𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 │ 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧

𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

TRIGGER WARNING

IN THE LIVING ROOM OF the James' house Emberly lounged on the couch with her feet propped up on the armrest, engrossed in the book on her lap. Spencer sat on the floor in front of her, flipping through white index cards as they both prepped for an upcoming test. They'd been at it for about an hour, and the house was eerily quiet—just the two of them, now that Ms. Grace and Dillion had left.

"Atoms with an element have full valence shells that are..."

"Uh, unlikely to bond," Emberly answered, barely looking up from the page.

"Unstable nuclei decay in a stable atom's..." Spencer continued reading.

"Radioisotope," Emberly answered smoothly.

"Boom." Spencer tossed the card aside. "Alright, last one." Emberly hummed in acknowledgment.

"Correct formula for barium chloride?"

Emberly paused, biting her lip, mentally rummaging through her notes. "B-BaCl₂."

"Yes!" Spencer tossed the cards into the air, pumping his fist. "We're ready. This test doesn't stand a chance."

"Honestly, that's a miracle," Emberly said, still grinning. "I can barely find a quiet spot to study these days. My mom's getting the basement redone, so there's construction noise all day, and school's been a hassle with student council stuff and Layla." She sighed. "It's been so tiring."

"Yeah, well, lucky for us, my mom and Dillion had that parent-teacher thing tonight," Spencer said, flashing a knowing look at her.

Emberly hummed distractedly, glancing back down at her book and skimming the highlighted sections. "Thank goodness we found a peaceful spot tonight."

"Yeah. And we get to... do other things," Spencer said, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

Emberly blinked, but when she caught the playful glint in his eyes, realization finally dawned. Her cheeks flushed and she let out a light laugh.

"Come here, girl," he said, his voice dipping as he shifted closer to her on the couch.

Their lips met in a kiss that started gentle, tentative, but quickly deepened as Emberly leaned into him. His hand cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing her skin in slow, tender strokes. Emberly felt a spark shoot through her chest, her heart quickening as she moved closer, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt.

He tilted his head slightly, his lips moving against hers with a mix of playful affection and simmering intensity. Her hand slipped to the back of his neck, her fingers tangling lightly in his curls as the kiss grew more heated.

"We're supposed to be studying chemistry," she murmured, pulling back just enough for their foreheads to touch. Her voice was soft, breathless, her lips tingling.

Spencer grinned, his voice low and teasing. "We are. Studying our chemistry."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Oh my God, that was so corny."

"Yeah? Made you laugh, though."

Before she could retort, Spencer leaned in again, capturing her lips in another kiss. This time, it was slower, unhurried, as if they had all the time in the world. Emberly's hands slipped to the sides of his face, her thumb brushing his jawline. She felt the warmth of his body against hers, her heart hammering in her chest as his hand slid down to rest lightly on her hip.

The world outside disappeared for a moment—until the sharp jangle of keys at the front gate shattered the silence.

Emberly froze, her heart leaping into her throat. Spencer scrambled off the couch, adjusting himself hastily to look as casual as possible.