Gravel crunched quietly as Kit crossed the driveway. The sole front porch light cast her willowy shadow behind her as she crept closer to the house. Her footsteps turned mute as she stepped onto the grass. The large two story house before her was dark. When she was a few feet away, she stooped down and grabbed a few pebbles. Rolling them in her hand, she counted windows. Second story, third from the right. She held her breath and let the first pebble fly.

One, tap.

Two, tap.

Three, tap.

All three pebbles hit their mark. Stepping back, Kit watched for any movement behind the window. She was ready to release three more pebbles when a shadow of a person appeared in the window.

Kit waved and motioned for the person to join her outside. The person didn't move. She motioned again. Again, no movement. Pulling out her phone, she quickly typed a message and sent it.

"Repunzel, Repunzel let down your hair."

Kit watched as the shadow in the window was illuminated by a phone screen. It was just enough light to reveal dark eyes, a strong jaw and messy hair. Kit smiled as window was raised.

"Well, this is a first," a husky voice said.

"A girl showing up at your house in the middle of the night?" Kit asked. "I heard differently."

The porch light revealed a shadow of a smirk on the guy's face.

"I see my reputation precedes me. But I don't know you. Thanks for the offer though."

"You don't even know what I'm offering."

The guy paused, his hand poised to shut the window.

"It's two in the morning and you are throwing pebbles at my window," he said. "It doesn't take a scientist to see you're desperate."

Kit chuckled.

"The girls weren't lying about you," she laughed. "But that's not what I'm here for."

"Sure. Let me guess, you just want to talk?" he mocked.

"No, I want waffles," Kit said.

There was a silent pause.

"Do I look like a diner?" he asked.

"No, but you seem like good company," Kit said.

"You don't even know me."

"You're Edison Reigns, everyone knows who you are."

"My mom told me never to get into a car with a stranger," he mockingly argued.

Kit smirked.

"She sounds like a smart woman. I guess it's a good thing I brought my moped."

A slow grin spread across Edison's face and he shook his head like he knew he was about to make a mistake.

"I'll be done in a minute," he said.

Kit smiled at the surprised look on Edison's face when he found her a minute later, resting against her moped.

"I thought you were joking," he said, eyeing the powder blue motorbike.

"I would never joke about a moped," Kit said.

She held a helmet out for him.

"I'm not wearing that," he said.

"Safety first," Kit said, nudging him in the arm with the helmet.

He shook his head.

"Did you really come outside for nothing?" she asked.

He eyed the helmet warily before he took it.

"Don't worry," Kit said, climbing on the moped. "It's two in the morning, no one's going to see you."

She bit back a smile when she turned and found him with the helmet on. The helmet was round and dorky but somehow he was still able to look cute.

"Hop on," Kit said.

"Why can't I drive?" he asked.

"Have you ever driven one of these before?"

"No, but it can't be that hard."

"Sorry, but I don't trust this baby with just anyone."

He pursed his lips and didn't move.

"Edison, haven't you ever thought this life is a little too small?" Kit asked. "Hasn't there ever been something inside of you yearning for something great? Haven't you ever wanted adventure?"

"Waffles are hardly an adventure," he argued.

Kit gave him a coy smile.

"Perhaps. Or they could be be greatest adventure of you life. If you don't come, you'll never know."

She held his gaze, daring him to go back inside. After a moment she shrugged and started the moped. Her foot was poised to lift the kickstand when his large hands lightly balanced on her shoulders as he climbed on behind her.

"These better be the best damn waffles I've ever had," he grumbled.

"Hold on," Kit said.

"Wait, what about your helmet?" he asked.

Kit laughed as she pulled away from the house.

"I never wear a helmet. I don't want to look like an idiot."

She accelerated as Edison let out a complaint and his words were lost to the wind.

Neon lights lite up the night as Kit pulled into the parking lot of Al's Diner. It was located on the last block of the five blocks that made up downtown Lighthouse Point. There were three places in Lighthouse Point that offered their customer's waffles but Al's was the only one offering them twenty-fours hours.

A bell let out a defeated jingle as Kit and Edison entered. Sixties rock music blended in the air with the smell of grease and bacon. The decor, vinyl and chrome. The place was abandoned except for an elderly patron at the counter, hunched over his hash browns and newspaper.

"When you spoke of adventure, I didn't imagine Al's as our destination," Edison said.

"Where else are we suppose to get waffles?" she asked.

"I thought you were joking."

Kit gave him a serious look.

"I'd never joke about waffles," she said.

Edison gave her a curious look. Kit ignored it and led the way down the aisle of booths. She pushed through the red swinging doors leading into the kitchen and she could hear Edison let out a protest.

"Kit, what are you doing?" he hissed, popping his head through the door.

"Roger!" Kit called out.

A squat, balding man washing dishes in the sink turned around, a bright smile blooming on his face at the sight of Kit.

"Kid! You're back," he said, his voice a deep growl.

"And I brought company."

Kit motioned for Edison to join them. He stepped into the kitchen and looked around.

"Recruiting?" Roger laughed.

"He doesn't even know what he's in for," Kit said gleefully.

"Did you bring them?" Roger asked.

Kit reached into her pocket.

"Kit, what are we doing here?" Edison asked, his voice a loud whisper.

"Making waffles!" she said.

