My Favourite Part

65(c): k-i-s-s-i-n-g

Hey! Quick DISCLAIMER: this chapter is rather PG-13, as you may have guessed from the title. If that's not your cup of tea, feel free to skip to the next chapter (I promise not to take it personally, my R4R buds :))! I've written it so that you don't miss too many critical things, and posted it on the same day. I hope you enjoy reading either way! xx

"Are you joking?"

Evangeline eyes me before plucking her beer bottle from its place on the counter. She shrugs and turns to head to the living room, leaving me gobsmacked on my stool.

"You coming?" She says casually.

At this hour, the whole house is dark, with every lamp and hallway light switched off. The living room is only darkly lit by the TV, and the fluorescent fuchsia backdrop of an episode of some dating show playing on mute.

Evangeline plants herself on the floor criss-cross applesauce, and reaches a hand out to me, half hidden by the long sleeve of her hoodie. I take her hand and sit opposite her, and our hands bob together firmly.

When I raise a curious brow and she only offers me a mischievous smile, I realise I'm going to have to ask.

"What exactly am I agreeing to here?"

"Okay, hear me out. We kiss. Like, a proper kiss. We give each other feedback. Genuine, honest; no holding back. And then - we don't bring it up ever again... What d'you think?"

Showers of rainbow-coloured confetti burst through the rooftop. A choir spontaneously breaks out in a lively chorus of Ode to Joy. The dating show's studio audience erupts into raucous applause, wild with glee.

In my head, of course.

Did she just say what I think she did?

"Us? Kiss?" I say, slow and caveman-like, making sure I don't misunderstand a single word. She flashes an eyebrow in confirmation.

Holy shit. She's serious.

"I don't know," I joke, swallowing to wet my throat that's suddenly become impossibly dry. "What if you fall madly in love with me?"

"In that case I'll just have to try my best to keep it to myself. For the sake of objectivity. And our friendship, or whatever."

The apples of her cheeks are high, like she's holding back a chuckle, and her adorable little smile is contagious, but there's something slightly depressing her being amused by the idea of falling in love with me.

"And what about if you're the one who falls in love with me?" She teases.

What if.

My lips spread into a prick-like smirk as I try to bite back my grin. I roll my eyes and swiftly change the subject.

"I'm down but, uh, this feels a bit formal," I snort, nodding to our hands, still joined, swinging involuntarily between us.

"It is," she shrugs with one shoulder. "It's like... an experiment. For educational purposes only, y'know?"

So I finally get the chance to kiss Evangeline, and it's an experiment that we'll never speak of again after tonight. Am I really doing this?

"For educational purposes only," I repeat like a schmuck.

Now that all the stipulations and declarations have been made, our hands gradually fall to our sides, and fuck, this is it isn't it? The part where I kiss her?

It dawns on me that agreeing to kiss is an entirely different thing from actually kissing her, and suddenly my school shirt is the itchiest thing I've ever worn and this goddamn tie is way too tight.