A Kiss in Time (5 page)

Not her hair, dorko. She cant even feel her hair.

She cant feel anything. Shes asleep like the rest of them.

So why not touch an important part?

Its not because Travis says to. Its because I want to. I move my hand back up the length
of her hair to her face.

It feels likeGod, this is hokeyflower petals. Roses, maybe. I move my finger across her
cheek, to her mouth, her lips. Theyre parted slightly, and suddenly, I cant keep from
admitting it: I want to kiss her. Crazy, because ten minutes ago I was still completely
thinking about Amber, but I really want to kiss this comatose chick. I lean closer.

Not her cheek, idiot! Travis leans down. God, get out of the way.

No! I block him. Its impossible to say that I totally, like, respect this girl even though
I dont know her. I can just tell shes someone special. God, I wonder if shes a princess!

I stand. Look, I want to kiss her, but not in front of you. Why dont you go downstairs and
steal those crowns? The princess and I need some time alone.

For real?

Sure. I can get him to put them back later. But give me ten minutes.

Okay, but Ill be back soon. He starts toward the door and then turns back. Hey, you dont
think its really steal- ing when theyre, like, never going to wake up?

I sort of do, but Im not the one doing the stealing, and I want Travis gone. Of course not.

Okay. See ya. And hes gone.

Im alone in the room except for the girl. I touch her hair again, and her cheek, now that
I can do it without Travis ragging on me. She sighs softly in her sleep. Shes so
beautiful, I wish shed wake up so I could talk to her. But its probably better this way.
If she were awake, she wouldnt be into me.

Thats when I think of Snow White.

Snow White was Meryls favorite fairy tale. Of course, being a boy, I thought it was lame.
Still, she watched the DVD maybe a thousand times, so I couldnt help but know the story,
which is about a princess who eats a poisoned apple.

Everyone thinks shes dead. But then the prince kisses her. She wakes up, and she and the
prince live happily ever after. Maybe I could wake her up. Except, of course, Im no prince. And theres all those other
sleeping people. That didnt happen in Snow White. Still, it wouldnt hurt to kiss her. Id feel less like a sicko if I think Im trying to wake her. I raise her up toward me. Her body is warm, and its like nothing to lift her. Her dress is made of this soft velvet, and when I pull her close, I
can feel her heartbeat.

I wish I could see her eyes, but her face . . . her lips . . .

Its kind of weird to kiss a girl if you dont know her name. But maybe I can make one up.

Talia.

The name just comes to me. I dont know where I got it from. Ive never known a Talia.
Still, Im sure its the perfect name.

Talia, I whisper. She sighs in her sleep. Oh, Talia. I pull her toward me, one hand in her
hair,

supporting her head. I bring my face close to hers, and its like I can see her whole life,
being in this castle, isolated, wishing for something more. I dont know how I know it,
maybe the same way I know her name. Talia.

My lips are on hers. Its a long kiss. I hold her closer, feeling her hair, her body, her
mouth, and then her hands in my hair.

What the?

I dont want to stop kissing her, especially since shes kissing me back, even if its in her sleep. Still, finally, I have to pull away from her to
breathe.

So I do. Youre so beautiful, Talia. I look straight into her grass green eyes. Ive never
seen eyes that color before. Thank you, my prince, she sighs. Then the green eyes widen. Who
are you? And thats when she screams.

S
hes awake! It really is like Snow White! Holy crap! But Im no prince. Im just this regular
guy from America a totally prince-free countryand shes still awake. She opens her mouth to
scream again.

Dont scream. I put my fingers over her lips, not like a kidnapper or anything. Im not
going to hurt you. Please dont scream.

Not that it would matter if she did. I mean, theres no one awake to hear her.

She pushes my hand away.

Explain yourself! Who are you? Why were you . . . kissing me?

Im Jack. I wasnt kissing you, exactly. You were passed out. I was giving you
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. I lie because I dont want her to think I was attacking her
or something. Mouth to . . . what? What are you saying? What is that?

Geez, shes stupid. Beautiful, but dumb. Isnt that always the way?

Unless they dont have mouth-to-mouth whereor whenshes from.

