Promise: The Scarred Girl by Maya Shepherd Read Free Book Online Page B

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    Suddenly, she felt Miro move and a shadow fell over her face. She thought he would say something or tell her to get up, but he remained silent. Nea felt him looking at her. Even though she had her eyes closed, she tried to look very pretty, in the event that he was really looking at her. She wanted Miro to drive his hands through her hair and spread it out like a fan. If he did that now, would she laugh? She did as best as she could to not notice his gaze.
    She felt her heart begin to throb wildly and noticed how her eyelids twitched. She wanted to see him. She wanted to know if he was really looking at her. And if he was, what expression was on his face? Maybe he was coming up with something mean to do to her? Or maybe he was looking at her because he found her beautiful?
    Nea felt Miro’s breath on her face. Before she could think about what that meant, he pressed his lips to her easily. They were soft and warm and tasted of oranges. It was as if something exploded in Nea, like a volcanic eruption. The lava flowed through her heart and chased a hot shiver down her spine. Her whole scalp began to tingle. So that was it. Her first kiss.
    She would have never thought it would have been Miro. Actually, it was obvious, but they were best friends, best friends do not normally kiss each other.
    Although Nea felt drawn to him, she did not know if she wanted him to kiss her. At that moment, she knew nothing, maybe this was another one of his dumb jokes... surely it was, she could already imagine him laughing.
    Instinctively, she shoved him roughly and looked at him angrily in the eyes, “What was that?” she snapped.
    The astonishment in his eyes bewildered Nea, why does he not laugh?
    Without looking at her, he rubbed his chest, the spot where she had shoved him. “I thought it was time for your first kiss.”
    “What if I wanted to determine the date for that myself?” Nea snapped back. She would have also wanted to choose who her first kiss would be with.
    “If it were up to you, you would never kiss me. You’re a coward!”
    “I am not!”
    Oh no? Then kiss me!” Miro challenged her.
    “No, I do not want to kiss you!”
    “Why not? Did you not like it? You would be the first one to complain.”
    There it was again! Why was he always so arrogant? Nea gave him another blow, this time on his upper arm.
    “That’s why. You kissed too many others before me. I do not want to just be one of many; I want it to be something special!”
    Nea feels the dog’s wet tongue upon her face. Quickly she opens her eyes and turns her face away from the dog. He stands beside her, looking down at her with its amber eyes. His breath stinks.
    Nea sits up and uses her knife to finish cutting off the binds upon her wrists. She looks doubtfully at the dog, who has now sat down before her. Now that the sun is shining, Nea can see that his fur is covered with some gray. It does not appear to be a young dog. It is a miracle that it’s so trusting. Nea owes this dog her freedom, because without it, she would probably never have released herself in time, and the dog bit at Luica to buy her even more time to escape.
    Her wrists are rubbed raw, and it burns, but she reaches out to the dog’s head and strokes it gently. The dog’s head is sun-warmed and enjoys it when Nea combs his fur behind its ear, with relish, it closes its eyes. The dog seems to see no danger in Nea and trusts her blindly, as in the first moment when they met each other. At that time, Nea thought the dog would be a hindrance, but compared to Zippi and Luica, the dog proved to be an honest companion. He sometimes growls and shows his teeth, but he seems to like the scratching. Maybe this dog has a better understanding of human nature than she does. Even if she tells herself otherwise, they both know that Nea would never have had the heart to kill this dog.
    After her disappointing encounter with the three, it would be better to travel alone. But she has not