Razzledazzle [ ✓ ]

Chapter 25 | The Confession

"L-lee," I stammer out as he pulls me away from the hall and down a different hall, the sound of our scuffling feet echoing. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere secret," he says calmly. "I have to tell you something." When I look up at him, he doesn't look very happy.

"Lee?" I ask, but he doesn't reply. He looks back at me, and his face almost looks pained.

Well. That might just be because of the slap.

I still can't believe I used to be friends with them. I can't believe it. How could they stand up for Troy instead of Lee? How?

And what was Glory trying to tell me before Troy cut her off? Did it have anything to do with the dare? What's Lee gonna do to me?

In the sudden silence, I realize that I can only hear two pairs of feet: mine and Lee's. Tyler seems to have disappeared.

This can't be good.

Maybe he went home. Maybe this has nothing to do with the dare.

We finally come to a stop in exactly the spot we had eavesdropped on Troy and Glory. Right outside the bathrooms, by the water fountains.

We seem to be alone, at least, I can't see anyone else. But I'm seriously starting to wonder what Lee's gonna tell me. It can't be anything too good, judging by the look on his face.

He looks around, like he's checking if we're alone or not. His features look worried, and his eyes are narrowed. I don't understand his sudden nervous change of mood.

"Rose," he mutters. "Hey."

"Hello to you too," I retort sarcastically. He's tapping his foot, he won't meet my eyes, I don't know what's going on.

"Um..."

"Spit it out, Cancer," I say. "I can't deal with this. I have places to be." I tap my foot impatiently.

"I-I-I just... I need to talk to you." I can't tell if he's nervous or upset, because he breathes out and his expression changes completely.

All of a sudden, he's calm. Cool. Not nervous at all. He's got his smirk back, almost as iconic as the Singleton grin.

He's Lee again.

"Talk away," I reply icily, giving him a dark glare. He returns my gaze with equal fire, like he has all of his confidence back.

"Well... I'm just gonna be straight with you, Rose. I like you. I do. I'm not supposed to, you know, because we're enemies and all, but... I like you."

I don't know why my heart is beating so fast. It shouldn't be. No. Stop. It shouldn't be like this. I can't like Lee Cancer, Lee of all people. No.

"And I know you enjoyed that kiss," he adds, his smirk only getting bigger. "Everyone likes it when I kiss them."

Usually, I would make a good comeback, like, the only other girl you've kissed is your mom, but I can't spit out the words. I'm too shocked.

"Well... I just wanted to tell you..." he trails off. "Thought you needed to know."

I don't respond. I don't know what I should say, or what I would say, if I didn't have that pricking feeling on the back of my neck that told me not to listen.

I ignore the prickly feeling and do the only thing that I really can in this situation.

I close the space between us and kiss him, all at once, out of nowhere. Push him right against the wall and pin him there. I don't know what comes over me, all of a sudden. I don't know.

If I did, I definitely wouldn't have done it.

Right?

And then he's kissing back, and we just stand there for a moment, acting like the stupid teenagers that we're supposed to be. It's only a little before he pushes me away, his face red.

I don't understand why his expression changed so fast, so dark, so quick. He went from happy to worried in a flash. Didn't I practically just prove to him that I like him back?

Why is he so nervous?

"Rose," he whispers. "D-d-does that mean that you l-like me, too?" His face is still red, and I'm under the impression that mine probably is, too.

"Duh, you idiot," I retort, smiling. I'm smiling. Why isn't he?

And then suddenly he is, he's smiling again. I'm so close to him, I can count every eyelash, see every light freckle dusted across his face.

"I don't know how to say this in, like, a not-dorky-teen way, so..." he trails off again, it seems to be a habit. Like he's drawing it out.

Procrastinating.

"Will you go out with me?" he finishes quickly, his electric battery-blue eyes glittering wildly. As soon as the words are out, he winces, like he's made a mistake.

I don't see any mistake.

"Of c-course." The words are there before I can stop them. I don't like what he does to me, the way he makes me stutter so easily.

And then he's not grinning anymore. He's grimacing, his face looking pained again. I can almost see regret in his movement as he turns away from me.

But why?

It looks like he's talking to nothing, just a shadowy emptiness behind a hallway wall when he finally speaks.

"There," he chokes out, his words echoing into the hallway. "I hope you're happy. You can stop pretending now."

The first thing I see is a shiny flash of white as someone steps out of the darkness, and then I feel anger all over me.

The person coming around the corner is Troy, and he's wearing his signature Singleton grin.