Jack? Are you one of the dressmakers? What is that you are wearing?

I look down. I have on kind of junky clothes, an Old Navy Fourth of July flag T-shirt from
last summer, and jeans. The shirts all torn up from going through the bushes. At least I
pulled the jeans on over my swim trunks at the last minute. Its a flag T-shirt.

She looks confused at the word T-shirt and squints at it. Flag? From what country?

The United States. America. Yo soy Americano. Where is that? Other side of the ocean? Head
west? Maybe she hit her head. Her eyes light up with recognition. Oh! You mean Virginia? Which is weird. Colonial Williamsburg is in Virginia.

Maybe all these people who pretend theyre historical figures know each other, like some
sort of club. Yeah, sort of. Not Virginia, exactly. Florida. But theyre both in America.

And this is your flag? It is a custom, then, to wear it on your chest? It seems kind of weird when you put it that way. Not always.

I see. So you have come from . . . ? Florida. Then you must be here to show me dresses,
for you are certainly not visiting royalty. Im not sure I like the way she says certainly, but I let it go. The girl has definitely had a bad day. What dresses? She gets a sort of faraway look
on her face, then stands. Now I remember. Before I . . . fainted, I suppose, I was looking at dresses, such beautiful dresses, each the exact shade of my eyes.

She looks at me, and I notice again what gorgeous eyes she has. I imagine what it would be
like to have those eyes focused on me.

They are gone, she says. I didnt see any dresses. I swear. But you were not here, either.
It was just me and one other person. A boy. She smiles. No. That was earlier. But then there was a lady, an old
woman. It was she who brought the green dresses. She was spinning thread. She told me I
could make a wish.

She stops speaking and turns away from me, toward the window. But why can I not remember?
It just happened.

Maybe I can help you, I say, kneeling beside her. Close your eyes. She gives me a look, like maybe Im trying to trick her, but she closes them. With her eyes
closed, its like the lights have gone out, and now its nighttime.

Okay, I say. Now, try to picture it. Youre looking at the pretty dresses, and theres an
old woman there. What does she look like?

I could tell she was once beautiful. She had black eyes that glittered like onyx.

She said you could have a wish, and then what?

She places her hand over her eyes. Oh, I have a headache.

Whats the next thing you remember?

She breathes in deeply, then sighs. Finally, she says, A dream. It must be, for I was
kissing a prince, my prince. He was telling me how beautiful I was.

Your boyfriend?

No! I have no friends, certainly none who are boys. I have been nowhere, met no one. She
shakes her head. It was but a dream. Then I opened my eyes, and you were kissing me. She
looks down a moment, examining some- thing on her skirt. It looks like a spot of blood.

And suddenly, her eyes open fully, wider and greener than before.

Oh, my! What? I back away. What is it? A kiss! You say I was sleeping, and you happened
upon me? Yeah. Yes. And did you think I was quite beautiful? I grimace, and she says, Oh, never mind. Of
course you did. Everyone agrees that I am utterly stunning.

Modest, too.

She ignores me. So you saw me, and I was so beautiful that you immediately fell in love
with me.

This girls pretty full of herself, but its not far from the truth. Well, not You fell in love with me, and you leaned over and kissed me. Loves first kiss. And when
you kissed me, I woke immediately. Is that true?

Yeah.

And suddenly, she begins to cry. Oh, no. Oh, no. I am a fool. Old pudding-faced Lady
Brooke was right. I am a stupid girl and ought never have been trusted for even a minute
on my own.

What are you talking about? I want to put my arm around her or something, but I get the
feeling that wouldnt be a good idea.

The curse, stupid!

Now Im stupid? What happened to you being stupid, and what curse?

The curse. The curse. Everyone knows about Malvolias curse. Oh, my father will kill me.
They will probably lock me up in a convent! She begins to sob again, and then see- ing
that I am still not with the program, she says, Before her sixteenth birthday, the
princess shall prick her finger on a spindle and die. But youre not dead.

No. The fairy Flavia changed it so I would merely sleep. The whole kingdom would sleep, to
wake only when I was wakened by true loves first kiss.

Uh-huh. Shes nuts.

