Blush

My light blonde hair was piled in a messy but chic disarray on the top of my head. Shimmering pink gloss coated my lips, and I stuck them out in an oversized pout. I lifted a tube of mascara off of the vanity’s surface and began to swipe it dramatically across my lashes. As I did, a picture wedged into the frame of my mirror caught my eye. It was a poster, really. A trivial picture of Justin Timberlake that had been pulled from an adolescent magazine.1

“Oh,” I squeaked, the mascara wand pausing in mid-swipe. “Why, thank you Justin. You’re looking pretty nice yourself.”2

Justin smiled back at me, his knee bent, frozen in a dance.3

“A party? Tonight?” I asked, pressing a hand to my chest. “Oh, well, I don’t know. I’m pretty busy you see.”4

I paused.5

“Oh Justin,” I said, playfully swiping at the poster.6

“Talking to yourself again, Maggie?”7

I yelped, jumping backwards from the mirror and out of my chair. The mascara wand flew out of my hand towards the doorway, narrowly missing the boy standing in it.8

“Hey!” he exclaimed, dogging it. “What did I ever do to you?”9

“That’s what you get for sneaking up on me,” I stammered, trying (and failing) to fight the blush that was rushing to my cheeks.10

He smiled, and I couldn’t help but smile back.11

“Sorry,” he said, though I could tell that he wasn’t sorry at all. He inclined his head, raising an eyebrow. “Nice hairdo,” he announced.12

The blush on my cheeks darkened. “What’s wrong with it?” I demanded.13

He waved his hand casually through the air. “Nothing, nothing.”14

I grimaced. “What are you doing here anyway?”15

“You’re business…why?”16

“It’s my house.”17

He just stood there, his arms crossed across his chest.18

“Fine,” I replied, “don’t tell me.”19

I turned my attention back towards the mirror. I pulled the clip nonchalantly out of my hair and shook out the messy bun. I ran my fingers through it a bit and then picked up the tube of mascara. I was about to continue applying when I realized that the wand had been hurled into the hallway. I stood and took a step towards the door, only to almost smack into the boy who was still standing there.20

“What are you…?” I started, but a hand gripped my chin, tilting it upwards.21

A pair of dark green eyes under a curtain of dark brown hair met my face. His confident smile had been replaced by a curious frown.22

“You’re hair looks pretty,” he said, “down like that.”23

My face blazed underneath his hand and my heart sputtered erratically. His gaze continued to rest on my face as his thumb lightly stroked my cheek.24

“Jack!” a voice called. “Where the hell are you?”25

I broke away first from surprise. My face jerked out of his hand, and I heard it fall and thump against his side. I flicked my gaze to his and saw that he was still staring at me with a frown on his face.26

“I’m in here, Kev,” he called over his shoulder, continuing to stare.27

Seconds later, a second boy entered the doorway of my room. He slammed a now smirking Jack on the shoulder.28

“We have to go. Like now. Or we are going to be late.” 29

“Where are you guys going?” I asked.30

“Nowhere,” Kevin said. At the same time, Jack replied, “A movie.”31

Kevin shot a glare in Jack’s direction. “What?” Jack asked innocently, raising his shoulders. I thought I saw him wink.32

“Movie?” I asked. “I want to go!”33

“No.”34

“Why not?” 35

“You have to stay here with Mom and Dad.”36

“Yeah,” Jack agreed. “My parents are coming over too. They are going to play charades or something gay like that. Hey! You can be referee!”37

I glared towards Jack and stuck my tongue out towards him.38

Kevin groaned. “You are not going,” he said. “We are going to see that new one about the assassin. Lots of blood. You would hate it.”39

“Isn’t that rated R? Kevin, are you sure they will let you in without parental supervision?” I asked, joking at my brother’s challenged height.40

Jack roared in laughter, grabbing the doorframe for support. Kevin let out a mocking chuckle. “Yeah, that’s really funny, Maggie. Totally original.”41

“I don’t know man,” Jack said, swiping a tear from his eye and grabbing Kevin’s shoulder. “That was pretty classic.”42

“It wasn’t that funny,” Kevin seethed through his teeth. “Can we please just go?”43

“Yeah, yeah sure,” Jack agreed, his voice still high from laughing.44

Kevin turned around and stormed out. I saw Jack shake his head and follow. A sigh escaped me and I returned to my bench in front of the mirror. I began to pull on the ends of my hair, framing them around my face and turning my head different angles. He thought that I looked pretty with my hair down. Color rushed to my cheeks in response.45

