"Or do you want me to kiss another girl?", he asked,
I immediately looked up and blurted "No!", and of course he smirked, I buried my face back into his chest, feeling my face turned as red as a tomato,
"Hey, are you love birds gonna stay there all night?", a voice came from behind us, it was Ethan,
"I was just cold", I said,
"Oh, just cold huh?, and your face is redder than a tomato?, huh?", he said with a smirk, and I felt like my face is gonna burn, so I just started walking away, and they followed suit.
They were saying something and they laughed.
I walked faster, hoping the cool night air would calm my burning face. My heart was still beating ridiculously fast, and I could practically feel Ethan's teasing gaze on the back of my head.
Behind me, the sound of their footsteps followed.
"Hey, wait up," Ethan called.
I pretended not to hear him and kept walking
"Wow," Ethan said dramatically. "Someone's embarrassed."
"I'm not embarrassed," I snapped, spinning around. My voice came out louder than I expected, which only made things worse.
Ethan raised his hands in surrender, that annoying smirk still glued to his face. "Relax. I'm just saying… you two looked pretty cozy back there."
I glanced at him, then at Austin standing beside him—the one who had started all this trouble.
He was watching me quietly, a small smile playing on his lips.
My stomach did that annoying flip again.
"I told you," I muttered, crossing my arms. "I was just cold."
"Sure," Ethan said. "In the middle of summer."
I groaned and turned away again, starting to walk.
"Ethan," Austin said calmly. "Give it a rest."
Ethan laughed. "Alright, alright. I'm done… for now."
For now.
Great.
We walked along the quiet street, the only sound being our footsteps and the occasional cars passing in the distance. The streetlights cast soft yellow glows on the pavement, and the night breeze rustled through the trees.
For a moment, nobody said anything.
Then he moved closer beside me.
"Hey," he said softly.
I didn't look at him. "What?"
"You okay?"
I nodded quickly. "Yeah."
He chuckled a little. "You don't sound okay."
I finally looked at him, trying to glare, but the expression melted the moment I met his eyes.
"Why would you say that?" I asked.
"What?"
"That thing… about kissing another girl."
He shrugged slightly. "I was teasing you."
"Well, don't."
He tilted his head, studying me.
"Why?" he asked.
I opened my mouth… then closed it.
Why?
Because the idea of him kissing someone else made my chest tighten, plus he agreed to date me when we finished highschool, he said he'd wait for me.
Because—
"You said you'd wait for me" I said finally.
His smile grew a little.
"Interesting"
I frowned. "What's interesting?"
He leaned a little closer.
"That you care, and maybe you're jealous",
"I don't care, and I'm not jealous" I said immediately.
"Sure you aren't"
"I'm not"
Ethan suddenly appeared between us like an annoying ghost.
"Wow," he said. "This is better than any drama series."
"Ethan!" I snapped.
He grinned. "What? I'm just observing."
"You're interrupting," the Austin said calmly.
Ethan sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. I'll walk ahead."
He sped up, leaving us behind.
Finally.
We walked in silence again.
My heart was still beating too fast.
After a few seconds, he spoke again.
"You know," he said quietly, "you never answered my question."
"What question?"
"Earlier."
I knew exactly which one he meant.
I stared straight ahead. "I did answer."
He chuckled softly. "You panicked and yelled 'No.' That's not exactly a calm answer."
I felt my cheeks heat up again.
"That was an answer."
He stopped walking.
I took two more steps before realizing he wasn't beside me anymore. When I turned around, he was standing there under the streetlight, looking at me with that same teasing expression.
"What?" I asked.
He crossed his arms.
"So… you don't want me kissing another girl."
I groaned. "Can we drop this?"
"Why?"
"Because it's embarrassing!"
He laughed softly and started walking toward me again.
"I think it's cute."
"Stop saying things like that."
"Why?"
"Because they make things awkward."
He stopped in front of me.
"Things were already awkward when you buried your face in my chest."
I covered my face with my hands.
"Oh my gosh."
He laughed again, and I peeked at him through my fingers.
"You're enjoying this way too much," I said.
"Maybe."
I sighed.
"Look," I said quietly. "Can we just forget that happened?"
He thought about it for a second.
"No."
I stared at him. "What?"
"Because," he said, "I liked it."
My brain stopped working.
"You… liked it?", of course he does
He nodded casually.
"Yes."
"Why?"
He shrugged again.
"Because you were holding onto me like you didn't want to let go."
My face felt like it was on fire again.
"That was because I was cold!"
"Sure."
I groaned.
Before I could say anything else, Ethan shouted from ahead.
"Are you two coming or starting a romance movie back there?"
I grabbed a small pebble from the ground and threw it at him.
"Shut up!"
He laughed loudly.
Austin beside me shook his head, still smiling.
"You know," he said, "he's never going to let this go."
"I know," I muttered.
We finally caught up with Ethan, who looked far too pleased with himself.
"Alright," he said. "Serious question."
"No," I said immediately.
"You don't even know what I'm going to ask."
"Yes I do."
He grinned.
"So… when are you two officially becoming a couple?"
"We're not", I said
Ethan looked at Austin
"And you?"
He glanced at me, then back at Ethan.
"Well," he said slowly, "that depends."
"On what?" Ethan asked.
He looked straight at me.
"On her, she said we'd date after highschool"
My heart skipped again.
Ethan gasped dramatically.
"Oh my gosh," he said. "This is getting good, you two never told me this",
I glared at both of them.
"You two are impossible."
Ethan grinned.
"And yet you keep hanging out with us."
I rolled my eyes, but a small smile crept onto my face despite myself.
Maybe tonight had been embarrassing.
Maybe Ethan would tease me about it forever.
But as I walked beside them under the quiet streetlights, listening to their laughter, I realized something.
I didn't actually mind.
And when he gently nudged my shoulder with his, giving me that soft smile again…
My heart did that stupid flip all over again.
And somehow, I had a feeling this was only the beginning, I'm actually falling for Austin.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
To Be Continued