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today — after school
the bell rings and everything spills out at once. lockers slamming, people yelling, shoes scraping the floor.
Julian finds me without even looking for me. he always does.
“you walking?” he asks.
“yeah.”
“cool. i’ll walk you.”
simple. no big deal. like it’s already decided.
we leave campus together, backpacks on, late afternoon sun hitting just right. it’s quiet in that comfortable way, where you don’t feel like you have to fill the silence.
we talk about dumb shit. class. some kid who wouldn’t shut up. how practice was exhausting. how my feet hurt.
normal things.
and the closer we get to my house, the more my heart starts doing that thing. like it knows something’s coming before i do.
we stop in front of my place.
he shifts his weight, shoves his hands in his pockets. “you good?”
“yeah,” i say. “thanks for walking me.”
“always,” he says, like it’s obvious.
and i don’t know what comes over me. i don’t overthink it for once.
i step closer, rise up just a little—
and kiss his cheek.
just a quick peck. nothing dramatic.
but OH MY GOD.
the way he freezes.
the way his ears turn RED.
the way his eyes widen like i just committed a crime.
i pull back, already smiling, and say, “bye.”
and then—
THIS MAN.
he grabs my wrist gently, spins me back toward him, and before i can react—
HE KISSES MY CHEEK BACK.
SLOWER.
ON PURPOSE.
“revenge,” he says.
MY FACE IS ON FIRE.
“SHUT UP,” i laugh, covering my face.
he’s grinning like an idiot. BLUSHING HARDER THAN BEFORE.
i squeak something unintelligible and bolt for the door like my life depends on it, unlocking it as fast as i can.
right before i go inside, i glance back.
he’s still standing there.
watching me.
smiling.
and when i finally shut the door behind me, i lean against it, heart racing, face hot, thinking—
yeah.
today was good.
