Wednesday, November 15, 2006

That First Kiss

Thought I'd change gears a bit. I was thinking (yeah, it happens on occasion, LOL) about emotions and how a writer solicits emotions in their work. Sometimes it's very hard to guage reader response to something I'm working on because I've read the piece so many times, it ceases to engage my own emotions. I try to show what I think the character must be experiencing. But - dang, wouldn't it be nice to have a richter scale for testing the emotional level in one's writing.

While I was dwelling on this issue, I thought about my first kiss. I can still feel the same emotions that coursed through my body whenever I think of that one moment in time. I was fourteen and it was my first time at church camp. None of the same kids from my church had signed up for the particular session and for a shy girl like me, I thought I would have a miserable week with no friends.

But that wasn't the case. One of my cabin mates introduced me to Greg. Oh wow. I hadn't had any boyfriends until this moment, but Greg and I developed an instant friendship that grew very quickly into more.

It started innocently enough. He started holding my hand as we walked to the cafeteria. Warmth flowed from his fingertips onto my skin, seeping into the deep crevices of my untouched heart. He didn't care that I was awkward, that my skin wasn't clear or that my hair was a frizzy mess of curls. We talked, we laughed and we shared.

That night, he walked me to my cabin. With his hand on my shoulder, he asked if he could kiss me. I stammered. A kiss? I'd never been kissed? "I . . . yes." What else could I say? And then, he lowered his lips to mine. I kept my eyes open, afraid to move. Oh God, he was kissing me. My stomach quivered and goosebumps trailed along my back, but I was in heaven. I closed my eyes and savored the moment.

We shared more stolen kisses that week, an innocent expression of puppy love. I often wonder what became of my red-headed, freckle-faced first love.

Tell me about your first kiss.

12 comments:

Jenna Leigh said...

Ok, I'll share, but don't be thinkin' I was this precocious lil slut girl, or nothin'. My first kiss was in kindergarten. Harlen Michelle was soo cute. He had dark brown hair and eyes the color of chocolate. *pauses* Ok, that may have been one of the reasons, right there, as yall know my addiction to the cocoa bean goes way back. Anyway, picture it, naptime, circa 1975, we are lying side by side, the room is filled with the sounds of tiny snores. He leans forward.. and .. presses his small lips to mine. Ahhh young love.. ewww. boy cooties. I smacked him.. right on the arm! Boys are so yucky! But, I told him since he kissed me, he had to be my boyfriend, and since he was shorter, he complied. Harlen, where for art thou, now? Parting is such sweet sorrow? Shoot, I hope hubby doesn't read this, he'll be so jealous. First kiss, first love, then there was first grade and we went onto better things-- like long division.

Becka said...

My first kiss doesn't count. I didn't even like the boy, and we only did it because we were playing "Star Wars" back in 1982. He was Han and I was Leia. So yeah, it doesn't count. :P

So I'll tell you about my first kiss with my DH, which was my first "actual" kiss.

He'd traveled 500 miles to "meet" me face to face, as we had a long distance relationship. At the time, I knew nothing about kissing, so my best friend told me to leave my mouth open and let him decide what he wanted to do (tongue or otherwise lol).

So we're laying on my bed in my bedroom and we're teenagers... I was 18 and he was 17 I believe. Say one word about my first real kiss at 18 and I won't be responsible for what happens to your remains. Remember that. LOL

Anyhow, we stared at each other for the longest time, caressing our arms and whatnot. Maybe he was mustering up the courage to kiss me. But once he did, it wasn't the stuff of romance novels. :P Neither of us were well-versed, and so there was a lot of banging teeth and mushed lips. HAHAHA!!! But after a few seconds, I felt his tongue and wheee! I think I was as high as a kite at that moment.

Later, like a few years, DH and I were reminiscing, and he asked me why I was like a Hoover during our first kiss. **blushes**

OK, that's a scene for one of Jenna's comedies. LOL! But hey, at least I got some action on my first kiss! Yeehaw!

After that, we pretty much made out whenever and wherever we could. :P

~~Becka

Mary said...

I almost had my first kiss in eighth grade with Calvin Blazzard and was he HOT. Every night after Gymnastics we'd walk down the hall to our lockers and stare at each other in a silly way. A lot of guys came to watch the girl’s gymnastics. Back then, Trampoline was in the competition. (Found out years later, the boys used to come watch because a lot of the girls were well endowed even how young we were, yours truly) Anyway one time we were on our way to the lockers, my friend Anne walked with us. We got to the lockers and she said she'd be right back. So **gasp** we were alone. He looked into my eyes and I remember how breathless I because. Then his head slowly leaned toward me as his mouth descended. Then all of a sudden, there was an apple between us and Anne said "What a bite?” Well that's why it was 'almost' my first kiss. I've never forgiven Anne for that. I never got to kiss mister hotty!

