Kevin and Connor lounged on the couch in the mission hut, escaping the scorching summer heat outside. They had unanimously decided that staying indoors was the safest option to avoid heat stroke.
"Hey Connor, have you ever kissed anyone?" Kevin asked out of the blue.
Connor, accustomed to Kevin's odd and often inappropriate questions, still found himself caught off guard.
"No, Kevin, I haven't," he replied defensively.
"I haven't either," Kevin admitted.
Connor turned to Kevin, surprised. "Wait, really?"
"Yeah, which is kind of unfair considering how incredible I am," Kevin said confidently. "Who do you think will be kissed first, you or me?"
"Kevin, that's a dumb question."
"I think it'll be me. I could probably get someone to kiss me by the end of the summer," Kevin stated with unwavering confidence.
"I don't know, Kevin. I could totally get someone to kiss me," Connor countered, trying to mimic Kevin's confidence but falling short.
"Yeah?"
"Yes, absolutely," Connor said, though his act was clearly faltering.
"Wanna bet on it?"
Caught off guard again, Connor hesitated. "Uh, sure, Kevin!"
"So, we bet like, 15 dollars on who gets kissed first?"
"Yeah, Kevin, bet on!" Connor agreed, though he was pretty sure he had just lost $15.
A week and a half passed without much thought given to the bet. Connor considered this a blessing, not wanting to lose $15 over a silly kiss. However, something nagged at him to try to win. Every time he imagined kissing someone, all he could see was Kevin's perfect hair and intense gaze. He realized he didn't want to win the bet with just anyone, he wanted to kiss Kevin.
Kevin was grappling with his own feelings. He would sit and look at pictures of Connor, struggling to accept that his feelings were romantic. He knew he wasn't straight, but he hadn't told anyone, not even Arnold. Deep down, he feared that acting on his feelings might make Connor uncomfortable or lead to rejection. Kevin was confident Connor had a crush on him, but he worried it was just an assumption. He desperately wanted to feel comfortable enough to act on his thoughts and kiss Connor.
One evening, Connor was in the kitchen getting water while Kevin flipped through TV channels. "There's nothing good to watch, McKinley!"
"You never think there's anything good to watch," Connor replied, returning to the living room.
"It's because this TV sucks, man. Back in Utah, we had good shows and channels. Disney XD, Comedy Central, you know, the good stuff."
A comfortable silence settled over the room. Connor sat next to Kevin, who continued scrolling through channels until he turned off the TV.
"Connor, what if neither of us wins the bet by the end of the summer?" Kevin asked, breaking the silence.
"Uh, well, I don't know. I don't actually plan on kissing anyone," Connor admitted.
"I wasn't really planning on it either," Kevin paused. "What if we just kissed each other?"
Connor's stomach dropped, and his heart raced. "Oh, um, why would we do that?"
"To settle the bet. If we kiss each other, we both get our $15 back," Kevin suggested.
"Oh, yeah, I guess that makes sense," Connor stammered.
"But only if you want to," Kevin added quickly.
Connor didn't want to seem desperate, even though he wanted this more than words could explain. "You're on, Kevin. I'll be the best kisser ever."
"Cocky as always, Connor," Kevin teased.
Both were internally freaking out, unsure of how to proceed after the awkward moment. Arnold came home, and they laughed it off, but the encounter lingered in their minds, consuming their thoughts.
One day, Connor sought solace in the district leader's office for a nap. His peaceful slumber was interrupted by a familiar knock. Kevin Price stood at the entrance. "Took you long enough, McKinley. What were you up to?"
Flustered from a dream about Kevin, Connor quickly changed the subject. "Why are you here?"
"I had nothing better to do," Kevin replied nonchalantly.
"So, you decided to come and annoy me instead of letting me relax?"
"Yeah, exactly. See, you get it."
"I actually don't, but then again, I don't understand most of the things you do," Connor said as Kevin walked in uninvited, causing Connor to step back.
Kevin looked around nosily. "Are you trying to find dirt on me, Price?"
"No, I just like looking through people's stuff," Kevin teased, leaning against the door.
Connor, slightly shorter than Kevin, stood in front of him, the air thick with unspoken tension.
"Can I be honest with you, Connor?"
"Yeah, of course," Connor replied, bracing himself.
"I really want to kiss you right now."
Connor almost stumbled, his face betraying his emotions.
"I didn't want to do anything without your permission. To be honest, I made that bet hoping you'd want to kiss me too. That day we talked about kissing each other, I was losing my mind."
Kevin looked down, afraid of rejection, but when he glanced back up, he saw the redhead smiling.
"You're so pretty, Kevin Price," Connor said softly.
Connor moved closer, gently cupping Kevin's cheek, admiring him. Kevin's eyes held a mix of anticipation and warmth, reflecting the emotions Connor felt inside.
As they leaned in, time seemed to slow down. Their lips met in a kiss that felt timeless. Connor had to stand on his toes slightly to reach Kevin's lips. Both of them smiled into the kiss, pressing closer.
In that instant, every anxiety and doubt melted away. They were lost in their own world, where nothing else mattered but the connection they shared. Kevin's hand found Connor's tie, gripping it firmly as he pulled Connor closer.
When they finally pulled back, they were both out of breath, their foreheads were resting against each other. Kevin grinned, his face lighting up with happiness.
"Well," Kevin said with a smirk, "looks like we both won the bet."
Connor chuckled softly. "Yeah, I guess we did."
Kevin leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Connor's forehead. "Best $15 I ever lost."
Connor laughed, feeling warmth spread through his chest.
As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, they both understood that this was the start of something special.
