[𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒]

𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐊𝐘

hands. However when my eyes landed on London, my whole body was at ease.

"You came." I wrapped my arms around his body.

"I told I would be standing here when you came out."

He wrapped his arms around my lower back. My eyes slowly closed as I felt his lips gently press against the side of my neck. I gripped the back of his crewneck and released a sigh.

I got the feeling that Darion wasn't in school, since he wasn't in gym class, but at the same time, he could've just been ditching.

London and I went up street to the bakery for lunch, my hand stayed in his the whole time.

"So when are we going to tell Ezra and Diane about us?" he suddenly asked.

I covered my mouth and finished chewing what was a cookie. "Ummm, I don't know. I feel like if we tell them then they'll start giving us rules."

"What kind of rules?"

"I don't know, like limited time in each other's room, stuff like that."

"That's not so bad."

"It is to me," I muttered. I didn't want any limited time with London. "Look, I'm just not ready to tell them."

"Okay, that's fine," he assured me. "We can tell them whenever you're ready."

"It's not that I'm ashamed of you or anything."

"I know."

"Dead-ass — right now, I'll let everyone in here know that I'm with you."

"You don't have to—"

"This is my man right here, everyone!" I announced, making London smile and just chuckle once. "Yeah, he's fine as hell, I know."

Not only that, he was smart, caring, generous . . . London was simply all the good things in the world, in my opinion.

"Oh!" I then remembered something. "Am I good kisser? because you're the first person I've ever kissed."

"Really?"

"Yeah, answer the question."

He shook his head yes. "Yeah, I mean— yes, you're a good kisser . . . . Wow."

"What?"

"I just . . . I just didn't know I was your first kiss."

"Do you think I just go around kissing random guys or something?"

"No, stop putting words into my mouth. It's just—you're my first kiss, too."

"For real?"

He nodded.

I was overwhelmed with happiness that I was London's first kiss, which brought me to my next question.

"Have there been any girls before me? Or boys?"

"No, no woman or man has ever made me feel this way."

"Feel what way?" I pressed, caressing his hand. teasing him.

He played with napkin while looking down, smiling. "You're annoying, Paris," he chuckled.

"You know you love it."

"I do," he admitted. "I really do."

Eventually London and I had to go back to school.

Since I finally felt at ease about not getting snuck or ran up on, I told London he didn't have to leave class early to stand outside of my classroom.

"Are you sure?" he checked.

"Yes."

"I'll do it anyways. Let me walk you to class."

"Oh, I'm actually going to be a little late for Spanish."

"Why?" He rose an eyebrow.

"My eyeliner got messed up and it needs to be fixed ASAP."

It was the truth.

"You look fine but okay," London told me. I got a kiss from him before going into the bathroom.

I laid my makeup bag out on the bathroom vanity. One of the toilets in the stall flushed and Kristen walked out, going to the sink for down one from me.

"Hey, Kiki," I greeted happily, using the nickname I used to call her in middle school. (I had nicknames for everyone in middle school.)

"Oh, hey, Paris."

As she washed her hands, I admired her eyeliner through the mirror. I remembered in middle school she would do her winged eyeliner everyday, and the boys would make fun of her for it (they had to find something tease her for no matter how stupid the reason was). I always liked the way she did her makeup, it was dramatic but not ostentatious.

"Can you do my eyeliner for me?" I asked her.

"Uh, sure." She dried her hands and took the liquid eyeliner from me. "So, why're you talking to me all of sudden?"

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't talked to me in a month."

"Oh," I muttered, feeling bad. "Well, I haven't really been talking to anybody lately."

"That's true," she muttered.

"I want to talk to Shannon, but she probably hates me." I stabbed my sister in the back, is there really any recovering from that?

"She does not hate you."

"Yeah, she does."

"No, she doesn't, you two are basically sisters."

"Yeah. . ." I agreed. "You're kind of like a sister to us, too, Kristen."

"Oh really?"

"Mm-hmm.

"Which sister am I then?"

"The baby."

She chuckled. "All done."

"Damn, already?" That was quick.

"Mm-hmm."

I looked in the mirror, impressed. Kristen was already at the door.

"Bye, Paris."

"Bye . . ."

I decided to just skip Spanish and spend time in the bathroom. Rather than going on my phone, I actually wanted to read. I went through my locker to search for a book that I didn't have to read for class. I'd already read and had Othello read to me like a thousand times.

Suddenly, I heard a southern accent.

"Hey, Paris."

I looked to Alannah.

"Hey," I greeted.

"Paris, I am so sorry about what happened to you the other night. I know that must've been scary as hell."

"Uh-huh," I mumbled.

"Darion transferred, I just thought you should know this."

"Seriously? Where to?"

"I don't know, but apparently Darion told Grey that his parents didn't feel comfortable sending their son to this school, considering you attacked him."

"Wait, his parents know?"

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure they don't know you did it."

I sighed, relieved but not wholly.

"That's all."

"Wait, Alannah, do me a favor and make sure Priscilla and her little colony don't come after me."

"Oh, yeah, she's still angry about what you did."

"She's still mad about? Bitch, it's been a whole three-day weekend."

"I'm trying to get her to calm down but she doesn't want to listen to what I have to say."

"Well, thanks anyway, Alannah."