“Dude, I’ve been your best friend for like, 10 years. I know you’re not fine. Just tell me what’s wrong.”

                                                            ***

“Daniel!”

Daniel’s smile grew bigger as he saw Noah running towards him. He started running as well, and they both crashed into each other with such a force they almost fell to the ground. They clung to each other until they regained balance, and then a little longer to give each other a really big hug. They laughed as they parted.

Summer vacation had felt like an eternity. Noah had gone to Michigan with his parents and Daniel had been stuck home alone all summer. As they walked to school, Noah told him about the baseball game he had gone to with his dad, and Daniel told him about how he had learnt to swim this summer. They were starting 5th grade this fall, and Daniel was glad he would still have Noah by his side when they changed school.

                                                           ***

Daniel looked at Noah. It didn’t matter what he did, or how many deep breaths he took. One look at his stupid, stupid face was enough for Daniel to fill to the rim with anger. He hadn’t been this angry in years.

                                                            ***

“Is Alexandra like… your girlfriend now?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“So, you kiss and stuff?”

“That’s kind of the point of being in a relationship, dude.”

Daniel was thirteen years old, and he was at a sleepover at Noah’s house. They lied in their beds, facing each other.

“Have you ever kissed anyone?” Noah asked him. Daniel shook his head. “Do you want to?” Noah asked as he sat up in his bed. Daniel followed his lead. The spare bed creaked when he moved. Daniel sat with his legs crossed and looked at Noah.

“I thought you were dating Alexandra?” he asked confused.

“Well yeah, but we’re best friends, right? So, it doesn’t matter. Plus, we’re both guys, so it’s cool”, Noah said with a shrug.

“Okay”, Daniel said hesitantly. He didn’t really understand Noah’s logic, but he trusted him to be right.

“Okay”, Noah said with more confident. “So, just close your eyes, alright?” “No, don’t do that with your lips”, he laughed. “Just keep them normal, relax. Good.”

Daniel sat with his eyes closed. He could hear Noah shifting on the bed and he could hear him whispering as he leaned closer. Suddenly he felt Noah’s lips on his. It was only a short kiss, a fleeting touch that left his lips tingly. As Noah leaned back, Daniel opened his eyes.

“There. Now you’ve kissed somebody”, Noah said with a smile. Daniel could only stare at him. “You want to do it again?” Noah asked. Daniel gave a small nod, before slowly closing his eyes again. Again, he could hear when Noah shifted closer on the bed. This time, the kiss was a little bit longer, long enough for Daniel to open his eyes and look at Noah’s face, so close to his, long enough for Daniel to kiss back.

Daniel watched as Noah leaned back. He gave Daniel a shy smile before he laid back down in his bed. Daniel did the same and they said goodnight before Noah turned in his bed. As Daniel lied in his bed and stared at the ceiling, he could hear the moment Noah’s breath got deeper and slower and he knew he was asleep. He dared a quick glance at the back of Noah’s head before he turned his eyes back to the ceiling. He stared at the ceiling as he gently stroked his fingers across his lips, thinking back at what had just happened.

                                                         ***