Warm air gushes onto my face as I step into the bustling hallway. Monday morning has never felt so fricking good. I think my smile is permanently etched on my face, my muscles hurt because they've been stuck in the same position since the state game.

I still can't believe that Blaze... feels that way about me...? Even the words take a while to process. After he told me everything, we went home and spent the rest of the weekend cuddled up on the couch binging Dance Moms and eating whatever snacks his mom threw our way.

To say she was happy with our arrangement is an understatement although considering we live together some 'ground rules' were set, yeah... send help. You can imagine what they were judging on the way Blaze spent a good half hour laughing at my beetroot red cheeks.

Not long ago I used to feel like I was walking into the lion's den when I set foot in this hall, ready to become prey- torn limb from limb by the carnivores that wait in the privacy of the lockers. But now I feel like I'm walking into the lion's den... standing next to the lion, all those lower down the chain bowing as he walks past.

The loud chatter in the hall diminishes slightly as people turn from their lockers to stare or glare at us. It's not uncommon, especially when I'm with Blaze. Having just won states he's the hottest conversation topic at the moment... but then again when isn't he. But the least common thing about this whole morning is when I feel Blaze's hand touch mine as we walk towards our lockers.

I jump away in shock, pulling my hand up to my chest like I've just been burnt. Blaze looks shocked at my initial reaction but a smile sits on his lips before he lets out a deep chuckle. "What are you doing?" I hiss in a loud enough whisper.

"Uh... trying to hold your hand Blondie?" He rubs the back of his neck, eyebrows pinched together in an entertained frown.

"Oh... You want to hold my hand?" I blush feeling very hot under the collar. He nods like I'm crazy, "Oh... right.... okay..." I smile as he reaches for my hand again, this time I let him take it and we walk towards our lockers, even more, students glaring at our intertwined hands swinging between our bodies.

My stomach feels like it's growing a butterfly sanctuary... Blaze is holding my hand in the school hall... I'm dating Blaze Beckett.

This is most definitely not how I pictured this year going.

Considering the lack of male relationships I've had, I'm a little... scared... okay, that's a lie I'm really scared. I know Blaze has had tones of... experience, for want of a better word, and the closest I've ever got to doing stuff with a boy... is with Blaze and even then we were just pushing. PG-13. I'm worried I'm not going to be enough or do the wrong thing. I've literally only just had my first kiss for god's sake. He's made it clear it doesn't bother him but it bothers me.

I push the fears back for now as we grab our books from our lockers, trying to avoid the girls who snarl at me from the lockers next to mine, Blaze sends his famous death glare to the guys whose mouths are wide enough to fit a whole melon in. All this attention makes me feel like an attraction at the zoo.

We make our way over to our friends who are all congregating around Brady's locker. A few of the freshmen are congratulating the guys on their win, sucking up to them whilst looking rather terrified of being a good few inches shorter than the muscled football players. Their eyes practically bulge out of their heads when they see Blaze approaching. They look both frightened and besotted which makes me giggle.

"There's the man of the hour!" Brady raises both hands in the air before slapping one down on Blaze's shoulder, "Man! I am still so buzzed about states. That last touchdown..." He lets out a low whistle shaking his head with a goofy smile.

"'Twas incredible and you guys skipped out on one of the best after partys to fucking celebrate it. Where'd you go, you missed all the fun?" Ethan says with his arm around Carrie's shoulder.

"I uh think they had their own fun babe..." She wiggles her eyebrows and typically everyone's eyes zero in on our intertwined hands. I want to pull away to help reduce the heat on my cheeks but Blaze keeps my hand securely in his with a small squeeze.

"Oh my gosh! Finally!" Vixxie exclaims clapping her hands together and jumping up and down, her thick boots slamming on the floor.

"Does this mean Blaze is going to be less of an ass now?" Rutherford smirks, Emily hits him on the shoulder with a scowl, "What? He's been pining after her for ages it was so fucking obvious, moody ass-" Luckily he's cut off by the bell and the scramble of students rushing to get to class. I gulp down the embarrassment of being the centre of attention, my cheeks are probably a permanent shade of purple.

"Alright, we'll see you fuckers later." Blaze gives a small, mocking salute before pulling us away back down the hall, a smile sat on his face.

"Wait! You can't just leave!'" Vixxie calls after us.

"We have questions!" Emily follows but Blaze flips them his middle finger, smirking at me which makes me chuckle. I like this carefree Blaze the most, happy and funny.

After my first few classes, I meet the girls and we sit under the tree in the courtyard at lunch waiting for the boys to finish their practice. It's weird now to think this was where we first all had lunch, it seems like a whole year has passed. The sun casts a warm glow over my jean-clad legs but the small gusts of wind solidify the fact that it's still very much winter. I tug my cardigan tighter around myself, pulling my knees to my chest feeling the cold ground through the makeshift coat blanket I placed under my butt to stop my legs from getting wet.

Carrie, Vixxie and Emily do the same, flattening their coats on the ground before sitting on them and pulling out their lunch.

"Alright. I have been patient for three fucking classes and one of them was bloody science but I've run out so spill all those dirty little secrets Atlas!" Vixxie leans forward on her elbows fixing me a menacing grin.

