Karyn arrived at home to an empty house, and marched upstairs to her room. She threw her backpack in the corner, laid back on her bed... and it finally hit her all at once. She and Jon had kissed. A whole bunch of times. Away from school, away from other people staring at her and Jon in positive or questioning or negative looks, all the positive happy emotions finally released and sent her whole body tingling.
"Yes!" she yelled. She kicked and punched the air. This was good. This was so good. Sure, maybe people that didn't hate the two of them had probably guessed something like this would happen in long-term, but that didn't take away from everything she was feeling.
You know those first kisses, not the ones that are right in the middle of a just-met meet-cute, but the ones that have been a long slow burn to achieve? The ones that are built upon sincere friendship, the ones that are the culmination of kindness and inside jokes and mutual frustrations and long shared histories, the ones that weren't inevitable but when they do happen just make so much sense and point to so much potential moving forward? It's a rare thing, but when and if the dam is built and then breaks and the kiss happens, it's a flood of joy and anticipation. Karyn felt herself basking in it, lying with her arms outstretched on the bed, staring at the ceiling with a giddy, happy grin. And who could blame her?
Her phone buzzed, and she checked it.
MOM: Hey, do you want to get takeout for dinner tonight
Karyn paused, smiled, and then began typing away.
KARYN: Actually I have plans
KARYN: With Jon
KARYN: We're kind of going on a date?
MOM: ????
KARYN: I'm actually really excited
MOM: Oh honey
MOM: That's great
MOM: Where are you two going
KARYN: Jon's surprising me
MOM: Have a good time
MOM: Jon's a good kid
MOM: Make smart decisions
Karyn rolled her eyes at the last comment. Her mom had to say that, like she always did.
She checked to see if Jon had sent anything after their last text exchange, but he hadn't had anything else to share. She smirked at the idea of him having to carry huge couches around by himself with Biff's muscles. Zoe and Mikey probably find ways to take advantage of his new strength, too, she mused.
KARYN: Hope whatever you're carrying isn't too heavy!
She waited, but there wasn't an immediate response. Probably on the wrong end of a couch, she guessed. She left her phone on her bed, tossed the rock next to it, and went over to her closet to figure out the best option for their date.
Meanwhile at cheer practice, Jon and her Biff-arms found herself at the center bottom of a pyramid of other girls.
"Don't flinch, Jon, you've got them!" their coach shouted at her through a megaphone in encouragement.
Go team, Jon grunted.
(edited to fix a pronoun error)
