Vapor: The Tagaytay Timeline

Chapter 18

Chapter 18: School Shenanigans

It was another ordinary day at school, and Vapor was already grinning from ear to ear. He could sense the chaos that was brewing as they gathered for their usual break in the courtyard. Miles was busy chatting with Skye, while Irish, Valore, and Vapor were gearing up for yet another round of banter. Rosie had classwork to catch up on, so she wasn’t around for their usual nonsense.

As they lounged on the grassy area near the school gym, Vapor noticed the subtle tension between Irish and Valore. Ever since their relationship with Skye had become more serious, their usual arguments had become more playful, but today, something was a little off.

Irish was already on edge after an earlier mishap in class, and Vapor, sensing an opportunity for some fun, casually started teasing her. “So, Irish, do you just get flustered every time Valore’s around, or is it something else?”

Irish shot him a glare, but she knew he was just messing around. “Shut up, Vapor,” she muttered, though her voice lacked the usual bite. “You’re always poking your nose in places it doesn’t belong.”

Valore smirked, stretching out on the grass beside them, clearly enjoying the teasing. “He’s not wrong, though. You do get a little flustered, Irish. It’s kinda cute.”

Irish’s face flushed red, and Vapor barely suppressed a laugh. “See? Even Valore’s calling you out now!”

Before Irish could respond with a comeback, something unexpected happened. They had been horsing around, lightheartedly jabbing at each other, but in the midst of it, Irish tripped over her own foot. Valore had been sitting too close, and in a moment of awkward movement, Irish fell right on top of her, pinning Valore to the ground in an accidental—and very compromising—position.

Vapor’s eyes widened, and he nearly lost it. "Irish! If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you planned that!”

Irish scrambled to get up, her face bright red, but Valore didn’t seem to be in any rush. In fact, she was lying there with an amused smile, clearly enjoying Irish’s discomfort. “Wow, Irish. I didn’t know you were so forward.”

“V-Valore!” Irish stammered, flustered beyond belief. She quickly stood up, her hands still shaking as she brushed herself off. “It was an accident!”

“Sure, sure,” Vapor chimed in, unable to resist. “That’s what they all say.”

Miles, who had been standing off to the side, finally noticed what was happening and burst into laughter. “Did you actually just fall on Valore? Irish, come on. That’s too perfect!”

Irish groaned, completely mortified, while Vapor continued to tease. “You really didn’t waste any time, huh? First, you’re dating her, and now you’re literally throwing yourself at her. Bold move.”

Valore got up slowly, still smirking. “Don’t worry, Irish, I don’t mind. It was… fun.”

At this point, Irish’s face was bright red, and she glared at Vapor. “Vapor, I swear if you keep teasing me—”

But Vapor, still laughing, shook his head. “Nah, I’m done, I’m done. But honestly, that was hilarious.”

Skye finally joined them, noticing Irish’s obvious embarrassment and immediately catching onto what had happened. “Let me guess—Irish tripped and fell on Valore?”

Valore, ever the instigator, winked at Skye. “Yep. And I enjoyed every second of it.”

Vapor couldn’t contain his laughter any longer, and even Miles had to turn away to keep from laughing too hard. Irish, despite her frustration, finally managed to crack a smile. “Alright, fine. Laugh it up, but it really was an accident.”

“Sure, Irish,” Vapor teased, “but that doesn’t mean we’re letting you live it down anytime soon.”

As the bell rang, signaling the end of break, Irish shot one last glare at Vapor. “You better watch out, Vapor. I’m going to get you back for this.”

But Vapor just grinned. “I look forward to it.”

As they walked back to class, the air between Irish and Valore felt a little different. The accidental pinning might have been embarrassing, but deep down, there was something more playful—and maybe even a little affectionate—behind it. Vapor, of course, wouldn’t let them forget it, but for now, the day’s shenanigans had drawn them all closer together, whether they liked it or not.