke, and they all smiled. The brothers wore smiles for their sister, while the sisters-in-law smiled with envy.

At ten o’clock, Ashlyn reached university. Instantly, she headed for her classroom where her friend Kate was giving her presentation.

“Thank god. I’m not late.” Ashlyn muttered, moving towards the last bench where her other two friends were sitting.

“Why are you late?” Helen scrunched her eyebrows.

“I’m not late,” Ashlyn shrugged her shoulders.

“Yeah, just in time,” Selah mocked.

“Next student,”

Ashlyn opened her mouth to reply, but Ms. Victoria called for the next one that was her, so Ashlyn raised her hand.

“Yes, mam. It’s me.”

Ms. Victoria nodded, gesturing for her to come and give her a presentation.

“Best of luck,” Kate showed her a thumbs up, and Ash smiled towards her.

>>>>>>After one hour:

[At University Gardens]

“Ms. Victoria did a great job by insulting you.” Helen mocked, laughing her lungs out.

“Don’t take her name in front of me. She is just... leave it.” Ashlyn greeted her teeth. The whole situation had annoyed her a lot.

“But you lose the bet. You were over-confident that you would do good in the presentation, and Ms. Victoria will praise you. But see, everything had happened differently. So, we won the bet,” Selah said proudly.

“But I didn’t know mam would take our presentation today. If I had known it before, I would never bet. Yesterday I was busy shopping for my gown and at night, in party. I didn’t have time to prepare. However, it wasn’t a worse presentation.” Ashlyn retorted, pursing her lips.

“But it was not good either,” Kate exclaimed.

“Whatever the reasons are, you lost the bet. So, you have to do what we say.” Helen spoke.

“You people won’t agree. So, tell me what I have to do?” Ashlyn clasped her hands.

“Okay, let us think,” Kate put her finger under her chin.

“Okay, I’ll tell you what you have to do,” Helen joined her palms together as a devilish idea popped into her devilish brain.

“You’d kiss the first person who will enter this garden.” Helen was excited.

“Okay fine. Let’s see who will come first.” Ashlyn replied without thinking much.

“You need to kiss on the lips,” Helen smirked.

It felt like a bomb to Ashlyn.

“What the hell? I won’t kiss him or her on the lips. You all know I had my first kiss till now. And I’ll give it only to my dear husband. I won’t kiss anyone.” She scowled, glaring at them because it had exasperated her.

She just spoke and a person entered the garden.

“Oh, see who the first person came,” Kate said with excitement.

“Oh my god, Kyle Ivan. You’re a lucky bitch. We gave you a dare to kiss him. He is the most handsome man in our university and still single. No one has dared to date him or go near him. He has a devil may care outlook.” Helen was in a daze, looking at the handsome face of Kyle Ivan. Ashlyn turned her face in his direction and for a second. She also forgot to take a breath.

“He is the smartest guy at the university. He is the topper. It’s his last year. And girls die for him, but he doesn’t care. I Couldn’t believe he didn’t have a single scandal. His reputation is clear as crystal clear water.” The condition of Selah was nothing different from Helen.

“I have heard in his last year he is already taking care of his dad’s business. Everything is so perfect about him.” Kate admired.

They were almost ogling him, even though Ashlyn wasn't in the same state as them. However, he did something that scarred her, leaving her staring at him while he stood with a few boys, sharing something with them. Ashlyn found him attractive, but she prioritized her commitment to her soon-to-be husband over pursuing a romantic connection with him.

“I won’t kiss him,” her voice was low.

“You are backing off, Ashlyn. You are not daring, and you can’t even complete a single dare. We are not telling you to kiss him tongue to tongue. You just have to kiss him on the lips. Even a peck will be okay.” Helen frowned, the annoyance was clear on her face.

‘A peck, but I didn’t peck anyone before.’ Ashlyn thought.

“You need to kiss him, Ash. Otherwise, we are considering you weak and pathetic. Now go kiss him. He is going back.” Helen pulled her to her feet and pushed in his direction. He was approaching her, not directly, but his path led to her.

Ashlyn stood like a statue there and Kyle passed by her. She did nothing, just said,

“Wait,”

Kyle stopped but didn’t turn towards her because he wasn’t sure if she had called him.

Helen gestured for her to turn and kiss him. So Ashlyn turned her face towards him, practically towards his back. However, Kyle took a step to go when she said nothing.

“I said wait,” Ashlyn spoke again but, nervously.

“Did you call me?” Kyle said, turning towards her.

But before he could see her face or ask her anything more. She slanted her lips at him. He froze in his place. Once, her lips touched his. She didn’t know how, but her lips moved on her own. She started sucking his lips and kissing them. However, Kyle regained his composure and forcefully pushed her aside, striking her right cheek.

“Are you out of your mind? How can you kiss me? You bloody whore.” Kyle shouted at her.

Tears came to her eyes because the slap was way harsher. No one has ever slapped her or said something like this.

“Hey, mister. Control your tongue and think before you say something like this about me, when you know nothing about me. I’m not a slut or someone you think I’m. That was my first kiss, which I gave you because of some stupid dare. But I don’t know why I’m telling you this.” Ashlyn placed her palm on her right cheek where he had slapped her. The pain was still there and her eyes had filled with tears. She tried her best to control them, but it didn’t work.

Kyle saw her tears and walked away, saying nothing more.

Her friends rushed to her.

“Sorry, Ash, we didn’t know Kyle would react like this.” They spoke in unison.

Ashlyn glared at them and moved away. Her friends were calling her from behind, but she didn’t look back.

She rushed to her Mercedes and ran the engine.

“Why did I kiss him? I should not have done this. That was my first kiss, and he called me a slut. He even slapped me.” It was hard, and she felt her jaw had broken. She cried her eyes out for almost half an hour.

However, she composed herself when she reached outside davies Villa.

“Mama, I’m sorry that is my first and last mistake. I won’t go near anyone again. It hurt. It was my first time near him or anyone. He should not slap me.” Ashlyn mumbles, promising herself.

[At Davies Villa]

“What happened to your cheek? It’s red,” Caroline asked as she entered home and passed through the lounge.

“Nothing, I just fell and got hurt,” Ashlyn didn’t want to explain.

“Are you serious? You fell and got this on the cheek.” Amanda sneered, pointing at her cheek, which was red.

Ashlyn nodded.

“Whatever,” she flared her nostrils and walked to the couch.

“Go to your room and apply some ointment. Otherwise, your brothers will take this home on their head.” Caroline taunted, and Amanda laughed mockingly.

Ashlyn said nothing. She simply nodded and went to her room.