The Forever of Ella and Micha

of me. “It was the day you made me admit that I had never kissed anyone before.”
    His grin broadens. “And the day I took your first kiss.”
    I clamp my jaw shut to keep from grinning. “Only because I was too naïve to see that you were totally playing me.”
    “I was fourteen,” he says. “I wasn’t playing you. I was just curious what it would be like to kiss my best friend, because all the other girls I’d made out with just weren’t doing much for me.”
    I nudge his foot with my toe. “You are such a liar.”
    He crosses his heart with his finger. “I’m totally being truthful here. Ethan kept yammering about all his awesome make-out sessions and I just didn’t get it. Every time I was with a girl, it felt like there should be more.”
    I suppress a laugh. “And did the kiss fulfill all of your wildest dreams?”
    “Oh yeah.” He grins haughtily. “I couldn’t stop thinking about how soft your lips were for, like, days.” His eyes shadow over. “But what I really think added fuel to my developing obsession with you was that, like, a year and half later I saw you walking around naked in your room.”
    I prod him in the shin with my foot. “You did not.”
    He smiles proudly and motions a finger at the swings we’re sitting in. “Oh no, I’m not. These swings are a no-lying area, remember?”
    I let the swing sway back and forth. “Well, while we’re telling the truth, I once had a naughty dream about you.”
    In a faint glow of the lamppost, his eyes sparkle like the snow. “What exactly happened in this naughty dream?”
    I pump my legs, taking the swing higher as I lean back freely. “That’s a secret I’ll never tell.”
    “Then I call bullshit.” He kicks off, joining me in the sky. “Come on, pretty girl. You just made my night. Do you know how long I’ve thought that this was a one-sided crush?”
    I laugh to myself as my cheeks heat at the memory of the dream. “Micha, it’s way too embarrassing.”
    He catches the chain of my swing and plants his feet down in the snow, abruptly jerking us to a stop. “Come on, it’s going to drive me crazy.”
    Our faces are only inches apart and his breath is hot against my cheeks.
    Staring down at the ground, my hair falls to the side of my face. “I had a dream that you and I had sex on the hood of your Chevelle.”
    He sweeps my hair back and the look on his face tells me I’m in for it. “Were you on you back or did I have you bent over.”
    My frozen cheeks start to burn. “I was on top of you on the hood.”
    He rubs his jawline, letting out a low laugh. “We are so doing that while we’re here.”
    I swat his arm. “We’re supposed to be taking things easy… and after what happened in the—”
    He puts his hand over my mouth. “That’s why I brought you here—to tell you the truth. You need to understand how I feel about you and I figure this is the perfect place since it’s where it all really began.”
    “You want to play truth again?”
    “I want to play truth again.”
    We stare out at the quiet street. There is something about the holidays and the snowfall that shuts everyone up in the neighborhood. It’s nice and was my favorite time of the year as a kid.
    “Do I make you miserable?” I ask suddenly.
    He shakes his head swiftly. “Never. Not one single time. Sad, yes. Miserable, no.” He takes a deep breath. “Have you and Blake ever done anything?”
    My head whips toward him. “That’s your question?”
    He shrugs. “I need to know.”
    “No. Not once did I ever even think about it,” I say. “What about you? Did you ever do anything on the road?”
    He rolls his eyes like it’s the most ridiculous question he’s ever heard. “Even when I thought you cheated on me and I wanted to go back to my old habits, I just couldn’t get there.” He pauses. “Although, Naomi did try to kiss me.”
    My jaw tightens as anger trickles through me. “Lila was right.”
    He draws his hood over his head and tucks his hands into his sleeves. “About what?”
    “That Naomi had a thing for you.”
    “Was that where all that bitchiness came from in LA?”
    I nod. “Yep, she overheard Naomi talking crap about me.”
    “Why didn’t you say anything?” he asks.
    “Because I trusted you.” I shrug. “And I didn’t want to start trouble.”
    He traces my lip with his chilled finger and it sends a shiver coursing through my body. “I want you to be more honest with me. I don’t want you to be