Kind Of Sexy

I didn't have my driver's license yet. Two more months and then it was look out world, figuratively and literally.

What I did have was an old purple Schwinn, which was what I rode to meet up with Cindy.

The night air was clammy - the kind that made me wonder why I bothered to shower that day - and the sky sparkled with crisp stars and a full moon.

The perfect night for magic, I thought only half wistfully and snorted.

But I did live in Salem, after all.

If magic were going to happen anywhere, it'd be in our town.

Our regular spot was a movie rental place called Warehouse Video.

Classic movie posters were plastered on the windows, and a neon sign hung along the top.

It actually said AREHOUSE VID thanks to several missing light bulbs, but I liked it that way. It was "our house."

The place probably would've closed up a long time ago, but the owner's son got the brilliant idea to add a coffee shop.

The inside reminded me of what I thought a seventies disco would look like, and it smelled like stale popcorn and frothy coffee.

It was fantastic. At least I thought so.

The adults? Not so much, which is probably why I loved it.

Cindy and I had been coming here since we were thirteen.

Carefully getting off my bike, I grabbed the bike chain, stuck it in between two spokes of my front tire, and locked the other end to a chipped green concrete post.

The parking lot was full of cars and teens.

I searched for Cindy or her blue Altima but couldn't see either.

Gabe, one of my seven besties, was there, though, leaning against his silver CRX.

A flock of girls surrounded him.

He must've said something funny because they all laughed.

I smiled and shook my head.

His eyes found mine, and I sucked in a breath, stumbling backward. My hands and butt hit the pavement at about the same time.

Gabe pushed through the girls and rushed over.

"Jeez, Snowflake, if you wanted my attention, all you had to do was wave. This falling all over yourself, for me, is unnecessary."

He stood there with his hands on his hips, smiling at me, looking stunning.

He knew about my blood disorder, but he also knew not to fuss over me because I didn't like it.

He leaned down. "I mean seriously." His gorgeous green eyes were filled with humor.

Gabe was good at teasing me - the best of all the brothers - but I'd recently developed a serious crush on him somehow, and I took everything he said way too personally.

"Ha-ha. Could you help me up, please?" I asked through gritted teeth.

He put a hand around my waist and his other out for me to grab.

Heat spread over my face and down my neck at his touch.

I couldn't look at him.

If I did, I'd get a close-up view of his beautiful face and dark brown hair that curled slightly, perfectly, in a way that made me want to touch it and wrap my fingers in it.

This whole crushing on my best friend really wasn't working for me.

I pulled my hand from his once I was standing. "Thanks, Gabe. But you better get back to your groupies, they're getting impatient."

I moved away, trying to focus on the sting in my hands and not the strange tingle in my heart.

He pulled me back toward him by tugging on the waist of my baggy jeans before forcing me to face him.

He was an inch taller than me, so we were practically eye-to-eye. His green eyes were serious, searching.

I looked away toward the girls, still hanging out around his car. "I need to find Cindy."

"Snowflake, wait. Are you bleeding? Let me see your hands." He grabbed them, flipping them over.

A couple of rocks were still embedded in the palms, and he tenderly brushed them away, but thankfully there wasn't any blood.

Each place he touched caused a jittery flutter in my stomach like I'd had one too many espresso shots.

I tried to pull my hands away, but he held them firm.

"I'm fine, Gabe," I said, flustered, and made the mistake of glancing up. My breath hitched.

"You're constantly falling because of these clothes. If you'd wear something that fits instead of," he paused and wrapped his fist in my blue American Eagle tee shirt, pulling me close, so close I could smell his cologne.

It was my favorite, like clean sheets that'd been dried on a hot summer day. "This shirt used to be mine."

A wondrous smile ignited his lips and spread all the way to his eyes. "Actually, that's kind of sexy."

"Gabe quit it." I tried to pull away, knowing my face burned red hot.

He wrapped his hands around my waist, coming in close.

His breath tickled my cheek, warm and delicious. It smelled like minty toothpaste. "You aren't always going to think of me as a brother. Someday, Snow. You'll see me the way I see you," he said in my ear, his lips brushing against my hairline before releasing me.

He gave me a wave and started walking. "See ya, Snowflake."

Stunned, I watched him go.

Did he have feelings for me?

I really needed to talk to Cindy.

Right on cue, she tapped me on the shoulder and jumped in front of me. "So, are the guys coming over for the movie?"

Cindy overflowed with bubbly happiness.

"I don't think so," I said, sneaking a peek at Gabe.

He'd returned to his car and the flock of girls. They were giggling again. That was one of the reasons I was glad Cindy hadn't dumped me for cooler friends.

Sometimes I needed girl time, and she was my only girlfriend.

Her face fell. "Did you invite them?"

I gripped her elbow, and we walked into the video store together. "I did invite them, told them to meet at my house at ten-thirty. They might show."

I decided to change the subject. "Are you going to crash at my place tonight?"

"No, my parents are taking me to the Cape this weekend."

It was my turn to frown as we perused the old video cases. "How come you didn't tell me?" I really needed to discuss Gabe.

"I just found out, silly." She smiled. "Besides, I'm sure the guys will keep you company."

I hid a sigh. There was no way I could talk to the guys about my feelings for their brother. That'd be gross.

"Let's find us a scary movie, something that'll let me snuggle up with Gabe. I hope they show." She swiveled around, and I knew she was searching for Gabe because that was what I did.

I paused mid-stride.

Abruptly my mind registered what she'd said. "Wait. What? Gabe, why Gabe?"