My first kiss

I lay in bed, my mind racing with excitement. I couldn't wait for tomorrow to come so that I could go to the warehouse and see James again. I had been thinking about how nice our conversations were going, and I was determined to make a friend or something more. I had never had a long-lasting friendship before.

The next morning, I arrived at the warehouse, my heart pounding in my chest. James looked up from his work, a warm smile spreading across his face.

"Good morning, Amy! You look like you're ready to take on the day," he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

I nodded, my ponytail bouncing with enthusiasm. "I couldn't sleep last night, I was so excited to get here!"

James chuckled. "Well, I'm glad to see you're eager. But I sense there's something on your mind. Want to talk about it?"

I hesitated, then nodded. "It's just... I don't really have friends. And it's hard for me to connect with people."

James' expression softened. "Ah, Amy, it takes a lot of courage to share. Can you tell me more about what's been difficult for you?"

I took a deep breath, letting my words spill out. "I've always felt like an outsider, like I don't quite fit in. And when I try to make friends, it never seems to last. I feel like I'm just too different, too weird, or too boring."

James listened attentively, his eyes filled with empathy. "Amy, you are not alone in feeling that way. And trust me, your uniqueness is what makes you special. We'll work on building your connections, okay? Together."

My heart swelled with gratitude. For the first time in a long time, I felt like someone truly understood me.

So tell me about yourself, what got you working here, do you have plans of going to the university I asked in a way that it won't feel like I am trying to know too much.

James let out a loud breath, "My dad is dead, my mom got married to someone else, I have an elder brother that I don't get to see much, and I have to stay with my uncle and his family because my mom can't take her children to another man's house. So I have to work to save up for my university."

After hearing this, I felt so sorry for him and wanted to help him in any way I could. I found myself going close to him, now I was hugging him, and he raised his head and kissed me. I felt shocked all over my body, my mind and body couldn't believe what was happening. He took his lips away from mine and I looked at him. I couldn't move or say anything, I just froze like a statue.

After some minutes of trying to gather my senses, all my body could do was run. I found myself standing up and just running to wherever I could. I hid at the back of a crate and put my hand on my chest. I could feel my heart beating very fast. I tried to control my breath, I breathed in and out and finally got a hold of myself.

"Oh, foolish me, why did I run like a child," I thought. I kept using my hand to hit my head repeatedly, not knowing that he was standing close to me and looking at me. I turned and saw him staring at me. I felt embarrassed. He walked closer to me and said, "I am so sorry if I made you feel somehow. I should have asked for your permission before I did that. I am sorry."

"No, no, please don't apologize," I said. "My stupid mouth just said I liked it too. It was my first kiss."

He smiled and repeated after me, "Your first kiss, wow, lucky me." He kept teasing me about my first kiss, and like a child, he started running around the warehouse, busy teasing me. He kept saying, "Your first kiss." What an annoying boy. I kept smiling throughout the whole day like someone who got promoted in her office.