𝗰𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 彡 𝐭.𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐦𝐚 (𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗿.)

⤷ 28,, confessions and a kiss

The night is cool, but not too cool to not have a party outside. There are string lights through three branches all across the park on campus, casting a yellow glow over the tables with snacks and drinks. There is a party tent above the tables in case there's sudden rain. People sitting on picknick blankets, and others are dancing in the grass. It really is a party.

Only the reason for the party isn't there. You guys just wanted to get together and have a reason to drink.

You are near the table with drinks, a plastic cup in your hand, chewing on a red and blue sour gummy worm as you watch a few of your friends. Atlas is dancing with Sora in the grass, both a red cup in their hands as well, with Inuoka and Yaku next to them.

Your eyes wander to someone else, his dark hair glinstering in the moonlight. A smile smile creeps upon your face, but you quickly stop when someone stands still next to you.

"You've been staring again," Atlas teases as she nudges your shoulder.

You blink. "What? Who?"

"You are looking at Calum." Sora, Inuoka and Yaku join you two, Yaku's voice low and unsure of his words. "You were seriously staring hard, Riles."

Your eyes move across the park again. Calum is by the small fire pit, a drink in his hand, laughing at something Rowen says while Thomas stands beside them. Calum smiles at his two friends, the all too familiar dimple shown at the corner of his mouth. You've seen it so many times, and it never gets old.

You quickly look away when you realize what you're doing. "I wasn't."

Yaku lifts an eyebrow. "You were."

"You like him, huh? Is that it?" Atlas asks, looking from Calum, then back to you. "You two would be cute. I can see it."

"No, I don't like him," you mumble, cheeks rosy. "We're just... friends. Yeah."

"Friends don't look at each other like that," Atlas says with a smirk. "Right, Inuoka?"

He nods. "Yeah, that was a 'please kiss me or I will die' kind of look."

You look at him disgusted. "Okay, definitely not. What the hell are you talking about? I do not want to kiss Calum! He's just a friend."

"Who have matching tattoos," Yaku adds, shrugging. "Just saying."

"How do you know??"

"The guys talk," he says, looking at Inuoka. "Right?"

Inuoka shrugs. "Sometimes we guys can gossip too, Riley."

"So unfair," you mumble, looking at Atlas and Sora who just shrug in return.

"Besides," Inuoka adds, "he totally looks at you the same way. He just did when you told me you wouldn't want to kiss him."

You turn your head to look his way again. And Inuoka is right, Calum is looking at you. Your eyes meet for a little too long and you feel your heart skip a beat.

Fuck, are they right? Do you like Calum??

Next to the small fire pit, Calum is doing a bad job of pretending he isn't distracted by something else. Or rather, someone else. Rowen is teaching Thomas a stupid Tiktok dance she saw yesterday, and the poor British lad is just trying to please her by participating. Meanwhile, Calum can't stop glancing across the yard, where you're standing with your friends.

"She's only a few meters away," Rowen says putting a roasted marshmallow in her mouth, now stopping with the teaching of her Tiktok dance.

"Mhm?" he asks, his eyes now focused on his friend.