The people outside continued on with their day, unaware of the ticking bomb inside a tent. A breeze flew by and fluttered the strips of tarpaulin. The motion revealed six pairs of feet. Only the sound of tent covers filled the silence. Three occupants chose to keep their lips zipped for their own sake.
Unlike the other two, they could hear the timer of the explosive.
Emily blinked several times, her mouth open in disbelief. Words formed in her head but none came out. She cleared her throat as she grasped the situation.
“Can you please repeat that one more time?”
The polite smile she wore resembled plastic, fake and artificial. She curled her tongue inwards and suppressed the simmering rage in her throat. Her fingers tapped aimlessly, trying to make them busy from strangling someone.
Felix giggled in his own mischief, “Either you spend the next three hours in handcuffs or you can free yourselves with a kiss on the lips.”
Emily breathed out a long sigh. It lasted until her lungs had been squeezed dry. She felt her chest tighten. Then, she took her sweet time in refilling her airways. She counted sheep in mind.
“What game is this?” She finally asked, already having an idea.
Max was the one to answer, “It’s a Marriage Booth.”
Alex and Selene gazed around the tent. Random things began to make sense. The archway of fake vines, the table, the random decorations of flowers, ribbons and laces… they were meant to resemble the altar of a garden wedding. The shrouded space had darkened their ambiance, making it hard to notice them at first glance.
“And it’s so adorable how you’re wearing white!” Felix gushed, admiring Emily’s cream boho dress. He particularly liked the cut of the top and flowy skirt, “It’s almost like a real wedding!”
That comment pushed her to the edge.
Emily raised her leg, aiming to hit Max.
“Uh, uh, uh!” Jae protested. He pushed her knee down, “We have a game later and I need him in perfect condition.”
She puffed out her cheeks at him, “How about I hit his head? Make him less dumb?”
“He is actually in the top 10,” he chuckled. Not a lot of people knew but it was true.
“How—” Emily began to reply but thought better of it. Instead, she stomped her foot and turned back to the culprit. Her light blue eyes blazed as she pointed her finger, “This is not a game! You tricked us!”
Max flipped his imaginary long hair, “I know, I know. I am a natural born genius.”
She rolled her eyes “I doubt it.”
“Anyway, so? Kiss or Date?”
Felix and Max watched the pair. Compared to Emily’s stiff stance, Jae seemed unworried. He tucked his free hand into his jean pocket. He shrugged.
“I will leave the choice to the lady.”
Emily tugged on the handcuff, “And why?”
Jae winked, a goofy grin on his face, “Because I am fine with either one. You?”
“I don’t like either of them,” she groaned. The trap was flawless. Her competitive spirit refused to let her back down like a coward. If she complained more, that would only further lower her sportsmanship. It irked her how the pest managed to lead her here.
“Well…” Jae thought out loud. It felt nice how she needed his opinion, “If you choose the kiss one, I’ll let you do it so you won’t say that I’m taking advantage of you.”
Emily clicked her tongue.
She stared at Max.
Then, she stared at Felix.
Both of their eyes shined in anticipation.
“What counts as a kiss?” She questioned them. She attempted to cross her arms over her chest but the handcuffs limited her movement, “I am asking because I don’t want you to make up rules and say a peck is not qualified.”
Max held up two hands, “10 seconds.”
Biting her inner cheek, Emily thought about her options. 10 seconds of torture or 3 hours of hell? It wasn’t like it was her first kiss. That one was a nightmare she preferred not to remember. Who would have thought the cutest guy in class would turn out to be the sloppiest kisser?
Not to mention, everyone probably thought that she’d pick the three hours.
It flared her motivation to break their expectations.
“I’ll take the kiss” she finally decided, fluttering her eyes.
“Ohooo…!” Max guffawed. He clutched his stomach, “The first wedding kiss of the day!”
Felix pumped his fist, “Yes! Let’s do a wedding!”
He scrambled back around the table, kicking anything in his path. He picked up a bouquet of flowers from the box and handed it to Emily. He gave the veil for Max to place on her head. Then, he tossed a bow tie in Jae’s direction.
Emily scowled, “Is this necessary?”
“Yes, it’s a Marriage Booth after all!” Max cheered, placing the veil on her head.
She slapped his hand away. She used her free hand to prop up the headband of the veil. The cuffed one held the bouquet. Jae clipped on the bow tie without a problem. Directing them to the archway, Felix brought a fake black book. He stood under it with the pair in front of him.