A hand suddenly appeared beside me. It placed something on the vanity’s surface. A black mascara wand. Glancing into the mirror, I saw Jack standing behind me, the curious frown on his face again. He leaned towards me and rested his fingertips lightly on the back of my hand, which was now gripping the mascara wand. He lifted them after only second, leaving points of electricity scattered across my skin. His mouth pulled up on one side into a slight half-smile. And then he left.
***46

“Uh…uh…Somewhere in Time!”47

“Carousel, Carousel!”48

“No, no that’s not it!”49

Kendall stretched out from her place on the bed and swiped the door shut. The sound our parents’ frantic screaming was muffled behind the wood.50

“Jeez,” Kendall breathed, “they’re really getting into it, aren’t they?”51

A loud, happy exclamation erupted from down the stairs. Kendall and I glanced at each other and then burst out laughing.52

I flopped back onto my pillow. “I’m just waiting for them to break something.”53

Kendall flopped down beside me, tucking her hands under her head. “Do you remember last year when they got together and played horseshoes?”54

I giggled. “Yes! You’re dad threw one and dented the side of my mom’s car.”55

“He felt so bad!”56

“My mom was pissed! Remember how she went inside to get more iced tea? Yeah, it wasn’t for iced tea. If she hadn’t gone inside, your dad’s life would have been in severe danger.”57

We began to laugh again, Kendall burying her face into the pillow. When she looked up again, her shockingly green eyes were blurry with tears. Another unintelligible roar made its way through the door.58

“I can’t believe that we are stuck here while Jack and Kevin are out. Yet again,” Kendall complained.59

“I know! It always seems like we are the ones sitting at home.”60

Kendall groaned. “I say that we drive to the theater and wrap Kevin’s car.”61

“That would be fun, but I would have to live with him.”62

“True. And we can’t leave the children,” she said, jerking a thumb towards the door, just as I heard my mom yell out, “Carl! You can’t write anything down! That’s cheating!”63

Kendall groaned and rolled her eyes. “So, here we are.”64

“Here we are.”65

Kendall was my best friend, and the twin sister of Jack. Our families were close and competitive. It became scary at times. Kevin and Jack always seemed to get out of supervising, leaving Kendall and me to baby-sit.66

“All of this sitting around at home is the reason that my love life is down the tubes,” Kendall said.67

“Mine too,” I agreed, my mind instantly turning towards Jack earlier that evening. The way he touched my face, my hand…68

“And Jack seriously will not shut up about this ‘mystery girl’…”69

I sat up. “Mystery girl?”70

Kendall sat up beside me. “Yeah. Did I forget to tell you?”71

“Yes!” I exclaimed. “Tell me!”72

Kendall raised an eyebrow at my outburst. “It’s…not that big of a deal. You know how he is. ‘She’s beautiful, smart, funny.’” Kendall clasped her hands together and raised her eyes to the ceiling. “‘She’s amazing. I just know that she’s the one!’ Blah, blah, blah.”73

“What’s her name?” I demanded.74

“God, Maggie. Calm down. I have no idea. He won’t tell me her name. All he says is that he is trying to figure out how to ask her out.”75

“Oh,” I said, feeling stupid that I could feel an ache in my heart. 76

“I wish I knew who it was though,” Kendall said, flipping over onto her stomach and resting her chin in her hands. “So that I could warn the poor girl.”77

“Warn her?” I asked. “Why?”78

Kendall stared at me wide-eyed. “Maggie, where the hell have you been the past four years? You know exactly how he is. He’s so fickle. He’ll probably date her for a week before he sees something he likes better.”79

I pulled my eyebrows together. The fours years that I had known Jack, he had had multiple girlfriends, never a single one for more than a month. I’d never thought much about it. Maybe it was because other thoughts about him clouded my vision…80

“And it doesn’t help that girls think he is gorgeous,” Kendall continued.81

“Yeah,” I breathed dreamily. I inhaled sharply as I realized what I had just said. “I mean, he’s cute. You know, like an ‘Awww!’ sort of cute. Not like a ‘Yeow he’s hot!’ sort of thing. He’s attractive and all, but it’s not like I like him or anything…” I was spiraling.82

