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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Love stories / Romance
- Subject: Love / Romance / Dating
- Published: 02/04/2022
She was sixteen and shy. He was seventeen…and not. She had a few crushes. He had had... none. She had never been kissed. Neither had he. They were in no hurry to grow up or to fall in love. He was always around- after all, her driveway had the only hoop on the whole street…so all the boys, and often a few girls would come shoot hoops in her driveway. Sometimes she would go shoot a few, especially if HE was there.
“Great shot!”
She turned beat red. He had fed her a pass, she had turned and shot. Nothing but net. The other team (her older brother and his friend Jim) were already getting the ball back to the “start again” line. HE came over and gave her a “high Five”, she turned brighter red when HE turned to her brother and his friend and said:
“I’ve got Steph Curry on my side, or Paige Bruckner - all you have is Jimmy!”
She was more determined than ever to win this game. He fed her the ball again. She was nervous but just turned and let the ball fly, it banked off the backboard and into the net. Another high five from HIM - she loved the brief touch of his hand. The score was now nine to nine, next bucket wins. HE stole the ball from Jimmy, without looking he flung the ball back to her hard. It almost took her face off. She caught it, spun, and fired up a layup. It went in. HE jumped in the air and spun around!
“We won! We won! You can’t beat a superstar.”
It was only then that he noticed that she was nursing a slowly dripping nose. Blood was dripping. Drip. Drip. Drip. The ball had hit her face so hard, her nose was bleeding. She shrugged it off and made the shot. But now…she was embarrassed. The blood was rapidly overflowing her fingers. She looked up and saw his concerned look. Behind him, her brother and Jimmy were already racing into the house to get a towel.
“Good thing Mom isn’t home… I’ll get you a towel.”
Was all she heard her brother say.
HE moved her hand away…gently. Then he took his one hand and braced her neck as he leaned her head back.
“Okay, trooper, lean your head back and pinch your nose. That will help stop the bleeding.”
She did what HE said. It hurt. HE put his arm around her - and that didn’t hurt at all. It felt…safe. Then in a soft voice he said:
“I am so sorry! I didn’t know I threw the ball that hard. I don’t know anybody as tough as you. Your brother, Jimmy, or me, well, we wouldn’t have made that shot with a broken nose.”
Those words helped her heal a bit…and felt as warm and safe as his arm around her did. Part of her wanted to know:
“You think it is broken?”
HE moved her hand away in a soft smooth gentle flowing motion. Then HE asked her if it was okay if he checked, HE would have to touch her nose.
She merely nodded.
HE placed his thumb and forefinger on either side of her nose and pinched lightly. It didn’t really hurt, but she did flinch. HE grew even more gentle as he pulled his hand away. Still guiding her towards the Patio door to go inside the house. HE used his body and arm to control her movements…since she couldn’t see where she was going. She trusted him. Somehow, she knew HE knew that, because he was being very cautious, and whispering encouraging comments the whole way.
“No, it isn’t broken. Just a bit swollen. We will put some ice on it and the bleeding will stop in a few minutes. I can’t believe how tough you are. I would be whining away. “
And then HE did such a convincing whine that she laughed out loud. Spraying bits of blood all around. HE quickly handed the towel that her brother had just brought out and said:
“Here, put this over your nose.”
She did. HE ran to the fridge, got some ice, and wrapped it in a dish towel. She was still standing. HE sat on the couch and pulled her to his lap. He guided her as she turned a bit, and lay across both the couch and HIM. HE put a pillow under her head along with arm. With the other hand he put the ice along her nose like a frozen caress.
“Close your eyes and relax. I will hold the ice. You just relax. The bleeding will stop soon. I know.”
She did what she was told. It was easy to relax in his grip. She could feel the concern (and worry) leaking out of his every mannerism. His voice showing more concern than was warranted. She thought he was being a bit overprotective…but she was enjoying it. So she stayed still. She heard HIM tell her brother that everything was okay. That he and Jimmy could go shoot more hoops. HE would stay here with his sister until she was feeling better.