She pulled a bag of Reese's peanut butter cups out of her bag.

"I'll fire up the grill," Roger said.

"When you said waffles, I thought you meant eat them," Edison said, stepping closer to Kit. "I didn't think you meant we had to make them."

"We don't HAVE to make them. We GET to make them," she said.

"What are the peanut butter cups for?" he asked.

"You'll see," Kit said coyly.

Roger was a master at the grill and he put on a show for Kit and Edison. He flipped eggs into the air, tossed bottles and cooked them waffles that were fluffy and golden brown. The food was still steaming on their plates when Kit led the way out of the kitchen and into a corner booth.

Kit watched, a gleam in her eye, as Edison took the first bite of his waffles. He kept his expression neutral as he chewed, making Kit antsy.

"So?" she asked.

"This is possibly the best waffle I have ever had," he said. "Who would think to put peanut butter cups in waffles."

"Roger, he likes it!" Kit called out, raising her hand victoriously into the air.

"Excellent," Roger said, poking his head out of the kitchen. "Another convert."

"We'll change the way American eats waffles, one bite at a time," Kit said.

"I don't think you hit much resistance," Edison said.

He took another bite.

With a full belly, Edison lounged back in the booth and gave Kit a inquisitive look.

"So, you like peanut butter cups in your waffles. You throw rocks at boys windows, but other then that I don't know much about you," he said.

Kit licked syrup from the tips of her fingers and sat back.

"I wouldn't say that," she said, mischievously. "Let's not pretend we both don't have reputations."

Edison smirked.

"I know you've heard about me," he said.

"And you've heard about me."

"You're so sure of yourself. Maybe your reputation doesn't reach as far as you think."

"And maybe a new person can show up in a town of a few thousand and go unnoticed."

Kit held Edison's gaze, daring him to contradict her.

"I might have heard a few things about you," he finally conceded.

"And I, you," Kit said.

"I hope not all bad," Edison teased.

Kit smirked.

"Just as bad as you hope it is," she said.

"It's got to be better then your reputation. I haven't punched Amanda Gleason."

"That could just be a rumor," Kit argued.

"I saw it happen," Edison said. "What did she do?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself? I heard she's a 'friend' of your's."

"Jealous? Were you fighting over me?"

"You would love that, wouldn't you?"

A guilty smile spread across Edison's face.

"I wouldn't hate it," he admitted.

"Well, you will have to wait for that fantasy because it had nothing to do with you."

"So you punched Amanda Gleason for no reason."

"I didn't say that."

"Then the reason is..."

"I've never been a fan of Amanda's."

"Just the Amanda's you've met or all Amanda's?"

"Every Amanda there is."

"What about Mandy's?"

"Those are worse!" Kit shouted.

Edison chuckled.

"Who are you Kit Remyington?" he asked.

She gave him a coy look.

"Everything you've heard, plus an outstanding whistler," she said. "But don't tell anyone. It's a secret."

He laughed.

"Now this I've got to hear," he said.

"Another time," Kit said, climbing out of the booth.

"You're not going to whistle for me?" he asked.

Kit just shook her head and led the way to the cash register.

"Just a few notes," Edison said.

Kit ignored him as she paid for their food.

"You must not be that good then," he said.

Kit smiled.

"I'm amazing but I can't reveal all my tricks on the first date," she said.

"Who said this was a date?" Edison asked.

Kit gave him a teasing smile.

"Who said it wasn't?" she countered.

Edison pursed his lips and didn't respond. Kit gave a devilish smile and turned.

"Roger, play me out!" she called out.

Roger pressed buttons on the juke box and the heavy beat of a eighties rock anthem began to play. Kit moved her head to the beat.

"Ready?" she asked Edison.

"I thought you've only been in town for two days," Edison said, looking back at a swaying Roger.

"He's a quick learner," Kit said with a careless shrug.

**************

The muted motor of Kit's moped was the only sound breaking through the night's silence as she pulled up outside of Edison's house. She turned it off and popped out the kickstand.

"Well," she said, as they stood facing each other.

"We never did settle that dispute about whether this was a date or not," Edison said.

"We didn't," Kit said. "Agree to disagree?"

"Maybe I agree with you. I like the idea of this being our first date," he said. He took a step closer to her. "I also like the idea of this date not ending. Wanna come upstairs?"

"Thanks, but no thanks," Kit said.

Edison gave her a cocky smile.

"Do the rumors intimidate you?" he asked.

Kit chuckled.

"There is something you should know about me Edison Reigns," she said, climbing back onto her moped and giving him a steady look. "I'm not easily intimidated. I'm also not interested in your kind of fun. My kind of fun is pushing limits and hoping I'm around long enough to see the consequences. If you want someone to warm your bed, call Amanda Gleason. If you want adventures you'll never forget, come find me."

****************

Hey stranger! 😉

This is story is about a girl coming to spend the summer in a lakeside town. She's carefree, wild and doesn't give a hoot what other's think about her. Mix in a hot bad boy, jealous girl, annoyed, overprotective cousin and this summer might not turn out like everyone planned.

I got this idea from wondering if I could write a twist on the classic bad boy story. It took off from there!

Vote, comment, follow! Tell me what you thought! What did you think of Kit? Of Edison? Have you ever tried waffles with peanut butter cups in them? Cause that sounds delicious, right?!