Kendall’s mouth had dropped open. “Oh my God.”83

“Kendall!”84

“Oh my God Maggie. You like Jack!”85

“No, I don’t!”86

“Shut up,” she argued. “You have it so bad! Wow, you’re blushing!”87

I slapped my hands to my cheeks. “I am not!88

Kendall began bouncing on her knees like a child. “You like Jack, you like Jack!” she sang.89

I tackled her and pressed a hand over her mouth. “Be quiet!”90

She pushed me off of her. “I’m so stupid! I can’t believe that I didn’t see this before! Oh my God, that’s why you always defend him! You don’t come to my house just for him, do you?”91

“No!” I exclaimed. “Actually, I always hope he’s not going to be there whenever I come over. He makes me so nervous.” My cheeks blazed as I realized what I was telling her.92

“Jack makes you nervous? He’s such a five-year-old.”93

“He is not.”94

Kendall shoved a finger into my face. “See? You do defend him!”95

I groaned out loud and threw myself at the foot of my bed, curling into a ball. Kendall crawled over and rested her chin on my shoulder. 96

“Aw, Maggie! Why Jack? Aren’t there any cute boys in your grade?”97

“No,” I whined.98

“Ew, but he’s…he’s Jack…”99

“You wouldn’t understand. He’s your brother.”100

“How would you react if I told you that I thought Kevin was a stud?”101

I shuddered. “Disgusting.”102

“See? It’s just weird. I’m pretty sure that my mom would die if she knew that you liked Jack, though.”103

I flipped over. “Why?”104

“Because she loves you! She talks about you to Jack constantly.”105

I felt my neck redden. “Are you serious? No!”106

“If she knew that you liked him…”107

“You can’t tell her!” I yelled.108

“I won’t! God, Maggie, chill.”109

My lower lip stuck out and I flipped back over onto my side. A pathetic sound escaped my lips.110

“What’s wrong?”111

“Mystery girl,” I mumbled.112

Kendall snorted. “Yeah, mystery girl. Believe me, she won’t last a week.”113

She was trying to make me feel better, but it wasn’t working. Ok, so mystery girl wouldn’t last. But what about the girl after and the girl after? One of them could last. And none of them would be me.114

“Yeah, I guess,” I finally whispered.115

Just then, my bedroom door swung open. My mom poked her head in.116

“Hey, girls.”117

“Hi Mommy,” I said. “How was charades?”118

My mom smiled. “It was fun. Despite your dad trying to cheat, Kendall.”119

Kendall raised both of her hands. “Hey, I take no responsibility for him.” She said to me, “I should get home. I’ve got work in the morning.”120

“Alright.”121

She stood up and started to walk past my mom out the door.122

“Bye.”123

“See ya.”124

As soon as she was gone, I crawled up to the top of my bed and buried myself under the covers.125

“Is everything alright, honey?” my mom asked, startling me.126

“Yeah, everything is fine,” I replied, pulling the covers over my head.127

I just would never be with the one guy I had ever loved.128

No big deal.
***129

My hands were freezing, so I had shoved them inside some poofy, purple skiing mittens. I was struggling to crack the top of a Coke when the doorbell rang. My hands slipped and slid around the handle until I finally got a hold of it and swung the door open.130

Jack was standing there, his thumbs hooked in his jean pockets. His mouth pulled up in a half smile when he saw me. His hair was swiped to the side and his eyes were squinted in the light. I was stunned silent.131

“Hey,” he said, jerking his head upward slightly.132

“Uh, hi,” I replied.133

I don’t know how long I had stood there looking at him when he said, “Can I come inside?”134

“Sure,” I said too enthusiastically, flinging the door open so that it slammed into the wall. He chuckled.135

“Thanks.” He came inside and I, carefully, closed the door behind him, my cheeks blazing.136

I returned to the kitchen and continued to fight with the Coke can. I turned it different angles, trying to figure out the best way to get underneath the tab. Suddenly, he was behind me, reaching around my arms to open the tab for me. My breath caught as I felt his chin brush the top of my head.137

“Thanks,” I stammered, swallowing loudly.138

“Expecting snow?” he asked, his arms remaining on either side of me.139

“My hands were cold,” I mumbled.140

“I see,” he said, chuckling again. He picked the can up and pressed it into my handicapped hands.141

