Andrea didn't know how long she had been sitting outside.
The cold night air burned her cheeks, but she barely noticed. Tears kept falling, blurring the streetlights into glowing circles.
Her head spun from alcohol, memories, and emotions she couldn't control.
She wiped her face angrily.
"Pathetic," she whispered to herself.
Footsteps approached behind her.
Andrea didn't turn around.
"Go away," she muttered.
The footsteps stopped.
A familiar voice spoke.
"Here."
Andrea froze.
She slowly looked up.
Matthew Neyman stood in front of her.
Alone.
He held something out to her.
A chocolate bar.
Andrea stared at it like it was the strangest object in the world.
"What…?" she whispered.
"You should eat something," Matthew said quietly. "You've been drinking."
Andrea felt her chest tighten again.
This was wrong.
Too close.
Too real.
She had imagined moments with Matthew before—but never like this.
Never alone.
Never with him looking at her like she wasn't invisible.
"I'm fine," she muttered.
"You're not," Matthew replied calmly.
He placed the chocolate in her hand anyway.
Andrea's fingers trembled slightly.
"Why do you care?" she asked.
Matthew shrugged lightly.
"I don't like seeing people fall apart."
Andrea laughed weakly.
"Then you picked the wrong person to check on."
She tried to stand up.
Bad idea.
The world tilted immediately.
Her stomach twisted violently.
"Oh—"
Andrea turned away just in time.
But not far enough.
She threw up.
Directly on Matthew's shirt.
Silence.
Andrea froze in horror.
"Oh my god," she gasped. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry—"
She expected yelling.
Anger.
Disgust.
Instead, Matthew simply sighed and pulled a water bottle from his jacket pocket.
"Here," he said, handing it to her.
Andrea blinked.
"You're… not mad?"
Matthew shook his head.
"You're drunk. It happens."
Andrea slowly took the bottle and rinsed her mouth, her hands shaking from embarrassment.
She wiped her lips and looked up.
Matthew was watching her quietly.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Time stretched strangely between them.
Andrea noticed every detail.
The way his hair fell slightly over his forehead.
The way his eyes looked softer than she remembered.
The way he stood there like he didn't know what to say either.
Her heart started racing again.
This is him.
The boy she spent years thinking about.
The boy who confused her, fought with her, and somehow stayed in her mind longer than anyone else.
And now he was here.
Right in front of her.
Andrea didn't think.
She just moved.
Her hands grabbed his jacket.
And suddenly—
Her lips crashed into his.
Matthew's eyes widened instantly.
He didn't kiss back.
He didn't pull away either.
He just stood there.
Still.
Andrea kissed him desperately, like she had been holding that moment inside her for years.
Her arms wrapped around him tightly.
Her hands moved to his face, cupping his cheeks as if she was afraid he might disappear.
She deepened the kiss, trying to memorize everything—the warmth of his lips, the reality of him being right there.
This was something she had imagined for so long.
And now it was happening.
Finally.
After a few seconds, Andrea slowly pulled away.
Reality returned immediately.
Her breathing was uneven.
Matthew's eyes were still wide, stunned.
Andrea suddenly felt heat rush through her body.
"What did I just do?"
She stepped back quickly.
"I'm sorry," she said breathlessly. "I'm really sorry."
Matthew didn't answer.
He simply pressed his lips into a thin line.
Then he nodded once.
And turned away.
Without saying a single word.
Andrea watched him walk back toward the party lights.
And strangely…
She started smiling.
Tears still ran down her cheeks, but she laughed softly.
Because for a moment—just one moment—she finally felt something she had been chasing for years.
She kissed him.
Matthew Neyman.
And it felt amazing.
But even with that strange happiness inside her chest…
Something still felt incomplete.
School the next week felt… different.
Andrea walked into class like usual, pretending nothing happened.
But something in the air had changed.
Samuel Daňko noticed her immediately.
He didn't speak to her.
He just looked at her.
Sharp.
Cold.
Then he looked away.
Like the night at Unico never happened.
Andrea didn't understand it.
Until the next day.
A girl from another class approached her in the hallway.
"Hey," she said awkwardly. "Is it true what Samuel said?"
Andrea frowned.
"What?"
The girl hesitated.
"That you… throw yourself at guys when you're drunk."
Andrea felt something cold drop into her stomach.
"Oh."
Now she understood.
Samuel was gossiping.
Of course he was.
Anger burned inside her chest immediately.
She stormed into the classroom later that day.
Samuel was sitting at his desk, scrolling through his phone.
Andrea walked straight up to him.
"You think you're funny?" she snapped.
Samuel looked up slowly.
"What are you talking about?"
"The rumors."
Samuel leaned back in his chair lazily.
"Oh. Those."
Andrea slammed her hand on his desk.
"You're pathetic."
Samuel smirked slightly.
"Relax."
Before he could say another word—
Andrea shoved him.
Hard.
The classroom gasped.
Samuel stumbled slightly but caught himself.
For a moment, everyone expected him to hit her back.
But he didn't.
He simply looked at her.
Long.
Serious.
Then he straightened his jacket.
"Are you done?" he asked quietly.
Andrea glared at him.
Samuel shook his head slightly.
Then he grabbed his bag and walked out of the classroom.
Without another word.
Andrea stood there breathing heavily.
The room was silent.
But slowly…
A strange feeling spread through her chest.
Victory.
For once, she didn't stay quiet.
For once, she fought back.
And it felt good.