I let out a long breath waiting for it to fog in front of my eyes, my cheeks are already pink from the cold weather but I can feel them radiating. I try and hide my smile behind my jumper sleeves. I've been doing that a lot recently, smiling, just thinking about Blaze.

"Yes! Stop withholding information, that like the number one no-no in friendships. We need all the details!" Carrie scoots closer opening a bag of salted chips.

"Tell us everything." Emily rests her arms on her notebook looking admirably at me. The buzz of excitement at how normal this feels builds inside me. I tell them everything from start to finish from the near kiss in my bedroom and the hundreds of facetime calls to the actual kiss and weekend spent cuddling watching movies. All three of them look beside themselves, making little squealing noises when I mention something too sloppy for even me to handle.

"We're just taking it slow at the moment you know? No labels... just dating and seeing where it goes." I shrug with a smile, I'm alright with taking it slow and letting the rest of the year pan out.

"Oh please. I'm betting a week and you two will be official- official! Titles at everything. That boy is besotted with you." Emily says squeezing my arm with a wide smile.

"I've never had a boyfriend before so this is all really new to me..." I mumble feeling embarrassed at the lack of experience through my high school years. I voice my concerns about this in comparison to Blazes 'experience'.

"He may have slept with more people but he's never had a girlfriend before." Carries eyebrows raise. Warm fuzziness cascades through my body again at the thought of that title.

"It's true!" I jump at the whisper in my ear, Brady barks out a laugh and sits beside me, putting his arm around my shoulders, "I've never seen Blaze this happy before." His dips his voice to a whisper so the others can't hear, "Thanks for bringing my best friend back." He squeezes me into his side and places a friendly kiss on my temple.

"What about... college... I know Blaze wants to go to Alabama but what about Julliard... have you heard anything?" Emily asks apprehensively, implying my worst fears. Her pained face shows me she's been worrying about the same thing though. She's told us she and rutherford have been dancing around that factor for a while not talking about it and I feel the same way. This big cloud hangs over us all, college.

"Uh... I haven't heard anything yet but... uh who knows what could happen right?" I muster a strained smile to which she squeezes my hand with a knowing smile. I don't want to think about the failure of a relationship that's just started, it hurts too much to think of another person walking out of my life. The feeling of loneliness creeping back in. "Enough about me anyway, I want to know about you and Ethan!" I point at a blushing Carrie to swiftly change the subject. She informs us she and Ethan got serious after New Year's Eve and are now an official couple. I couldn't be happier for them, it's about frigging time.

Our conversation is interrupted by the deep voice I've come to love so much, "Hey, B hands off my girl." Blaze jokes, I'm sure if it was anyone else he wouldn't be so humorous but I can't deny the possessiveness thing is a huge turn on. Sure it's totally unfeminist-ty of me but after so many years of not being wanted and living unprotected I love the way he... claims me as his I guess? That sounds kind of weird.

"It's unfair, I didn't even get a chance to proclaim my undevoted love for her before you swept in!" Brady clutches at his chest dramatically making me giggle as Blaze sits down next to me, pulling me into his side and resting out intertwined hands off my shoulder. His freshly washed, miny scent storms through me bringing my calm and happiness quicker than his car when he speeds.

He looks down at me and smiles, his deep pools of blue sparkling under the golden rays of sun. His partially damp hair slopes into his forehead, I instinctively push it back with my fingers but yank them away when I realise what I'm doing. He grabs them mid descent and places the tiny kiss on my fingertips, a lopsided grin making me feel all woozy.

"Hi, Blondie." His deep voice trickles through me, the urge to kiss him so much stronger.

"God, I feel so fucking single." Vixxie moans pulling me back to the fact there are people around us, I pull away from Blaze slightly trying to rid the tension as my body comes up in goosebumps.

"You've always got me." Brady leaps up running over to tackle her with pretend kisses. We all giggle at his puppy-like nature.

"The team are going bowling for 'bonding night' tonight and we wanted to see if you ladies wanted to join us," Ethan asks his mouth full of sandwich.

"I fucking hate 'bonding night'. I hate it as much as I hate the assholes that go." Brady sulks presumably referring to Scrowtski and his posse. I cringe just thinking about him, asshole.

"Sure I'm in, Atty?" Carrie says. I don't particularly want to be in the company of the entire football team but... if Carrie's going it can't be that bad? I look at Blaze who's already looking down at me.

"Please?" He whispers, my heart melts, he's asking me to be there.

"Sure I'm in." I smile as his hand caresses my back sending sparks up and down my spine.

I nearly collapse with laughter when my ball becomes my tenth gutter ball. I watch it travel past the pins, poor things are probably also laughing at my pathetic attempt to bowl.

"Wow Butterfly... you really are awful at bowling." Blaze wraps his arms around my middle.

"I know, I'm the fricking worst." I giggle.

"Yano, I hate bowling but you've made it ten times better with your atrocious lack of being able to roll a ball in a fucking straight line. Especially since we're going to win now. You do know the aim of the game is to know down as many pins are you can not completely miss them?" He snickers. I hit him on the arm, no impact made at all, he carries on laughing at my pathetic expense.