I turned around and came face to face with his chest. He had moved his arms but hadn’t taken a step back. He was so close that my back was pressed against the counter.142

“Kevin isn’t here,” I said. I tried to sound annoyed to hide my most recent embarrassment, but it came out more pathetic than anything.143

“I know,” he replied, his breath fanning against my forehead.144

“Th-then why are…you here?”145

“I wanted to bring you something,” he said.146

I raised my eyes. Color brightened my face when I saw him staring intently down at me. My eyes snapped back down.147

“What?” I asked quietly.148

Finally, he took a step back. “Come to the living room with me?”149

“Yeah,” I said, able to breathe normally again. “Sure.”150

He nodded and turned, walking towards the living room. I followed, my hands still wrapped around the can. Jack sat on the far left side of the couch, and I sat in the middle. Not too close. Not too far.151

I took a deep breath and forced myself to look at his face. Kendall was right. How could mystery girl resist him? His nose came down straight and his chin was square, while his cheeks were pink and rounded. His strikingly emerald eyes which he shared with his twin sister were rimmed with black lashes, just the right length, and his dark brown hair fell down shaggily to the middle of his ears. His tongue darted out and licked his lips before he started talking.152

“I bought you something,” he said.153

I nodded. “OK,” I said, sounding lame.154

“Do you want it?” he joked, a full-blown smile lighting up his face.155

“Why not?” I joked back.156

He laughed and reached into his back pocket. A pale blue tube appeared in his hand. A bright green ribbon was tied in a less-than-elegant knot around it. He bounced it once in his palm and then extended it towards me. I gripped it, with difficulty, in the crook of my hand.157

It was a tube of mascara.158

I looked up at his questioningly.159

“I thought you might need a new one,” he explained. “I mean, since you threw yours at me. I bet the…the little…stick thingy is all covered with hair and crap.”160

“The wand?” I offered.161

“Yeah, yeah that thing. I though you might want a clean one.”162

“Well, thanks. That’s sweet of you,” I looked up, smiling slightly. I blinked when I saw his face. He was blushing.163

“Yeah, no problem,” he replied. I lowered his head for a second. When he lifted it back up again, the curious frown that I had seen on his face the other night was there. “I mean, you’re welcome,” he said quietly.164

My heart began to speed up. I decided it was best to leave now, before I did something else to embarrass myself. “I’ll go put it in my room,” I said, starting to stand, but he reached out and grabbed my wrist. Sparks shot up my arm to my shoulder.165

“Wait. Wait a second.”166

“Um, ok,” I said, sitting again.167

Jack pressed his lips together, his hand still encircling my wrist. He cleared his throat.168

“The mascara,” he said, “was actually just so I had a reason to come over. It was also kind of a…peace offering.”169

I shook my head. “I don’t understand.”170

Jack looked at my eyes, his darting back and forth as if he was trying to look at both of them with both of his eyes at the same time.171

“Look, Maggie.” My heart fluttered as his said my name. “I’ve not always been the nicest guy to you. You know, being your big brother’s best friend and everything. And I know what I don’t deserve you, but…” He closed the distance between us, taking one of my poofy hands in both of his. He pulled at the end of it, removing the mitten and tossing it beside him. He pulled gently at my fingers. My chest was rising and falling so rapidly I was afraid that I was hyperventilating. “Maggie, I really like you. You’re beautiful and you put up with me and make me laugh. I want you to be my girlfriend.”172

My breathing stopped altogether, and I stared up at his face. I’m sure that my mouth was wide open. Jack smiled uncertainly.173

“Say something?” he asked.174

“OK,” I managed to choke out.175

He laughed. “OK? That’s all I get? Wow, that makes me feel good.”176

My face burned. “I mean, yes. Yes, I would love to be your girlfriend.”177

His eye widened. “You’re serious?”178

“No,” I said sarcastically, “I’m kidding.”179

Jack burst out laughing again. “Thank you.”180

Before I knew what was happening, his mouth was on mine. His hands fumbled with the remaining mitten, and he finally removed it. His fingers twined with mine. Shock kept my eyes open wide. Then his hands were in my hair, his fingers moving gently. My eyes melted shut. The kiss was sweet, not aggressive or intense in any way. It was perfect. He broke away and rested his lips against my forehead.181

“I’m mystery girl,” I whispered.182

“Hmm?” he droned against my skin.183

I smiled. “Nothing.”184