I Kissed the Boy Who Hit Me | Teen Ink

I Kissed the Boy Who Hit Me MAG

May 19, 2009
By BreeLynne27 GOLD, Carmel, Indiana
BreeLynne27 GOLD, Carmel, Indiana
15 articles 0 photos 13 comments

I really didn't see it coming. His hand, angry and rough and quick as lightning, connected with my jaw as he smacked me across the face. Hard. My neck snapped to the side, my chin pointed downward, and that's where I stayed for at least a full minute. I was afraid to move, afraid to breathe.

Oh, my God. I'm dreaming. Please tell me this isn't real.

Hot tears clung to my lashes, but I refused to let myself cry. I focused on the burning sensation in my cheek, too afraid to shift in my seat. My face was on fire.

I swallowed hard, watching the scenery as it passed: the green grass and the yellow sun, the black blurring of mailboxes and rooftops. Except for the steady hum of the air conditioner, there was dead silence.

I tried to focus on anything, anything but the boy next to me, breathing heavily. Anything except the car speeding up as he stepped on the accelerator, driving more recklessly with every dip and curve in the road.

See the sidewalks, a steady stream of white concrete against the jet black road. See the treetops, so severely contrasting the painted cerulean sky. See the fire hydrant, bright like the stars that shine above the lake at night. See–

“This isn't my fault, Caitlin,” he said quietly. I peeked at him out of the corner of my eye. His hands were gripping the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white.

“What?” I was surprised to find that my voice was soft and steady, though my hands were shaking and twisting in my lap.

“You left me waiting there for an hour. What was I supposed to think?”

“It was an honest mistake,” I whispered, so quietly that I could barely hear myself. “I lost track of time.”

He glanced at me, his jaw clenched so hard I thought he might shatter his teeth. “Yeah, sure.”

I hesitated, not knowing what he wanted me to do. I opened my mouth, and I watched his hands, and I made sure they didn't come anywhere near me. “I'm telling the truth,” I said finally, quietly. “I was doing exactly what I told you I'd be doing … working on my story for the paper.”

“Of course you were.”

“Why don't you trust me?”

“Who was that guy you were with?”

I sighed, knowing I could never win. My cheek hurt so much, worse than when I fell of my bike and skinned my elbows and knees. It hurt worse than the time I cut my hand on a fence and needed six stitches, or the time I fell on a flower pot and sliced my knee open. It hurt because he made me hurt. It hurt because he wanted me to hurt.

“I … I just–”

“Spit it out, Caitlin!”

I fell back against the seat, feeling more defeated than I'd ever felt in my life. It was like reaching the top step just to find more stairs. It would have been easier to think, I'm sure, if my face didn't have a heartbeat.

“Why are you being so mean to me?” It just slipped out, and Aaron looked bewildered. He didn't answer right away, or even as we pulled into my neighborhood. By the time he'd parked in my driveway, we were both completely silent.

“I'm sorry, Cait,” he said. “That was really stupid; I don't know what came over me.”

I let my eyes meet his for the first time that afternoon. “I don't either.”

He shut the car off and twisted in his seat to face me. His hand slid over my forehead, and down through my hair, and finally settled around my neck. He pulled me toward him, gently, and kissed the cheek that still ached. Now it ached with yearning.

It's strange, I suppose, how someone can treat you so wrong and you can still want him so much. I wanted to feel his lips on me again, brushing away the hurt and the pain. I wanted his touch. The school parking lot suddenly felt a million years away.

“That will never happen again,” he assured me, kissing me softly. “I swear I will never do that again.”

And I believed him.


The author's comments:
Please comment. Good and bad critiques are welcome. Thanks!!

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This article has 181 comments.


on Aug. 29 2011 at 3:48 pm
WritingJulia SILVER, Binghamton, New York
6 articles 0 photos 72 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Kind words can be short and easy to say, but their echoes are truly endless." -Mother Theresa

I really like this because it tells a whole story in what would be a few minutes or less.  Awesome!!!

on Aug. 18 2011 at 5:09 pm
meganwagner21 PLATINUM, Old Bridge, New Jersey
42 articles 0 photos 139 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Sometimes good things have to fall apart so better things can fall together." -Marilyn Monroe
"Nobody can go back and make a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." -Maria Robinson

i agree with krzykrys. it is very very similar to dreamland by sarah dessen. if this is original, it is fantastic.

on Aug. 18 2011 at 2:56 pm
potterlight PLATINUM, Cleveland, Ohio
32 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
That makes sense

That was awesome! I loved it! 5 STARS :D

on Aug. 18 2011 at 6:36 am
missAshybee BRONZE, Purcellville, Virginia
1 article 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Gene Police: You!! Out Of The Pool!"-stupid scientist joke
XD oh man oh man.

