All Things Considered [🗸]

17. the list

"WE NEED TO SET SOME GUIDELINES!"

My voice rises to the air, my eyes catching onto Paxton's figure. Jogging, I try to catch my breath as I approach him, feet grazing the ground as he slowly turns around, eyebrows raised and amusement flickering over his lips for only about half a second once I make my way over to him.

I'm out of breath, and my hands rest on my knees as Paxton snorts from where he stands in front of me, watching as I pull myself together. Once I rise to my feet, I exhale, hands clasped around the blank sticky notes I brought with me.

So, the bakery was a lot. I can't argue that it was satisfying as hell to scare the shit out of the homophobe and her husband, but the kiss is still permeating my mind. Because despite it only being on my cheek— this is the first time anything close to affectionate has happened between us in our fake relationship, despite the fact that it isn't real.

It's still sort of a huge deal. And thinking about it later that day made me realize that we really don't have any rules for anything that goes on between us. Sure, we decided that we'd portray a subtle image, but we weren't necessarily specific about what that might entail.

Paxton's eyes rest on me. Today, they still have that lazy look to them and his hair is down freely, sleeveless shirt plain and jeans dark and fitted. The sun reflects off his nose ring, and he waits for me to speak, the slight amusement a shadow behind his lips. 

"Guidelines?" he asks, voice slow, eyebrows raised.

"After our little presentation at the bakery, I think we need some ground rules," I say, raising a hand to shield myself from the sunlight, my mind vaguely taking note of the other students leaving the school, their voices carrying into the atmosphere.

"What?" Paxton asks, blinking with so much ease—he could convince me that he's completely innocent if I didn't know any better. "I thought we did a great job," he finishes, that amusement shadowing his lips again.

"Bitch," I say, falling into step with Paxton who's started making his way down the sidewalk in front of the school, "I was seizing."

A snort from Paxton as we make our way past the main entrance of the school. Anything else I have to say is cut off by Devin and Cayden who pass by us. My eyes flicker to Paxton briefly. I follow his gaze, and it leads to their general direction. However, it rests on Devin's before he looks away.

It's only a second, so I can't be one hundred percent sure if I'm imagining the look exchanged between them—brief but present, nonetheless— or it really happened. 

There could be history. Still, shit isn't much of my business and the glance wasn't prominent enough for it to mean anything, so I make my way over to an outdoor table, settling onto one seat as Paxton settles onto the opposite.

With that, I slap my pack of sticky notes onto the table.

Paxton's eyes flick down to the blank pages. "Shit, you're serious about this."