Serendipity & the Serpent

Guitar Strings On My Heart Strings

"You kissed him!"

Ali's unannounced presence at your locker made you jump. Holding a hand over your beating heart, you exhaled. "What?"

"Johnny!" She exclaimed, "you kissed him!"

Your heart dropped to your toes. "How did you-"

"Susan and Barbara saw you two on the hill the other night. When they told me, I couldn't believe it! Oh, I'm so happy for you!"

She pulled you into a tight hug. Hesitantly, you wrapped your arms around her and hugged back. It was a quick hug, but it was long enough to have one dooming thought cross your mind.

Susan and Barbara told Ali that you kissed Johnny in hopes of making her jealous...

Johnny was right.

This whole time, Susan and Barbara had only befriended you to become the glue in Johnny and Ali's broken relationship.

Suddenly feeling nauseous, you forced a smile. "Okay... we kissed."

Although you tried to push them away, the butterflies rose up to claim the moment. You giggled and Ali couldn't help but join in.

"I can't believe you actually gave in." She shook her head with a smile, "I knew you liked him, I knew it!"

You laughed nervously, closing your locker and adjusting your eyes to the floor as you walked to class. Ali walked with you the whole way, excited about this first step with Johnny.

"Hey, you guys should go on a double date with Daniel and I sometime."

Letting out a loud laugh, your jaw dropped. "Please tell me you're joking! That would be a disaster!"

"For them! But it would be fun for us to watch."

"You have a point." Contemplating, you looked to Ali with mischievous eyes.

The two of you burst out laughing after a moment of intense eye contact.

When the chuckles faded, you kicked a pebble and gulped. "Honestly, I don't even know how this works."

She scrunched up her face. "What, dating?"

"No," you laughed, "dating Johnny."

"Oh yeah," she smirked, "well I can help you with that."

"But..." you sighed, "I don't even know if we would call it dating. I mean we haven't discussed going on an actual date-"

Ali interrupted you by holding up a hand. She grinned from ear to ear. "You're overthinking."

"I am?"

"Yes." She hit your arm playfully, "Johnny has some major feelings for you. He's been trying to get with you since you moved to town."

"But does he really want to be with me?"

Crap.

The words had slipped out before you could stop yourself. Ali stopped walking and furrowed her eyebrows, questioning you with her eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well..." here goes nothing, "he said he wants to be with me. He told me that. It's just... well I'm afraid he's still having a difficult time moving on from you..."