Becka said...

Nooo, Mary!! Maybe she liked him and was jealous, trying to get him to notice her. Teenage girls are spiteful that way, even to their friends. Hell, grown women are that way even to their friends. LOL

I'm sorry you didn't get to kiss him. Maybe somewhere Mr. Calvin is cursing your friend as well. Heheheh

Sounds like a great beginning for a reunion love story! :D

~~Becka, ever the romance novelist

Ciara Gold said...

Oh wow, these stories have been so much fun. Gives me an idea. Yep. Contest time. Stay tuned. LOL

Phyllis Campbell said...

Unlike Jenna, I don't remember that much about my grade-school years. But my first kiss was when I was sixteen. Todd Grimes was older than me by a year. We were in band together. I played the clarient, and he played the trumpet. Anyway, we met during lunch in a dark empty classroom every day and just cuddled and talked. Finally, he kissed me. WOWZERS! It was great. Warmed me up to my toes. But I was still very innocent. **glares at Jenna...I was too!!** And when Todd wanted to put his tongue in my mouth, I told him no. My mom said it was gross if a boy put his tongue in my mouth. **rolling eyes** After I broke up with him and found a drummer, I realized my mom really didn't know what she was talking about... heehee

Kat Hall said...

My first kiss - Billy and I had known each other since we had started school together. Billy and his friend Bobby were the 2 male braniacs in the class and I the only female braniac. We always competed to see who would get the highest marks. When Billy was 15 and I was 14 in the summer of 1966, my family was over at his family's place (farm). Billy and I were playing catch ball. He missed the throw that I made to him. It rolled behind the huge work shop that they had there. Billy went to get the ball and then hollered that he couldn't find it and that I had to come to help him find it. He led me in a general direction and I spotted the ball. I bent over to pick up the ball and when I stood up, Billy put his arms around me and kissed me thoroughly. He had my heart. He was so much fun to be around. Blonde, blue eyed and very good looking. Billy started getting head aches and we all thought it was from us studying so hard for tests. April 1967, I was devastated and heart broken when Billy died suddenly from a brain aneurysm. It was such a great loss for me.

Becka said...

Wow Kat, what a touching story. Makes you wonder "what could have been". :(

But such a great memory while he was on earth with you. I know he died young, but you were probably his first and only love. That is a very special place in someone's heart.

~~Becka

Kat Hall said...

Thanks Becka. Yes, I was the only one for Billy. And the "what could have been" we will never know.

Kat

Unknown said...

My first kiss was when I was about 11 yrs. old. I was in 4-H and when we had our meetings everyone would go outside for a break while the leaders were inside fixing snacks for us. We would all play kissing tag. Well there was one boy named Mark who all the girls thought he was a hunk. He cornered me out by the garage and gave me a kiss that made my toes curl and put my heart in my throat. He got into drugs really bad as we got older and even showed up at his graduation so stoned that he was tripping all over the place and passed out. They had to call an ambulance for him. He died several years ago. I look back and think how sad.

Donica Covey said...

Well my first kiss was rather a horrible experience. I was in like 5th or 6th grade. The boy was a sophomore? I dont even remember him. Anyway it was the last day of school and we were on the bus. He kissed me, tongue and all. I puked on his shoes. Yeah I know I should've kept that one to myself, right?

The first kiss that I really count was from a boy that I was absolutely crazy about. I was...14? 15? can't remember the age but however old I was, he was a year older.

we were in the barn with my horse, it was so innocent. we'd been talking about how much we missed each other. (He lived in Arkansas and I only got to visit every couple of months)Anyway we got to messing around wrestling and such. Next thing I know we're kissing. I know my toes curled and I got a hot tingling feeling all over.

When he pulled away and went to leave I was devistated I was afraid I'd done it wrong. He was being "good" it could've gotten alot more...intense if he hadn't left when he did.

He'll always have a special place in my heart.

Actuaklly if you've read my novel Seeing the Light, Royce is based on Mitch and alot of the experiences Royce and Abby share are ones we did.

Ciara Gold said...

Some of these are so heartbreaking and yet very special. It's good that you all have these wonderful memories to look back upon. Kat, a sudden loss is always heartbreaking and especially one as special as Billy. Glenna, how sad he wasted his life like that. I had a good friend from high school that did much the same thing only, his experimentation with drugs landed him a permanent residence in a psych ward. And he had so much going for him. A true tragedy that.