you should know what you're falling for

twenty one

"Watch your mouth!" I snap to Josh as we press into the indent in the wall, hiding. 

"Who's there!?" yells a teacher. I shrink farther back into the inlet in the cement. Josh's hand finds the small of my back and pulls me in closer to him.

Ugh, I think, now is not this time for this.

Our breathing seems all too loud; the teacher will most definitely hear us. She'll find us, Josh will get out of trouble, and I'll get dragged out of this down on my ass - Alex, too. I can see it now.
The silence surges on for an agonizing three minutes. My heart rate speeds up to the speed of a cheetah.

Finally, I hear the glassy, heeled footsteps fade away, and exhale dramatically.

Josh has a sly smile on his face and I'm suddenly overcome with emotion. My past hatred for him flies out the window and I want to do is-

Our teeth crash together in an enthusiastic kiss. If this were a movie, now would be the time the camera circles around us, filming our lips colliding and separating, over and over.

Josh pulls away for a split second and puts a finger to my lips, hushing me. In a trance, I follow him back down the glass hallway, to the back door, outside, and into his car.

He leans across the aisle and pecks me softly on the cheek and begins to drive along, and this time the silence is welcome.

I don't realize where I am - well, more where I'm not - until the car stops. "Why are we-" I begin, but Josh clamps a hand over my face. My pulse pounds through my chest. Am I being kidnapped? Is Josh Hyland a murderer?

He smirks at me, "Wipe that look off your face, you doof. You were just killing the mood."

I sit back cooly in the driver's seat, folding my arms across my chest, 

"Yeah, I happen to be, a uh professional mood killer." Josh's smirk turns into a grin, "Just...this is my place. Now come on." 

He takes me by the finger and I follow him inside, confused. .

Upon entering the house, I'm instantly shocked. There's linen tarps over all the furniture, countertops and lamps. 

"Don't ask." He shrugs and whisks one off of the couch. Now that I've looked past that, I can see candles burning. Their pumpkin spice scent invades my nasal passages. 

"You said that was your favorite Yankee Candle." Josh explains.

I nod, flabbergasted at this romantic gesture, and laugh frazzledly, 

"It's the only one I've ever had and my mom used to burn befor-"

I'm interrupted by Josh's suddenly cupping my face in his hands and pressing his lips into mine. I smile through the contact, 

"That's a nice way of saying shut up." I whisper lightly, my eyes squeezing shut happily.

And for once, as Josh points put that he's cooked up something for the re of us to dine on, as we're skipping class, as we're flirting and kissing and laughing and simply being; I am happy.