Guarded

||seven||

My mind has been racing.

He kissed me. And I kissed him back.

My first kiss.

My first kiss was with someone I'm not even sure I like.

But it was so...magical.

The way my heart raced against my chest. The way my stomach did flips. It made me feel...alive. It made feel...I don't know how to describe. Something I've never experienced before. But I think I liked it.

"And then we just talked for hours. It was the best 9 month anniversary ever," Marie finishes telling me about her weekend. "So, what did you do?"

"I, uh, hung out with Louis and his girlfriend, Lindsay," I reply. "And Niall," I mumble.

She obviously heard, because her eyebrows shoot up and her lips curl into a smile. "What did you guys do?" She asks kittenishly.

Should I tell her? I don't know. We've only known each other for about a month. I don't know if I can trust her.

Marie hasn't really done anything to make me think that she's an untrustworthy person, I just have a hard time trusting people.

I can thank my dad for that.

I decide to try and avoid telling her, just in case she turns out to be a total gossiper and will make people start rumors about Niall and I. Although I think those might start by themselves, anyway.

"Uh, we just had dinner," I answer quietly.

Marie nudges my torso with her elbow in a teasing way. "Is that all?"

"Well, there was one other significant thing that happ-" I'm thankfully cut off by the morning bell. "We better get to class. I'll tell you later, okay?"

Marie sighs, but agrees. We both gather our books and run down the hall to first hour.

Mr. Evans changed our seats, so now I sit in between Niall and Marie with Emme behind me.

Niall isn't here yet, which I'm kind of glad because of. But I also feel a little worried. Is he okay? He's usually here by now.

Minutes pass and soon the late bell rings. Niall still isn't here.

We start on our work and I watch the door, waiting for the blonde headed boy to show up.

Eventually, I give up on waiting and just focus on my work.

I'm startled by someone brushing a piece of my brunette hair out of my face and gently pecking my cheek with a gentle kiss. "Hey, babe," a thick Irish accent whispers in my ear. "Sorry, I'm late."

My face flushes a bright pink and I try to fight a large smile. "Hi, Niall," I whisper back. "And I'm not your babe."

He smirks and takes his seat.

Emme taps me on the shoulder and I turn around to look at her. She's smiling and she sends me a wink. Marie does the same.

"Mr. Horan, nice of you to finally join us," Mr. Evans says sharply.

Niall shrugs and starts fiddling with his pen. Then, I'm disrupted again by a paper ball being thrown on my desk.

Did you enjoy it? The paper has written on it in slightly sloppy handwriting.

I look up at Niall, who is smiling so wide that his eyes are almost squinted all the way closed.

Enjoy what? I write back, pretending not to know what he's talking about.