And then…it was just her…and HIM.
No words. She could feel him looking at her nose when he moved the ice to the other side. The bleeding had slowed. Almost stooped. She had no intention of moving. Even if HE had not said what he did next:
“The bleeding is almost done. But don’t move, when they first dry up like that, even sitting up can cause it to bleed again. Just lay there and be still. Okay?”
She couldn’t tell HIM she wouldn’t move for all the tea in China. She just nestled in and HE shifted his weight to make it more of a snuggle than a hold. After ten more minutes of silence…he removed the ice pack and set it on the coffee table. She stirred a little. HE gave a silent “shh…” and put a gentle finger over her lips.
“Just rest now. Don’t talk. You are going to be okay. What a trooper you are. Tougher than me, that is for sure.”
She leaned into HIM, changing from a snuggle to gentle hug as much as one could under the circumstances. HE must have noticed the change from Patient to patience. For HE started to trace her hairline down to her forehead, and down her cheek. It felt glorious. Then he traced her lips with his finger. A slow outline of her upper and lower lip. She felt a stirring in her heart.
“You know, you are beautiful.”
She opened her eyes. HE was staring at her in open admiration. And appreciation. She forgot about her nose. Her eyes grew wide and shiny. Until they matched his.
“You know, I…err…uh…I have had a crush on you for two years. I was afraid your brother would be mad if I asked you out. And well, a girl as pretty, smart…and tough as you…well you could have any guy you wanted…but…well, I thought you should know.”
As only young love can do, it forgot where it was, and what was going on around it. He bent to kiss her…she rose to kiss him back. She bumped her nose against HIS.
“Ouch!”
HE sprung back.
“Oh, my god, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
She smiled back a furious smile, she wasn’t going to give up on their first kiss that easily. Somehow her shyness gave way to confidence.
“Try that again, but be more careful.”
He did what he was told.
From then on, for the rest of their lives, everyone wondered why HE called her “Ouch” - even their children thought it was a funny nickname. She thought it was wonderful.
"Ouch!"(Kevin Hughes)
She was sixteen and shy. He was seventeen…and not. She had a few crushes. He had had... none. She had never been kissed. Neither had he. They were in no hurry to grow up or to fall in love. He was always around- after all, her driveway had the only hoop on the whole street…so all the boys, and often a few girls would come shoot hoops in her driveway. Sometimes she would go shoot a few, especially if HE was there.
“Great shot!”
She turned beat red. He had fed her a pass, she had turned and shot. Nothing but net. The other team (her older brother and his friend Jim) were already getting the ball back to the “start again” line. HE came over and gave her a “high Five”, she turned brighter red when HE turned to her brother and his friend and said:
“I’ve got Steph Curry on my side, or Paige Bruckner - all you have is Jimmy!”
She was more determined than ever to win this game. He fed her the ball again. She was nervous but just turned and let the ball fly, it banked off the backboard and into the net. Another high five from HIM - she loved the brief touch of his hand. The score was now nine to nine, next bucket wins. HE stole the ball from Jimmy, without looking he flung the ball back to her hard. It almost took her face off. She caught it, spun, and fired up a layup. It went in. HE jumped in the air and spun around!
“We won! We won! You can’t beat a superstar.”
It was only then that he noticed that she was nursing a slowly dripping nose. Blood was dripping. Drip. Drip. Drip. The ball had hit her face so hard, her nose was bleeding. She shrugged it off and made the shot. But now…she was embarrassed. The blood was rapidly overflowing her fingers. She looked up and saw his concerned look. Behind him, her brother and Jimmy were already racing into the house to get a towel.
“Good thing Mom isn’t home… I’ll get you a towel.”
Was all she heard her brother say.
HE moved her hand away…gently. Then he took his one hand and braced her neck as he leaned her head back.
“Okay, trooper, lean your head back and pinch your nose. That will help stop the bleeding.”
