Alex Flinn - A Kiss in Time

Publisher: HarperTeen

April 27, 2010

ISBN-10: 006087421X

ISBN-13: 978-0060874216

I stare at her. Ive never seen a human being who looks like her, and Im from Miami, where good-looking people go to spawn. But this girl isnt just beautiful. Shes perfect in a way thats unreal, like one of Meryls Barbie dolls.

What Im saying is, this girl is...

Wow, shes hot, Travis says when he finally reaches the door.

Yeah. That. Shes lying on the floor with these golden curls all around her, like someone arranged them that way. Her body, I can tell even in her long dress, is totally perfect. Shes taller than almost everyone else here, and thin in all the right places with these great...

Would you look at her? Travis interrupts my thoughts again. I am. I stare at the top of her dress, which shes really filling out, let me tell you. I feel this incredible urge to touch her, but I know its wrong because shes asleep.

But the weird thing is, its not her body I notice the most. Its her face.

Her skin is the color of milk with just the tiniest bit of strawberry Nesquik mixed in. Her eyes are closed, but I can tell theyre huge, with long eyelashes that curve upward.

And her mouth. Its full and red, and her lips definitely dont look like lips that havent been moistened in hun- dreds of years.

For some reason, looking at her makes me think of Amber. Not that she looks like Amber, because she doesnt. Ambers beautiful in a normal, human way. But, compared to this girl, Ambers total chopped liver.

And somehow, just looking at her, I know she isnt like Amber. She wouldnt dump someone for a guy with a cooler car.

What are you, in love with her? Travis says. Youre staring like an idiot.

The weird thing is, I think I am. Stupid. Shes asleep. You could... Travis looks at the door.

... do anything. Thats sick.

You know you were thinking about it. No, I wasnt. That would be wrong. Right and wrongs getting kind of fuzzy for me. Was it wrong to ditch the tour? Was it wrong to lie to Mindy? Was it wrong to sneak in here?

I guess. I keep looking at the girl. I cant stop looking at her.

Come on. I dare you to touch her.

Okay. I want to anyway. I lean toward her, wishing shed wake up.

I reach down and touch one of her curls.

Soft. So soft. I comb my fingers through it to make it last. She stirs in her sleep, and I imagine shes enjoying my touch, but of course, thats impossible.

Not her hair, dorko. She cant even feel her hair.

She cant feel anything. Shes asleep like the rest of them.

So why not touch an important part?

Its not because Travis says to. Its because I want to. I move my hand back up the length of her hair to her face.

It feels likeGod, this is hokeyflower petals. Roses, maybe. I move my finger across her cheek, to her mouth, her lips. Theyre parted slightly, and suddenly, I cant keep from admitting it: I want to kiss her. Crazy, because ten minutes ago I was still completely thinking about Amber, but I really want to kiss this comatose chick. I lean closer.

Not her cheek, idiot! Travis leans down. God, get out of the way.

No! I block him. Its impossible to say that I totally, like, respect this girl even though I dont know her. I can just tell shes someone special. God, I wonder if shes a princess!

I stand. Look, I want to kiss her, but not in front of you. Why dont you go downstairs and steal those crowns? The princess and I need some time alone.

For real?

Sure. I can get him to put them back later. But give me ten minutes.

Okay, but Ill be back soon. He starts toward the door and then turns back. Hey, you dont think its really steal- ing when theyre, like, never going to wake up?

I sort of do, but Im not the one doing the stealing, and I want Travis gone. Of course not.

Okay. See ya. And hes gone.

Im alone in the room except for the girl. I touch her hair again, and her cheek, now that I can do it without Travis ragging on me. She sighs softly in her sleep. Shes so beautiful, I wish shed wake up so I could talk to her. But its probably better this way. If she were awake, she wouldnt be into me.

Thats when I think of Snow White.

Snow White was Meryls favorite fairy tale. Of course, being a boy, I thought it was lame. Still, she watched the DVD maybe a thousand times, so I couldnt help but know the story, which is about a princess who eats a poisoned apple.

Everyone thinks shes dead. But then the prince kisses her. She wakes up, and she and the prince live happily ever after. Maybe I could wake her up. Except, of course, Im no prince. And theres all those other sleeping people. That didnt happen in Snow White. Still, it wouldnt hurt to kiss her. Id feel less like a sicko if I think Im trying to wake her. I raise her up toward me. Her body is warm, and its like nothing to lift her. Her dress is made of this soft velvet, and when I pull her close, I can feel her heartbeat.

I wish I could see her eyes, but her face... her lips...

Its kind of weird to kiss a girl if you dont know her name. But maybe I can make one up.

Talia.

The name just comes to me. I dont know where I got it from. Ive never known a Talia. Still, Im sure its the perfect name.

Talia, I whisper. She sighs in her sleep. Oh, Talia. I pull her toward me, one hand in her hair,

supporting her head. I bring my face close to hers, and its like I can see her whole life, being in this castle, isolated, wishing for something more. I dont know how I know it, maybe the same way I know her name. Talia.

My lips are on hers. Its a long kiss. I hold her closer, feeling her hair, her body, her mouth, and then her hands in my hair.

What the?

I dont want to stop kissing her, especially since shes kissing me back, even if its in her sleep. Still, finally, I have to pull away from her to breathe.

So I do. Youre so beautiful, Talia. I look straight into her grass green eyes. Ive never seen eyes that color before. Thank you, my prince, she sighs. Then the green eyes widen. Who are you? And thats when she screams.

S hes awake! It really is like Snow White! Holy crap! But Im no prince. Im just this regular guy from America a totally prince-free countryand shes still awake. She opens her mouth to scream again.

Dont scream. I put my fingers over her lips, not like a kidnapper or anything. Im not going to hurt you. Please dont scream.

Not that it would matter if she did. I mean, theres no one awake to hear her.

She pushes my hand away.

Explain yourself! Who are you? Why were you... kissing me?

Im Jack. I wasnt kissing you, exactly. You were passed out. I was giving you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. I lie because I dont want her to think I was attacking her or something. Mouth to... what? What are you saying? What is that?

Geez, shes stupid. Beautiful, but dumb. Isnt that always the way?

Unless they dont have mouth-to-mouth whereor whenshes from.

Jack? Are you one of the dressmakers? What is that you are wearing?

I look down. I have on kind of junky clothes, an Old Navy Fourth of July flag T-shirt from last summer, and jeans. The shirts all torn up from going through the bushes. At least I pulled the jeans on over my swim trunks at the last minute. Its a flag T-shirt.

She looks confused at the word T-shirt and squints at it. Flag? From what country?

The United States. America. Yo soy Americano. Where is that? Other side of the ocean? Head west? Maybe she hit her head. Her eyes light up with recognition. Oh! You mean Virginia? Which is weird. Colonial Williamsburg is in Virginia.

Maybe all these people who pretend theyre historical figures know each other, like some sort of club. Yeah, sort of. Not Virginia, exactly. Florida. But theyre both in America.