Really great writing. The words flowed; the idea stuck, and you did a nice job with...everything, really;D keep it up, But stay original!I'm so seriously glad I got to read this lol

mickey.123 said...
on Aug. 17 2011 at 6:26 pm
DNT WANNA KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO IF HE WOULDA HITTED ME!!! :o

krzykrys GOLD said...
on Jul. 27 2011 at 12:54 pm
krzykrys GOLD, Baldwinsville, New York
15 articles 0 photos 51 comments

Favorite Quote:
i have many favorite quotes

watch how close you get to other stories. this was awfully close to Dreamland by sarah dessen and you dont want people to think you copied the  idea. espesially since the girls name is the same. if it was your orignal idea, it is really very good. keep it up :)

on Jul. 27 2011 at 9:59 am
eram1029 BRONZE, Hialeah, Florida
1 article 1 photo 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
Human potential only goes as far as it is challenged.

I'm speechless. It was amazing :)

on Jul. 17 2011 at 11:40 am
Tongue_Blep PLATINUM, ????, Ohio
40 articles 1 photo 769 comments
I loved the story! and was impressed! Great job! Congrats on getting published! :)(: (Sorry for the advertizing!) If any of u coulld read my two stories called the beast and nightstalker, that would be great! Also please post comments saying if u liked it or not. Thanks! And keep writing! :D

on Jul. 5 2011 at 5:21 pm
TheSecretWriter SILVER, Charlotte, North Carolina
5 articles 0 photos 15 comments
Very well written, but kinda depressing at the end.  I really wanted her to leave him.

inkers GOLD said...
on Jul. 3 2011 at 2:40 pm
inkers GOLD, Midland, Texas
10 articles 0 photos 40 comments

Favorite Quote:
"And the lamplight gloating o'er him threw his shadow on the floor... and my soul from out that shadow... shall be lifted, nevermore!" - Poe

This was really powerful and insightful. It was dark in a not-so-dark way. I really enjoyed it. Congratulations on getting published! <3

on Jul. 1 2011 at 9:09 pm
IAmWhoIWantToBe PLATINUM, Manila, Other
41 articles 0 photos 650 comments

Favorite Quote:
‎"I’m learning how to drown out the constant noise that is such an inseparable part of my life. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world: I run my world." - Beyoncé

oh, this is amazingly good... no wonder it was published in the mag..

babygirl15 said...
on Jun. 17 2011 at 7:29 am
this is an awesomee story <3

on Jun. 13 2011 at 7:43 pm
KatherineSanford, Cincinnati, Ohio
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
Wow. Hopefully you keep writing. That was amazing. I felt as if it were me sitting in the seat. It is amazing. Add on to it girl! Make a book!

Karash10397 said...
on Jun. 13 2011 at 12:14 pm
tHIS IS A REALLLY GOOD STORY!!! (:

on Jun. 13 2011 at 12:02 pm
AlyssaFama SILVER, Kunkletown, Pennsylvania
5 articles 0 photos 60 comments

Favorite Quote:
Most people want to be the sun that brightens your day. I'd rather be the moon that shines down on you in your darkest hour.

it was really good, and the story line was fabulous. the only criticism i have is that you said they pulled into her driveway, and then they said the school parking lot was a million miles away. so idk where they are. but that's it! good job

on Jun. 13 2011 at 1:24 am
nancygee BRONZE, Forest Hills, New York
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments
is reminds me so much of dreamland! not in a bad way, of course, but the plot and the actual storytelling are really similar :)

Taomeow BRONZE said...
on Jun. 5 2011 at 6:12 am
Taomeow BRONZE, Dhaka, Other
2 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
a question makes me hazy, is it me or the others crazy?

is this a real story?

on May. 22 2011 at 2:51 pm
Angel_eyes SILVER, New York City, New York
6 articles 0 photos 23 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life goes on no matter what so live life with those that truly deserve you."

It was really good and lets hope he never does that again lol :) keep up the great writing

on May. 1 2011 at 6:04 am
twizzlerluva97 GOLD, New York City, New York
13 articles 0 photos 40 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Success comes to those who persist after all have given up. Which is why it is never crowded along the extra mile."

that was really great i hope you write more to it

on Apr. 30 2011 at 5:01 pm
COURTENAY BRONZE, West Orange, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
consider advice, but always question it

it was dreamland