We'd split into Boys V Girls a little while ago, breaking away from the rest of the football team. I didn't think Blaze could cope with it anymore, he spent the first half-hour with a face like thunder, Scrowtski taunting him. The tension was unbearable and Blaze looked about five seconds from ramming his fist into his jaw. But he didn't, we just started a new game and I was proud of him for not snapping and doing something irrational.

After a few more games it's pretty obvious the boys are in fact a lot better at bowling than us girls, not that we minded, I enjoyed just hanging out with everyone. It was a bonus watching Blaze bowl, he claims it's stupid and 'child's play' but the seriousness of his 'bowling stance' has me questioning his motifs. His taut back strains against his black shirt when he moves under the low spotlights and the way his arms flex when he picks the balls... makes being shit at bowling worth it.

We've decided to grab some food at the diner but on our way out I'm stopped by the illuminating glow and flurry of noises, the arcade and something jumps out at me... a fricking dance machine. I tug on Blaze's hand stopping him from walking outside.

"What's up?" He looks questioningly at my beaming face.

"The boys may be better at bowling but I can guarantee the girls would beat you on the dance floor..." I bite my lower lip.

"What are you-" His gaze follows mine to the arcade, "No way Blondie. Like the fucking song- I don't dance." His eyebrows pinch together.

"You might not, but I'm up for it." Brady rushes past us in direction of the machine making me giggle.

"Me too." Vixxie runs after him.

"Please?" I beg Blaze with the biggest puppy dog eyes I can. His eyes narrow looking conflicted, they move backwards and forwards between me and the rest of the guys. They look like they'd rather clean toilets than dance too.

"Fuck. Fine." He huffs, raising his palms in the air. I squeal dragging him behind me to the arcade, "I just can't say fucking no to you." He mumbles, my grin growing.

"I feel like I'm about to watch a scene in the Kissing Booth!" Vixxie says as I pull Blaze onto the machine. He chucks me his wallet with a frown and as I open it up I see something that makes me want to hug him, cry and hide all at once.

On the inside of his wallet is a slightly folded picture of when we went ice skating, the one with me laying on top of him laughing. I run my finger over the creased image, my heart thumping loudly in my ears.

"You... you keep this... In your wallet." I mumble, a pink rising from my neck. Blaze runs his hand through his hair with a cocky grin, his ring clad thumb swipes across his bottom lip.

"Yeah of course... You just look... so happy." He turns his attention to the screen, "Now put the damn money in." He smirks... a tiny tiny hint of pink dusting his nose.

My heart damn well melts into my bloodstream. I wonder how long he's kept that picture of us in there. I want to reach out and hug him, kiss him like theirs no one else here but as the music starts from the speakers, I direct my attention to the screen, focused on getting the girls a win.

"Come on Big A!" Brady chants behind us.

"The fuck Brady. You're meant to be on the guy's team? Why are you cheering the opposition." Blaze grunts running a frustrated hand through his hair again. Rutherford and Ethan chuckle behind their phones.

"Well, let's face it... I already know she's going to turn you into mincemeat Blazey. Pummel the shit out of you, you've got two left feet." He sucks a breath through his teeth.

"Right. Thanks for the vote of confidence." Blaze glares at him, tone dripping with sarcasm.

"It's not even really dancing. It's just stepping. You'll be fine." I giggle placing my hands on the metal bar behind me watching a three-second countdown on the screen. Classic fast pace party music from the eighties pours out of the screen as the steps start. It's simple enough to follow but when I look at Blaze I just break down into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

"It's not funny! It's getting faster." He moans tripping on his Converse.

"Just move your feet, there are only four squares Beckett, even you can figure it out." I chirp, biting back another howl of laughter as the pace increases and Blaze stumbles even more.

"Oh... Blondie... did you just call me stupid?" He gasps. I keep my eyes fixed on the screen, "How dare you!" He mocks still failing to move his feet correctly.

"So what if I did." I challenge hearing our friends gasp and laugh behind us.

"Fine if you want to be like that." He shrugs stopping his feet completely before I know what he's doing his arms take hold of my waist and throw me up onto his shoulder, I squeal feeling the blood rush to my head, "Oh look you can't dance at all now." His chest rubles with a chuckle.

"Foul play!" Carrie shouts.

"Red fucking card! Disqualification!" Brady shouts adding to the hysteria.

"Put me down! This is unfair, you're your abnormal height as an advantage!" I squeal, thrashing on his shoulders like a three-year-old, stuck between laughing and shouting at him. I'm sure I'm the one with the abnormal height but I don't care right now.

"Nope! Keep struggling It'll only get worse." His voice a challenging tone. I keep thrashing around soon finding out what worse is when his large hand smacks my ass with a loud thwack.

I gasp listening to everyone laugh behind me, I try and hide my flaming cheeks behind my hair which dangles from my head. I struggle between challenging him some more or feigning innocence.

"You've gone awfully quiet back there... learn your lesson?" I can hear the smirk in his voice. It takes everything in me not to say-

No.