“Come on! What’s taking you so long?”

“What’s your rush?”

“I’m supposed to meet Carrie at Cinnabon at 2:00.”

I roll my eyes. Going shopping with my big brother and his girlfriend was not my choice, but my parents said I’m too young to go to the mall with my friends at this time of year. Yeah, it’s nearly Christmas and the mall will be packed.

I grab my coat, scarf and purse and follow Tommy out the door.

After circling the parking lot three times, we finally snag a spot. We arrive at Cinnabon at 2:10.

“Where’ve you been?” Carrie taps her toe.

“I had to bring Lucy.” Tommy tilts his head back and right.

Carrie peeks around. “Oh, hello, Lucy.”

“Hi.” I add a little wave and a smile, hoping to smooth her ruffled feathers.

Carrie grabs Tommy’s hand and tugs him a few feet away from me. She speaks to him quietly. Whatever she’s saying, I can tell she’s pleading with him about something.

He nods. She smiles. He puts his arm around her and gives a little squeeze, as he turns to face me.

“Lucy, didn’t you say some of your friends were coming to the mall this afternoon?”

“Yes. I’m hoping we’ll bump into them somewhere.”

“Well, why don’t you give one of them a call and we can be sure you meet up.”

“O-kay.” I pull my cell phone from my back pocket and dial Serena’s number. She answers after the second ring.

“Serena, this is Lucy. Are you in the mall? You are? Great! I’m in front of Cinnabon. Okay, see you soon.”

I hang up the phone as my brother watches and then, “Well?”

“Serena and Megan are just around the corner. They should be here any . . .”

“Lucy!” Two girls turn the corner and scream. They rush over and give me hugs as my brother rolls his eyes.

“So, what’s with your brother and the girl?” Serena whispers in my ear.

“Look, Lucy. Why don’t we set a time and place to meet and you can go with your friends and I can shop with Carrie?”

I raised an eyebrow at him. He must be joking. Dad would kill him if he found out, and I’m not sure I’d fare much better.

“I know what you’re thinking, and I promise if Mom and Dad find out, I’ll tell them it was my idea.”

“What’s the catch?”

“Catch? No catch. So how about we meet right back here at 4?”

My friends squeal and jump up and down.

“Okay, I guess.”

Carrie smiles and begins dragging Tommy down the mall. I’m still looking after them when Megan grabs my arm. “Let’s go. Todd, Randy and Jason are somewhere here in the mall. They want us to meet them for sodas in the food court.”

“No way!” My doubts have just been replaced by visions of a gorgeous guy, but my conscience poked me. Mom and Dad wouldn’t like this either.

We spent an hour with the guys in the food court. When we got up to leave, Todd pulled me aside.

“Lucy, I really think you’re cute. I’d like to spend more time with you. Would you go out with me?”

My heart was pounding so hard I thought it would leap out of my chest and my palms were sweaty. This was a dream come true.

“Um, a yeah, I’d like that, b-ut,” I stuttered.

“Is something wrong?”

Oh, those blue eyes! I could drown in them.

I lowered my head to look at the floor and heaved a big sigh. “This is gonna sound so lame.”

Todd placed a finger under my chin and gently lifted my head. “What is?”

“There’s nothing I’d like better than to go out with you, but my parents say I’m too young to date.” It all came out in a rush and I could feel the heat burning in my cheeks.

After a moment Todd smiled revealing his killer dimples. “There are ways around that.”

I wanted to follow him anywhere, but. “Oh, I don’t know.”

He leaned toward me and placed a soft, gentle kiss upon my lips. “Think about it.”

My knees were weak and I couldn’t utter a sound. I simply stared into those blue pools and nodded.

As soon as Todd walked away, Megan and Serena bounded over. “We saw that! He just kissed you! Oh! That’s too awesome!”

Yeah, too awesome and destined to be the first and last kiss I would ever receive from Todd.