Chapter One The Kiss That Didn't Happen

"I knew for a while how my first kiss would go. But I didn't know when it would happened."

I was ten when I had this dream over and over again. It seemed so real and I couldn't wait for it to happen. I had this pretty yellow sundress, one I didn't have in my closet yet, and my hair was down with little white daisies in it. I looked beautiful. I knew who I would kiss. It was be him.

The only boy I had a crush on. He didn't know it but I hoped he would soon. He was the only boy that would talk to me. Everyone else thought I was weird but not him. He thought I was a pretty amazing person and that made me smile. Ever since that day, I developed this hopeless crush on him.

I didn't know him for very long. Maybe for three months or so but I didn't care about how long I knew it. I liked ever since he sat beside me and talked to me.

I was at the park, during summer break, reading under a huge tree. While most kids my age, played and had fun over their break, I didn't. I wasn't into it. I didn't have a reason to be. No one liked me. They knew me as the shy, quiet, weird girl. And I never tried to prove them wrong. Because first of all, I was shy. That was true. Secondly, I knew something was wrong with me. I just didn't know what.

So in a way, they were right. I was weird. I read until I felt like drawing. I placed my book down beside me and picked up my notebook and pencil.

I didn't notice him until he sat beside me and his voice startled me.

"What are you drawing?" He asked, glancing at my paper.

I looked at him and blushed. I quickly covered up my drawing with my hands, but I knew he saw most of it.

Instantly, he understood that I didn't want others seeing my drawings. He didn't say anything at first and I hoped he would leave. I didn't want anyone to see him with me.

Not that I was embarrassed to be with him or anything. It was just that I didn't want anyone else treating him differently because he was seen with me.

He was new. He had to be. I never seen him before. He had light brown hair and aquamarine eyes. As my eyes took him in, I realized his lips were moving but I didn't hear what he said.

He smiled and I looked away.

"Why are you sitting by yourself?" He questioned, curiously. "It'd be better if you were out there having fun." He pointed to the playground where they were a handful of kids playing.

I didn't respond back as I shrugged my shoulders. I knew he was staring at me but I refused to look at him. I couldn't look at him without blushing.

He stood up and I thought he finally realized I was loser and a waste of time. But I wrong. He was still there.

"C'mon." He said, holding out his hand for me to take.

I didn't move. I glanced at his hand before I looked into his eyes.

I shook my head, slightly, indicating I didn't want to go. He didn't take no for an answer though.

"It'll be fun." He promised with a smile.

I still didn't move. After a few seconds, he realized I wasn't going to stand up and he frowned.

"Why don't you wanna go play?"

Because they don't like me. They think I'm weird. I thought to myself. You will too, sooner or later.

He looked at the playground before looking at me. I could see the longing in his eyes. He wanted to play.

It's okay. You can go. I told him, silently.

He didn't. He sat back down beside me and grinned.

"Okay. We don't have to play."

I plunked a grass blade out the ground and continued to do that until he spoke again.

"You don't talk very much, do you?" It wasn't a question but an observation.

I looked at him and shook my head.

"That's fine. I could do all the talking until you finally tell me to shut up."

I smiled. He wanted to be my friend and no one ever wanted to be my friend. It felt nice to have someone, besides my parents, think I wasn't too weird.

"My name is Riley." He said, holding out his hand.

I raised my arm and grabbed his hand. It was after I dropped his hand I realized I was supposed to tell him my name. I mean I didn't have to but it was the nice thing to do.

"Aliyah." I said, quietly.

He grinned, widely. "Ah, she does talk."

I laughed and that's when I liked him even more.

Everyday after that one, I would always go back to the park and I would find Riley sitting under the same tree. He didn't mind that I didn't talk much and I didn't mind that he talk a lot. I liked the sound of his voice.

I didn't think I would ever tell him to shut up. I listened to him as he talked about his former home as I drew.

He shared so many stories, it was like we've been best friends for years instead of a handful of days.

Eventually, I wasn't as shy around him anymore. He was surprised I said more than one word to him and he was happy. I didn't talk about anything remotely interesting but Riley's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

I wasn't sure what I talked about. It was random. It happened when I couldn't find one topic to talk about. My mind would jump from topic to topic. I was surprise he could keep up with it.

He wanted to see my drawings but I wasn't quite ready to show him them yet. They were personal. They were a part of me.

So we made a compromise. If I wouldn't show him my drawings, then I had to play a game with him. At the time, it seemed reasonable.

I never played a game before. I was either reading or drawing. Games held no interested for me. But I agreed to it and ended up regretting it.

