We're At It Again ✔️

Sixteen

Luna

I wake Monday morning with butterflies still in my stomach and the feel of his lips against mine even though nearly forty-eight hours have passed. I can feel his skin against mine as if his natural warmth has fused into my bloodstream. I don't know what possessed me at the moment. Perhaps it was the nostalgia of our childhood and the memories of our good times together. Maybe it was me finally accepting that my relationship with Austin never truly lived up to the hype. However, I came to realize my feelings from the way Hudson was looking at me. It was in the moment that our eyes locked that I realized how much I care about him. The way he looked at me is the way I had always dreamed of being looked at. Pure love and adoration. Something as simple as a look had me enchanted. It might seem strange how I went from apprehension to certainty in a nanosecond, but the feelings were always under the surface until they erupted. I was afraid that if the truth came out, everything I have grown to cherish with Hudson would dissipate. I feared our rekindled friendship would turn back to the hatred we once harbored, but it seems we have gained so much more.

It feels as if I'm floating on a cloud as I saunter through the hallways. I feel as if I just downed a dozen Red Bulls. I scour the hallways for Hudson, but he's nowhere to be seen.

"What's up?" I gasp at the unexpected voice behind me and turn to face a wide-eyed Maya. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay." I tuck the fallen strand of hair behind my ear. "I wasn't paying attention."

"What's got you all tense?"

"Nothing." I defensively reply and slam my locker shut. I turn around and hastily walk down the hallway in hopes of escaping her oncoming interrogation, but her footsteps shadow mine. I gaze over my shoulder to speak to her, but I collide with someone.

"Sorry, Snow." The voice and nickname that once made me cringe now bring a smile to my face.

"It's my fault." I brush his apology off. "I wasn't looking."

Our gazes haphazardly dart from each other to the ground - neither of us knowing what to say or what to do. Do we hug? Kiss? Salute? I internally curse romantic fiction - the way they describe how everything falls into place the second the two lovers confess their feelings and seal the promise with a kiss. It was nothing but lies. Here I stand, the heroine before her prince charming, with absolutely nothing to say. Extremely misleading.

"What's wrong with the two of you?" I only realized we were still expectantly staring at each other when Maya spoke up.

"I'll see you both later." Hudson hurriedly replies before scurrying off into the guidance office - that's strange.

Maya's infamous inquisitive look appears, but the ringing of the bell saves me - or, at least, buys me some time from facing the inevitable.

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

The perspiration runs down my face the second I spot Maya anxiously waiting for me. She's casually leaning against my locker watching as people come and go. I take a deep, unmotivating breath and dawdle over.

"I expected you to avoid me." She stands straight with her head cocked to the side and a complacent grin.

"I thought about it." I admit. It's best to rip the band-aid off. I'm not concerned about confessing my newfound relationship with Hudson, I'm concerned about the endless moments Maya is going to bring up the I was right card. She's always been an opportunist.

"Spit it out." She's also never been one for patience.

"Hudson and I kissed at the pool party." I slapped my hand over my mouth with round eyes. Stupid word vomit.