Sealed with a Kiss ✔

Chapter Twenty | Sealed with a Kiss

Dedicated to toxicsilence for being such a bloody brilliany reader, her comments make me grin and laugh so much

The loud ruckus of everybody's chatter in our Geography classroom seems dimmed as I stare straight ahead at the whiteboard. My eyes are transfixed on the words Mr Morris has scrawled across it but I don't read them, I don't notice anything around me. I'm completely immersed within my own thoughts that are busy and humming like a hundred honey bees.

 How could I not have noticed it before?

Even though this particular thought has travelled through my mind too many times I still haven't found an answer for it. I must be blind or at least a complete idiot when it comes to how I feel. I always have been. I guess it's one of the reasons why I've got a counsellor.

But this, this is completely different to past experiences. The realisation that I'm a complete goner for Levi is startling, unwelcome and in a mad sort of way sends adrenaline rushing through my veins every time I think about it.

I'm certain whatever I'm feeling isn't love, it can't be. But it sure is making me doubt my views on what love is. I used to believe it was something commercialised, an emotion so exaggerated it had become make-believe. Yes, there's that flutter of the heart, the quickening of the pulse- but I was always sure it was chemistry. Dopamine, adrenaline, serotonin- chemicals were the answer to answer to all of that.

But, now, I can't help but think there's something more that does give some meaning to the message sonnets, nauseating love songs and crap movies are always conveying. Months ago Levi was a person I wouldn't give a second glance to, but now he's the first face I look for.

And that terrifies me.

"I'm taking the fact that you haven't hit me yet as a good sign," Imogen says, sitting tentatively before me and snapping me out of my stupor. It's a couple of minutes before our Geography lesson is about to start and it's the first lesson we've had together. I attempt to muster up my scariest scowl but I end up failing as I always do when it comes to being annoyed with Imogen.

I shove my hair away from my face for what feels like the fiftieth time that day. Due to the strange humidity today the curls I have normally have gone crazy and become a frizzy, out of control version of their former selves.

Ignoring her comment I remember the question I've been meaning to ask her, considering she's actually got some experience when it comes to this stuff. "How do you, er... feel when you're around Max?" I ask hesitantly, already feeling my face flush in embarrassment as the words leave my mouth. Imogen turns to face me in surprise, evidently expecting her relationship to be the last thing I'd ask about.

She blinks a few times, and after getting over the unexpectedness of the question, a smile blossoms across her face. Her eyes turn misty and a faraway look suddenly occupies them as she begins fiddling with her hair. "How can someone truly describe the boundlessly delightful and wondrously unexplainable thing that is love?" she murmurs.

For god's sake.

I barely restrain myself from slapping my forehead in exasperation, and instead look at her expectantly for more. "Well, could you at least try?"

Imogen shrugs before looking at me again, her eyes gleaming with delight. "Ruby, I feel- I feel euphoric when I'm around Max. I don't think I can quite explain it properly, but it's like, whenever the two of us are together a sort of... bubble encloses us."

I hum in response, as though I get what she's talking about when actually I have no idea.

"Why d'you ask anyway?" Imogen asks curiously, her head tilting to the side a little. "You never like hearing about Max and I."