He wanted to play hide and go seek. I heard of the game before but again I never played a game. He said he didn't like to be the seeker so I told him I would be it while he hid.

"Okay." He said. "Count to twenty and no peeking."

I nodded. "Okay and I won't." I promised.

I turned to face the tree and covered my eyes. I heard him run away and I begun to count.

"One....two....three" I counted all the way to twenty before saying. "Ready or not, here I come!"

I turned around and scanned the park but of course he wasn't hiding in the open. I walked the park, searching everywhere for him. I checked the tunnels, behind the trees, and the small bushes. But he was no where to be found.

It was only when I decided to check every place again, I realized he ditched me. He didn't want to be seen with me anymore. My heart fell and tears sprung to my eyes.

I walked back to the tree and grabbed my things. I was about to walk to my house when I heard my name being called.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Riley running my way.

"Aliyah!" He yelled. "Where are you going?"
I looked away from him, wiping my tears away before he could see them. He stood in front of me smiling but it dropped when he saw my face.

"What's wrong?" He asked. "Why are you crying?"

"I-I couldn't find you." I sniffed. "I thought you left me."

He frowned. "I was hiding over there." He pointed behind me but I didn't look. "I wouldn't leave you."

After that day, Riley refused to play anymore games with me. Or at least hide and go seek.

I went home and Mum and Dad were smiling. They knew all about Riley. They were happy that I finally made a friend and getting out the house more. Some days Riley would come over to my house and we would watch movies or something.

It was the day before school officially started and Riley and I were at the park, soaking in our last day of summer.

"I can't believe summer is over."

I shook my head. "Me either."

He sighed. "At least we have the same classes." He turned his head to look at me. "Do you want me to walk to with you?"

"You don't have to."

"But I want to."

I smiled. "Okay."

Pretty soon it was time for us to go home and I got ready for bed. As soon as my eyes closed, I had the dream. It put a smile on my face.

I woke up and realized I had nothing to wear. I looked through my closet for something nice to wear but I come up empty handed.

Mum walked into my room, smiling.

"Did you find something to wear, sweetheart?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Oh good!" She said, clapping her hands happily. "I brought you something you'll like."

She rushed out the room and a few seconds later she returns holding, a bright yellow sundress. The same dress from my dream. I smiled.

"I figure you'll like it since it was yellow."

Yellow was my favorite color. It was bright and warm. Kind of like the sun.

"I love it, Mum."

She thrusted it out. "Here put it on."

I happily obliged and she did my hair. My hair was naturally straight so Mum brushed it before adding tiny white daisies in it.

"You look so beautiful." She gushed.

I smiled at myself in the mirror. I did look beautiful. I felt beautiful. The door bell rung and I quickly grabbed my backpack.

"Well someone is in a rush, I see." Mum teased.

I walked out my room and opened the front door to see Riley, smiling. He wore grey shirt and tan shorts.

"Ready?"

I nodded. "Bye Mum!" I called over my shoulder, walking out the door.

We had twenty minutes to get to school but it was only a five minute walk. We took our time not in a hurry. A school bus passed by us and up head I saw a few other kids heading to school.

I kept thinking about the time Riley would kiss me. I was anticipating it. I was nervous and scared but also very excited. If it was anything like my dreams, I had nothing to worry about.

We crossed the street and I recognized the area. It was the same place Riley would kiss me and a small smile crawled to my face.

He stopped and so did I. The dream was about to come true. He faced me and my heart pounded out my chest.

Riley looked at me with his aquamarine eyes and a small blush flooded my cheeks. He brushed his hand through my hair and placed a strand behind my ear.

He stepped forward and my heart beats faster. I really prayed he couldn't hear it. That would be embarrassing.

He stood directly in front of me and I noticed he was a couple of inches taller than me. I looked at him and he stared straight into my hazel eyes.

Oh my gosh. I thought. He's gonna do it. This is really happening.

He leaned in closer and I closed my eyes, wanting to treasure the moment. Even through my heart was pounding wildly, I was super excited.

I could feel him move closer as I stepped on the tip of my toes wanting to close the distance already.

But instead of him kissing me, he leaned passed my lips and placed his next to my ear.

"You're pretty, you know that."

As soon as he said that, I jerked away from him. I blushed, profusely. Riley thought it was because of his words. He was totally oblivious to my action.

"What? You are."

I refused to look at him. "Thanks." I muttered.

I could feel his smile as he spoke. "You're welcome."

He grabbed my hand and we continued to walk to school.

It was sad to say, my dream was just that.....a dream. It never came true. No matter how much I wanted it to. It didn't. Even though my dream didn't became a reality, I still had this crush on him.

But that crush faded when I turned thirteen.