The Conch Shell of Doom (44 page)

Bailey stood there for a moment, clenching his teeth so his jaw wouldn’t fall off. It was the perfect opening for a kiss. A
real
kiss. There they were. The two of them out on the beach, nobody within sight, the moon shining bright, it was the perfect opportunity. Bailey’s nerves weren’t sure, but he was. He pushed through his anxiety and kissed Alexis. It was amazing. She felt like a drug, and, without realizing, they made out for several minutes. When the two of them broke away, Bailey was left trying to catch his breath.

“Wow. I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Yeah.” Alexis seemed as taken aback as Bailey. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time.”

Huh? What?
Bailey had no idea. “Are you serious? How long?”

Alexis laughed and walked farther down the beach. She twirled in the sand, like some kind of oceanic goddess.

Bailey remembered what Franklin said. That was in the past. Bailey’s future was right in front of him. It didn’t matter how long the crush had been mutual, especially since the future looked so bright.

Growing up, Ryan Hill spent his time writing stories instead of doing homework. This resulted in an obsession with being an author and a gross incompetence in the fields of science and mathematics. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Ryan loves the Wolfpack. Ryan also feels strange about referring to himself in the third person, but that hasn't stopped him from doing it this whole time.