Page 1 of Mountain Pine
Chapter 1
Taylor
Senior Year of High School
“I’m going to do it with him.”
My cousin Carly looks up from painting her toes. “Do what with whom?”
“I’m going to kiss Conner.”
She quickly twists the cap back onto the polish bottle as she gawks at me. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. No.” My stomach hurts. “I mean… I don’t know.”
Crap. Maybe I shouldn’t. It’s dumb. I’m dumb. This whole idea is dumb.
But what if?
That’s all I keep thinking. What if? That question is the white rabbit I’m afraid I’ll always chase. It’s time to just capture it and find out.
What if he kisses me back?
What if he laughs in my face?
What if he pushes me away?
What if he never talks to me again?
What if he loves me too and is scared to admit it?
What if he hates me for crossing the friendship line?
What if…
“I have an idea,” Carly says, her eyes wild with excitement.
Oh no. Whenever Carly has an idea, it usually ends with someone getting grounded or needing stitches. “What is it?”
“Do the kiss your best friend trend!”
My heart pounds in my throat. “What’s that?”
“Look.” She pulls out her cell and quickly types something. We both stare down at her screen and watch reel after reel of best friends kissing each other with the hashtag, RuinOurFriendship.
Yikes.
“I don’t want to ruin my friendship with Conner.” The thought of that being a possibility has me backpedaling fast.
“The only thing that’ll be ruined are his pants when he creams in them from your kiss.” Carly pushes me playfully. “Seriously, Taylor. He’s crazy for you.”
“No, he’s not.” I’m not that lucky.
“He stares at you all the time.”
“Probably because I have food in my teeth.”
“He got a job working for your dad.”