The old lady was Malvolia, do you not see? She came with the dresses, gained my trust. She
had probably been watching me all my life. She brought with her a spindle. She knew I
would make a wish, and when I did . . .

Youre saying she stabbed you with that spindle thing?

Exactly. It is the curse. I have made the curse come true.

And she starts blubbering harder. Hey, calm down, I say. Its going to be okay. Now she
stands and begins pacing. They warned me so many times. It is practically the only subject upon which I conversed with my parents.
It was their worst fear, and it has come true.

I try to think of what my parents worst fear isme not getting into college, maybe. Or
having to go to one of those community colleges thats near a good school, so they could
just tell everyone Jack went to Boston or whatever. Theyd die.

But I say, Exactly. Its over. You went to sleep, and youre awake now because of me and my
magical kiss. Your parents will probably be so happy youre okay that they wont even be mad. Do you really think that?

Sure. Its like this one time I totaled my car. My mom was driving by, and she saw the
wreck. She was so happy I wasnt dead that she didnt even . . . I stop. The princess is
staring at me like Im speaking in tongues. Anyway, Im sure theyll just be okay with it.
Youre their little princess, right?

Shes stopped crying, and now she nods. Perhaps you are right.

I know I am. What is the date? I need to know how long I have slept. I check my watchs
date feature. Its June twenty-third. Oh, that is not so bad then. A month. I missed my birthday party, which is a shame, and they will need to explain to the guests, but still .
. .

Her eyes fall on my watch. What is that? A watch. She picks up my wrist, examines it, then
holds it to her ear. A clock? On your wrist? How strange. She pulls back from me and examines my clothes,
the flag T-shirt.

What is that? She points to the numbers on the shirt.

The year. Old Navy puts the year on all their flag T-shirts. Its sort of a racket, I
guessyou have to buy a new one every year.

That . . . is . . . the . . . year? She looks sort of sick. Her face is suddenly almost
the same color green as her eyes.

Well, I got it last year. We always get them for when we go watch fireworks. But I probably wont get one this year, come to think of it, because That is the year? The year! Well, last year. She begins to shake. Oh, my . . . oh, no. She
crumples back onto the floor, as she was when I first saw her. It can- not be true. It cannot.

I kneel beside her. Whats the matter now? I thought you were fine.

She looks at me, then starts screaming. Fine? Fine? I have been asleep nearly three
hundred years!

Outside on the stairs, I hear a commotion, people run- ning, then yelling.

Stop! Thief!

Travis appears at the door. Jack, we gotta go. Theyre all awake, and theyre after me for
stealing the crown!

T
hings get a little crazy then. Theres Travis at the door and then two guards with actual
swords. When they come in, Travis starts yelling, I dont have them! Search me if you dont
believe mejust dont behead me! One of the swords swings around, and he jumps. Get those
things away from me!

Then a bunch more people show up. Most of them are holding fancy old dresses.

Next is a woman, who Im guessing is the one the prin- cess called pudding-faced Lady
Brooke, because her face does look as beige and bland as vanilla pudding. Talia runs to
her, screaming with anguish. Lady Brooke! I have done it! I have done it!

Done what, dear? Lady Brooke says. Ruined everything. I am so sorry. Travis has managed to edge away from the guards in the confusion when the dressmakers
showed up. Now, he tugs my arm. Come on, man.

I start to go, glancing back at the princess, whos still wailing away.

Wait! the princess screams, loud enough to make everyone in the room stop what theyre
doing and look at her. Everything is silent, and I realize that no one but Talia and I
know that theyve been asleep for hundreds of years.

Finally, pudding-faced Lady Brooke says, What now, dear?

The princess points at me. He cannot leave. Why not? Because he has kissed me! Every eye
in the room turns on me. The guards notice Travis again, but this time they grab both of us. Have you defiled the princess? one guard
demands,

getting close with the sword. No . . . I mean, I dont think so. No! Talia says. I am not
defiled in the least. But he must stay. Who are you? Lady Brooke asks. Im Jack ONeill . . . from Florida . . . I guess
I broke some spell. No need to thank me. If youll just call off your guard before he removes
something, Ill get going.