Gwendolyn "Gwen" Donnelly has only ever wanted one thing in her life: become class president.
In her senior year of high school a shocking murder throws a wrench into her plans. Gwen finds out that her favourite history teacher has been murdered an...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The next day, I can barely focus on anything. My mind keeps drifting back to last night, to the kiss. I can still feel the warmth of Theo's lips on mine, and every time I think about it, a shiver runs down my spine.
During lunch, I sit with Alastor and a few other friends, but I'm not really listening to anything they are saying. I poke at my food, replaying the kiss over and over in my mind. It was supposed to be just a cover, a way to avoid getting caught, but it felt like something more. I can't shake the feeling that there was a spark, something I hadn't expected. It was like the butterflies in my stomach were going feral. It's definitely a new experience to me. I think that's why it partly scares me so much to feel this way.
I glance across the cafeteria and see Theo sitting with his friends. He catches my eye and gives me a small, almost hesitant smile. Almost like he feels just as conflicted as I am about how to continue on being friends after last night. My heart gives a small leap, and I quickly look away, my cheeks burning.
Gosh, I must look like a total idiot.
"Gwen, are you okay?" Alastor asks, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I turn my gaze to Alastor. "Yeah, I'm fine," I reply, giving him a tight lipped smile. "Just tired, I guess."
It's partly true since I couldn't stop replaying that kiss in my head until I eventually fell asleep.
Alastor surveys me. I know he suspects something is up with me but there is no way I'm telling him that I kissed Theo or rather that he kissed me.
The kiss has left me feeling confused and uncertain. Theo and I have always been rivals, constantly trying to outdo each other whether it be academically, with debate or even chess. But now, I can't help but wonder if there's something more between us. If there has always been something more between us than this rivalry.
I internally scold myself. No, I must be imagining it.
As the day goes on, I find myself stealing glances at Theo in the classes we share, trying to read his expression.
He seems different, too, more wrapped up in his thoughts. I wonder if he's thinking about the kiss as much as I am.
After school, I head to the library to work on an assignment, but I can't focus. My mind keeps drifting back to Theo and the kiss.
After trying and failing to read the same sentence for the fourth time I decide to take a walk to clear my head.
As I walk through the school grounds, I spot the fountain that is in the middle of the courtyard.
I walk up the fountain and take a seat on the fountain ledge, a little lost in thought.
I can't help but think back to the night I met Theo at the fountain to sneak out of the academy to go snoop around Mr. Rycroft's crime scene in the woods. I smile at the thought. I think it was one of the first times I really felt that I was doing something good by trying to solve Mr. Rycroft's murder. And having Theo by my side even though I didn't know it then would make me feel less alone in all of this. Actually now that I think about it, I'm not sure I would've found all that I did without him.