“Dearly beloved,” his voice lowered in pitch. He spoke like an experienced announcer, “We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony.”
Selene and Alex moved behind the pair.
Alex worked as a support stand. She pushed up the tarpaulin and let more of the natural light in. She moved as Selene, who held the camera, directed her to. The narrow space wasn’t enough to expose the scene to the bystanders but it was just right for some well lit photos and video.
Felix continued on, undistracted by the film crew, “Do you, Jaelin Parker, take…”
“Emiliana Greenwood” Alex supplied from her spot.
Her cousin glared at her.
She merely stuck her tongue out.
“… Emiliana Greenwood to be your unlawfully wedded wife for as long as your kiss lasts?” Felix looked up from the blank page of the book. He waited for Jae’s response.
The basketball captain smiled. Twisting his neck to the left, he glanced down.
Emily returned his gesture reflexively.
Before she could change her mind, he said, “I do.”
Emily gulped. Something about the moment strummed her heartstrings. The blue eyes on her twinkled like her favorite gemstone. The light from outside highlighted their clear color. She seemed to stare into multiple small prisms, all glinting into jewels.
The crinkle at the corners made them even more captivating.
“Emily?”
At the sound of her name, she shook off her daze.
“Huh?” She blinked at Felix.
The fake pastor raised his eyebrows, “Your reply?”
“Oh” Emily cleared her throat. She straightened her spine, pulling her shoulders. She spoke with clear resolve. She had to in order not to appear brave, “I do.”
“Then…!” Felix boomed. His hands moved as if he summoned a great beast, “By the power vested in me by the Student Council for this booth’s activity, I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride. I mean, groom.”
The pair shuffled their feet until they faced each other.
Jae tucked his free hand behind his back. He bent forward, closing his eyes. He relaxed his lips into their default position. He neither smiled nor frowned. He kept his other facial muscles neutral, seeming to be harmless.
Emily shifted her weight to her toes. As the distance between their faces closed, she watched him carefully. She could smell the faint whiff of his cologne. The fresh and sharp scent of mint and sea water tickled her nose. Her lips touched on soft skin, much different than she expected.
She closed her eyes.
The countdown began.
At the moment of contact, Jae’s free arm ensnared her back. He pulled her towards him until their chests touched. His cuffed hand grabbed hers. He held her wrist and the bouquet in place. Then, he parted his mouth open, inviting her in.
He wanted to taste her even from just her breath.
Emily pushed her hand against his chest. It got trapped when the gap closed in. Her chin rested against his collarbone as the strumming increased in activity. It felt as if something would pop out of her chest. The strumming seemed to loosen the ties of her heart.
She gasped from the sudden pressure on her lips.
It was enough for Jae to completely capture her.
Electrifying current sparked from something more than friction. The rare sensation had the pair craved for more. It became an addictive craving. An unknown hunger made itself known. It surfaced from the depths of their souls.
They didn’t even need to move.
The connection was more than enough to take their breath away.
…
…
…
…
…
Jae broke away first. Puffs of air flew in and out his mouth. His eyelids remained hooded as he recovered his state of mind. More than his breathing, that kiss had taken his consciousness. He waited for the blur in his vision to clear.
Emily stared up at him, her lips still parted. She busied herself with catching her breath. Her mind muddled into fog. Never in her life had she experienced such a kiss. Despite its simplicity, it had engraved itself in her memory and in her blood.
“When did you learn to kiss like that?” She asked in between breaths. Her toes barely touched the ground as Jae bore most of her weight. His arm had her locked in his warmth.
He chuckled, his voice still husky, “Never happened before.”
“Huh,” Emily replied curtly. Her head nodded slowly, “Then, it must be because I’m fabulous.”
“Sure” Jae laughed through his nose, closing his mouth. His shoulders shook, “If that means I can get more in the future.”
She scoffed. A smirk perked at the corner of her lip, “If you think it’s that easy then, you have another thing coming.”
Instead of getting annoyed, he smirked right back, “I didn’t expect anything less.”
The same magnetic kindle whizzed between their challenging eyes. The longer they stared, the more excitement ignited. The smug grins on their faces stretched wide. They had come to a silent agreement for the future ahead.
One filled with a game that they would both enjoy.
