BETWEEN THE PANES

Chapter 15

  As Atlas's lips met mine, I was stunned into silence. It was as if time had stopped, and all I could feel was the warmth of his touch against my lips. In that moment, everything seemed to fade away—the guilt, the confusion, the tension between us. All that mattered was the electric connection between our mouths.

But as quickly as it had begun, the kiss ended, leaving me reeling and unsure of what to do next. Atlas pulled away, his expression a mixture of surprise and regret.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he muttered, his gaze darting away from mine.

He seemed just as shocked as I was, his expression a mixture of surprise and uncertainty.

"I... I didn't mean to..." he stammered, his words trailing off.

I didn't know what to say. My mind was racing with a whirlwind of emotions, and I couldn't find the right words to express them. Was this just a moment of confusion, or was there something more between us?

Before I could contemplate further, Atlas spoke up again, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. "No, it's... it's okay," I replied softly, feeling a strange sense of vulnerability wash over me.

We stood there in silence for a moment, neither of us knowing what to say next. It was as if the air between us had become charged with tension, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.

Finally, Atlas broke the silence. "I think... I think we should forget that ever happened," he suggested tentatively.

I nodded, unsure of how to respond. Part of me wanted to push him away, to pretend that nothing had changed between us. But another part of me couldn't deny the undeniable chemistry that had sparked between us in that fleeting moment.

As I left Atlas's room, my mind was filled with questions and uncertainty. What did this kiss mean for our friendship? And what did it mean for my relationship with Kelvin?

One thing was for certain, things were about to get a lot more complicated.

I was so torn about what to do. I needed to tell Kelvin about it; I didn't want to be a cheating girlfriend, even though I wasn't the one who initiated the kiss, I still reciprocated.

Sighing heavily, I collapsed onto my bed. Today had been exhausting; I needed to sleep to clear my head.

The next day dawned, and I reluctantly made my way to school. Even though Atlas had urged me to forget about it all, I couldn't shake the memory of how his lips felt against mine. Oh, dear, I really needed to move on. I tried my best to avoid meeting his gaze in school.

"Why are you acting like that?" Kelvin's concerned voice broke through my thoughts. I didn't know what to do; I wanted to tell Kevin because it was the right thing to do. So, I decided to confess.

"Are you ready to talk now?" Kelvin asked gently, his hand giving my thigh a reassuring rub.

"Yes," I replied, steeling myself for his reaction.

"So, yesterday... I and Atlas went swimming," I began, noticing the change in Kelvin's expression. He had never been fond of my friendship with Atlas.

"Okay, continue," he said, trying to mask his unease with a forced smile.

"I slapped him, and he got really upset," I continued, pausing for a moment.

"Don't tell me he hit you back," Kelvin interjected, his frown deepening.

"No, he wouldn't do that," I reassured him.

"So..." Kelvin prompted, his concern palpable.

"I went to his room to apologize for slapping him, and he kissed me," I admitted, feeling Kelvin's hands stiffen.