What is love?

Chapter 8

It had been a couple of days since I last saw Andrew, that unforgettable day when we shared our first kiss. Since then, I've made it my mission to avoid him at all costs. Despite being in most of my classes, I've perfected the art of being the last one in and the first one out. I ignore his messages and keep my windows closed, pretending not to be home when he calls from his room.

But no matter how hard I try to erase his presence from my thoughts, he lingers there, invading my dreams with memories of our kiss. I find myself tracing my lips in the mirror, reliving the sensation of his touch, a guilty pleasure that leaves me smiling all day.

As for the girls, I've kept our kiss under wraps, fearing that they'd be planning our wedding and naming our children as soon as I told them. No, I'll keep this secret for now, perhaps forever. Besides, if I just keep avoiding Andrew, theyll never find out, right?

Veronica, on the other hand, has kept her distance, which suits me just fine. Lunchtime in the music room has become my sanctuary, a place where I can escape from it all, even Andrew.

As we engaged in conversation and laughter, Tasha unveiled her latest designs, captivating us with her talent and ambition. The room buzzed with admiration as we discussed her upcoming competition and the grand prize at stake.

"Whoa," I exclaim, genuinely impressed by Tasha's work.

"You're definitely going to win this, Tash," Renae assures her.

"Yes," We all chime in agreement, sharing in Tasha's excitement.

She truly has a gift, and I can't help but feel proud to call her my friend. Talk turns to our plans after high school, and it's both daunting and exciting to think about the future.

"What's the plan for after high school guys?" Taylor asked.

"We're planning to take a gap year and head to South Africa," Reyesha shares both her and her twins plans. Renae was too busy searching for something in her bad to answer.

"That's awesome," I nod in agreement.

"Fashion school for me... I'm aiming for an international program, maybe in Paris? Still undecided." Tasha added with a determined smile.

"I'm in limbo... Can't decide between flight attending or marine biology," I confessed, my thoughts still swirling with uncertainty.

"I'm aiming to get a scholarship to a D1 school. So, I'm gonna put my all in the gym and at the upcoming track meets," Taylor declared with unwavering resolve.

As the conversation turns to Gabrielles plans to study abroad, I feel a pang of sadness knowing that our time together is limited.

"I'm gonna miss you guys," Gabrielle squeezes my hand, her words echoing the sentiment shared by us all.

With a heavy heart, I silently agree, wishing I could freeze this moment in time, before the uncertainty of the future sets in.

But before the melancholy can fully take hold, the music room door swings open, breaking the spell and forcing us back to reality.

I turned around to find Andrew standing there, clad in his swim team jersey and a pair of black jeans, his bag slung over his shoulder.

"Here comes Tessa's boyfriend," Reyesha whispered, and they all began to snicker.

"Hey, girls," Andrew greeted.

"Hi, Andrew," they responded wittily, and I narrowed my eyes at them.

He smiled and his eyes landed on me. "Can I talk to you?"

The whole point of eating in here was to avoid him. Now, thinking about it, this was way too obvious. I got up and walked towards him.

"Yes, I found it!" Renae exclaimed suddenly, drawing everyone's attention. "I found my favourite lip gloss. I've been looking for it" I narrowed questioning eyes at her.