The girl stirred, cracking her eyes open under the inky redness of the eclipsed and hidden moon. She stood up and peered over the wall as the pounding bass of the band echoed around her. Smoke from the bonfire filled the air with a dusty haze that made the shadowed moon overhead look even more magical. Her lips parted, and when she sucked in, she could taste the tangy sweet flavor of a red Starburst on her tongue.
“Hey.” The boy’s voice startled her, but when she turned, she found she wasn’t surprised to see him there. He smiled before stepping out of the shadows to join her at the edge of the roof. He glanced at her sideways and said, “I’ve been looking for you—you didn’t come back. Is everything okay?” Concern passed across his face, and she realized there were secrets hidden deep within his words. Secrets she wanted to uncover. “Listen, I—”
“I think we need to talk,” she blurted out. It was time to take back what she’d lost. If she never said anything, he would be gone from her life forever. She wasn’t willing to let that happen. “Really talk. About everything. I’ve missed you. I wish we were still friends like before.”
“Yeah,” he said, obviously relieved. “Me too. Want to meet up tomorrow night? The old spot?”
“Of course.” She squinted at him. Then she added, “She was wrong, you know. What she told you about me and you and the kiss. It was just a stupid mistake, and it never should have turned into such a big deal.” The girl shrugged. “I should have said something sooner. Can we pretend none of it ever happened? Go back to the way things were before?”
“For sure.” He nodded and pulled her close for a hug. “Friends always.”