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14. Cooking

Something soft kept touching my cheek, and I wanted to smack it out of the way every time. I started counting, it happened 5 times a minute.

"Landon," a voice said against my cheek. I inhaled vanilla perfume and I wanted to go back to sleep instantly.

"The bell is about to ring." Paige whispered into my ear, and then the soft thing touched my cheek again. I opened my left eye and saw only her forehead.

She was kissing me on the cheek.

I crossed my arms over my chest and turned my body into her side, taking a big whiff of that perfume.

Her hand landed on my back and moved up and down. Was she trying to wake me up, or lull me back to sleep?

"I'm going to fall asleep if you keep doing that." I mumbled into her neck, not bothering to lift my head.

Her movements stopped abruptly when the bell rang, and I slowly pulled my head out of the crook of her neck.

We both stood and pushed our chairs in and I watched Paige sling her backpack over her shoulder.

I cleared my throat to get her attention and stuck my arm out, hinting towards her backpack.

"I can-" Paige started, ready to lecture me on her capabilities of carrying her own luggage.

"I know, and so can I." I stated simply, gently pulling the polka dot bag off her shoulder and tossing it onto mine.

She pouted for a moment before I slipped my hand into hers and pulled her out of the classroom and into the hall full of of students.

We walked silently to the main building, occasionally exchanging glances and smiles.

"Collins! I thought you said you weren't banging her." A voice boomed out from behind us, cracking at the end. Somebody must have just hit puberty.

Paige turned her neck to see who was talking and scoffed before turning around and snuggling her body closer to mine.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you pretty thang." The guy smacked his lips and cat called from behind us.

I stopped walking and Paige turned to look at me with confusion.

"Do you mind?" I said as I turned around to face the tattooed guy from gym earlier.

"No, actually I wouldn't." He winked at Paige and she laughed quietly to herself.

I instinctually stepped between him and Paige, shooting him a glare.

"Aw, don't get so possessive, Collins. There's plenty of her to go 'round." The dude waggled his eyebrows at the girl behind me and turned to walk around us.

"What an ass." Paige sighed and looped her arm around mine.

She started pulling me in a direction that wasn't towards Room 108.

"Where are we going, Paige?" I mumbled behind her, trying to keep up with her fast pace.

"Home." She stated simply, leading me into the front office.

She walked behind the desk and pulled to small pieces of paper out of a drawer.

Paige stamped them and called the other aide in.

"Take these to Room 108, please and thank you." She placed the papers in the girls hands and came out from behind the desk.

"What were those?" I questioned as she pulled me out of the building and towards the parking lot.