The Way You Make Feel Ch. 01

Thanks so much to BlackWolf65 for helping me to edit this story. You're input is greatly appreciated!

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Darren awoke, shifted, and then smiled broadly at the petite little beauty that had her arms wrapped around him. Her face was peaceful and cute in slumber, a small smile on her lips as whatever she dreamed about held her unconscious attention. It was late in the night, or early in the morning, when she had come over. And as usual, she took off her shoes and socks and climbed into his bed. She immediately attached herself to his side, trying to suck up the heat of his body. Karina was an extreme cuddler when she slept, but he didn't mind at all.

Darren watched the few and far between changes that took place on his best friend's face. He still couldn't believe that after everything they'd been through, and after all this time, that she was his - that she was still by his side, and in his bed. His smile broadened, and he lifted his hand to push a stray tendril of curly brown hair away from her face.

Compulsively, he stroked the softness of her cheek with the pad of his thumb, trying to imprint this image of her in his brain forever - the soft flutter of her eyelashes, the plumpness of her light brown cheeks, the bow in her full lips. He'd never felt such a sense of contentment in his life, but she did it for him. She made it happen.

Darren thought back to when they had first met, all the way back to the "sandbox days", when girls had cooties and glue was the dish of the day. He and Karina went to different schools, but were in the same grade and happened to live right across the street from each other. He was new in the neighborhood, having moved with his parents and two older brothers. He was four at the time, and could recall the day like it had just recently happened.

Darren's mother, Mrs. Samantha Hayward, was over-friendly and anxious to meet her new neighbors. She encouraged her then young sons to try and get to know the other children on the block. James and Jason, 8 at the time, refused outright, upset that they had been forced to leave their friends and make new ones. It didn't matter one way or another Darren, because he wasn't sure what was going on, anyway.

Karina's mother, Sharon, was the same way, although she and her family had become residents in the quiet neighborhood when Sharon was 5 months pregnant and waddling. Karina was three and an only child, and had never experienced having older or younger siblings.

While in the supermarket a week later, Sharon recognized the woman that had moved into the house across from hers that no longer housed a "for sale" sign. She quickly made it a point to introduce herself and welcome the woman into the neighborhood. The woman introduced herself as Samantha Hayward, and the two women quickly became friends, bonding over their families, jobs, and everything in between.

The next day, Sharon dressed little Karina and literally dragged her reluctant husband across the street, despite his many complaints. Sharon didn't know why he bothered, because she knew Kevin would immediately start a "my TV is bigger and better than your TV" contest with Samantha's husband.

Ringing the doorbell, Sharon beamed at Samantha when the door opened. After all the pleasantries were exchanged between the adults, Samantha called for her sons. The twins bounded down the steps first, and a toddler with cornrows came down shortly after them.

The twins said "Hi!" simultaneously, and the resemblance they had to their father was unmistakable. The twin with a blue and white striped shirt was named Jason, while the one with the red and white shirt was James. After a second though, Samantha thoughtfully mumbled, "I could've sworn that I put the blue and white shirt on James this morning..." The boys giggled. Samantha pursed her lips and said, "Jason! James! Why do you have on each other's shirts?!" The boys immediately fell into a fit of raucous laughter. She huffed and dismissed them.

Samantha turned to Sharon and her husband with an apologetic look on her face. "Those boys are going to drive me crazy."

Sharon returned what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "They all do at some point."

Samantha looked down at her youngest son and smiled. "Say 'hi' Darren."

The outgoing little four year old bravely came forward and said "Hi" to the new visitors, taking a special interest in the little girl standing shyly at her mother's side.

"What's ya name?" He asked, curiosity and wonder on his face. Sharon started to correct him, but thought better of it. She figured he'd learn with time.

Sharon looked down at Karina. "Say hi, sweetie." Karina smiled but moved further behind her mother, grabbing at Sharon's leg.

Darren, boldly again, stepped forward and held out his hand and said, "Come with me."

Karina looked up at her mother to find her smiling warmly at her. "Go play with Darren, 'Rina." Karina looked at Darren's hand again, then at his face. She smiled and took his offered hand, and the two left the living room together.

Darren and Karina played like two toddlers on a mission. Karina wasn't a whiner, and Darren was a LMT, or a ladies man in training. He took it upon himself to hold Karina's hand and touch her bouncy, curly hair every chance he got. When it was time for her to leave, he followed her and her parents to the door, pointed and asked, "Where she goin', mommy?"

Samantha waved at the family before answering her son. "They're going back home."

"Why?" he asked, wanting his new friend to come back and play some more.

"Because they have to," was her reply.

"She be right back?" Darren asked, his big, brown eyes swimming with unshed tears.

Samantha looked down again. "Yeah, she's coming back, but maybe tomorrow."

Darren looked away from his mother and waved furiously in Karina's direction, hoping she saw him. She did, and she gave him an open-and-closed palm goodbye. Darren knew right then, at that moment, even at four years old, that he'd do anything to see her again; the pretty brown-skinned girl from across the street.