She did what HE said. It hurt. HE put his arm around her - and that didn’t hurt at all. It felt…safe. Then in a soft voice he said:
“I am so sorry! I didn’t know I threw the ball that hard. I don’t know anybody as tough as you. Your brother, Jimmy, or me, well, we wouldn’t have made that shot with a broken nose.”
Those words helped her heal a bit…and felt as warm and safe as his arm around her did. Part of her wanted to know:
“You think it is broken?”
HE moved her hand away in a soft smooth gentle flowing motion. Then HE asked her if it was okay if he checked, HE would have to touch her nose.
She merely nodded.
HE placed his thumb and forefinger on either side of her nose and pinched lightly. It didn’t really hurt, but she did flinch. HE grew even more gentle as he pulled his hand away. Still guiding her towards the Patio door to go inside the house. HE used his body and arm to control her movements…since she couldn’t see where she was going. She trusted him. Somehow, she knew HE knew that, because he was being very cautious, and whispering encouraging comments the whole way.
“No, it isn’t broken. Just a bit swollen. We will put some ice on it and the bleeding will stop in a few minutes. I can’t believe how tough you are. I would be whining away. “
And then HE did such a convincing whine that she laughed out loud. Spraying bits of blood all around. HE quickly handed the towel that her brother had just brought out and said:
“Here, put this over your nose.”
She did. HE ran to the fridge, got some ice, and wrapped it in a dish towel. She was still standing. HE sat on the couch and pulled her to his lap. He guided her as she turned a bit, and lay across both the couch and HIM. HE put a pillow under her head along with arm. With the other hand he put the ice along her nose like a frozen caress.
“Close your eyes and relax. I will hold the ice. You just relax. The bleeding will stop soon. I know.”
She did what she was told. It was easy to relax in his grip. She could feel the concern (and worry) leaking out of his every mannerism. His voice showing more concern than was warranted. She thought he was being a bit overprotective…but she was enjoying it. So she stayed still. She heard HIM tell her brother that everything was okay. That he and Jimmy could go shoot more hoops. HE would stay here with his sister until she was feeling better.
And then…it was just her…and HIM.
No words. She could feel him looking at her nose when he moved the ice to the other side. The bleeding had slowed. Almost stooped. She had no intention of moving. Even if HE had not said what he did next:
“The bleeding is almost done. But don’t move, when they first dry up like that, even sitting up can cause it to bleed again. Just lay there and be still. Okay?”
She couldn’t tell HIM she wouldn’t move for all the tea in China. She just nestled in and HE shifted his weight to make it more of a snuggle than a hold. After ten more minutes of silence…he removed the ice pack and set it on the coffee table. She stirred a little. HE gave a silent “shh…” and put a gentle finger over her lips.
“Just rest now. Don’t talk. You are going to be okay. What a trooper you are. Tougher than me, that is for sure.”
She leaned into HIM, changing from a snuggle to gentle hug as much as one could under the circumstances. HE must have noticed the change from Patient to patience. For HE started to trace her hairline down to her forehead, and down her cheek. It felt glorious. Then he traced her lips with his finger. A slow outline of her upper and lower lip. She felt a stirring in her heart.
“You know, you are beautiful.”
She opened her eyes. HE was staring at her in open admiration. And appreciation. She forgot about her nose. Her eyes grew wide and shiny. Until they matched his.
“You know, I…err…uh…I have had a crush on you for two years. I was afraid your brother would be mad if I asked you out. And well, a girl as pretty, smart…and tough as you…well you could have any guy you wanted…but…well, I thought you should know.”
As only young love can do, it forgot where it was, and what was going on around it. He bent to kiss her…she rose to kiss him back. She bumped her nose against HIS.
“Ouch!”
HE sprung back.
“Oh, my god, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
She smiled back a furious smile, she wasn’t going to give up on their first kiss that easily. Somehow her shyness gave way to confidence.
“Try that again, but be more careful.”
He did what he was told.
From then on, for the rest of their lives, everyone wondered why HE called her “Ouch” - even their children thought it was a funny nickname. She thought it was wonderful.
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