"A what?" I ask, taking a floundering step backward.

He raises an eyebrow and the smile tilting his lips rises higher. I glare at him, fighting the urge to slap it off.

"Surely you know what a kiss is?"

"Oh eff off," I snap testily. "You know what I mean. Now, what the hell are you going on about?"

Levi, who had been furious and stormed into Mr Hibbert's office, who was rude, cold and arrogant only moments earlier, stares calmly back at me. This only irritates me further.

"A kiss," he repeats, stating the two words as easily as saying hello. I make an incredulous sound. There are many, many ways to strike a deal with someone, to keep their lips sealed- making out with someone is not one of them.

"Now why the hell would a kiss keep you quiet?" I ask, trying to keep my voice as controlled as his.

"Why not?" Levi shrugs. He watches me, amused, as I blow out a rather uncontrolled, heavy sigh.

"Er, maybe because it doesn't make any sense? And I have a boyfriend?" I think of Ryan, smiling, kind and lovely. It calms me down. His face fills my mind and suddenly so does Elle's. "And so do you!"

"I have a boyfriend?" Levi asks, humour glinting in his dark eyes.

I shut my eyes momentarily before answering, "I mean you have a girlfriend."

"I'm aware of that," he responds.

I grit my teeth. Lord please give me strength. "Then what the hell are you on about? A kiss?"

Levi actually answers me properly this time. "The both of us, we're not even friends."

"I'm aware of that," I repeat his earlier words impatiently. He doesn't appear too impressed by that.

"You obviously don't like me," he continues. No shit. "And I'm getting tired of that extremely attractive and approachable scowl you've got going on." I only scowl harder.

"So a kiss, it shouldn't mean anything," Levi explains, as if it's simple as the Moon revolving around the Earth.

"You're missing out the pretty important fact of why I would want to kiss you," I comment, crossing my arms.

"As a penalty," he immediately answers.

"What?" I look at him with disbelief. I'm seriously doubting whether this boy is okay.

"Hear me out. Both of us have found something out about the other that we shouldn't have," Levi says simply, "and both of us are with someone."

"So?"

"Imagine if you accidentally told someone what you read about me."

"I wouldn't." I shake my head profusely.

Levi glances towards the ground before looking back at me. "Or if I accidentally let slip to Elle something about, oh I don't know... what I found out?"

My mouth turns dry. My mind projects an image of Elle and Stacey, doubled over laughing. Call me names, I don't care. But if they ever find out about this... I look at Levi wide-eyed. "You wouldn't," I whisper hoarsely.

"You'd be pretty pissed right?"

"I'd bloody punch the effing lights out of you-"

"You'd be pissed. So what if you had something as payback? Like a picture."

"Can you just get to the point?"

Levi inhales, the space between his eyebrows creasing as he chooses his next words. "If there's a picture of us both kissing, and it's found, it would ruin our relationship. And if either of us lets anything slip, that picture is shared."

For a moment I'm wordless, struggling to make sense of anything. "What so the picture, it's... punishment or precaution?"

"Both." He shrugs.

I shake my head slowly, already alarm bells are ringing. This idiot's asking me to kiss him as a consequence. It's bloody ridiculous. Not only that, I'll be cheating on Ryan. My stomach tightens at the idea.

"But that makes no sense, I'll... I'll have to break up with Ryan too," I realise. "We both lose."

"Just show Elle, delete the photo after," Levi interjects. "Then the damage is done, only my relationship is hurt. Everyone knows she hates you anyway, if she tells Ryan, who's to say she isn't lying?"

"What about if I said something?"

"Then I'd only show Ryan."

"This still doesn't make any sense, it's all too complicated," I say. We only seem to be going in circles around this ridiculous idea.

Levi shrugs, his eyes dark. "It's the only way I'll keep quiet."

"This is mad." I shake my head. "You're mad."

"Isn't that why I'm here?" Levi simply replies, a cold smile lifting his lips. "Isn't that why you're here, with Mr Hibbert?"

I want to say no, and tell him to shut up. That we're both here because we've got our own problems not because we're insane.

But I'm thinking again about everybody finding out I need counselling, about the insomnia, about everything. Everyone knows me as Ruby, the one with her head firmly screwed on. If anyone finds out I'll be known as the one with a screw loose.

In some twisted, ridiculous way maybe our relationships are just the thing to ensure neither of us say will anything. Everyone in our year, even Levi and his group, knows how I feel about Ryan. Everyone knows how much I care about him, how much he cares about me.

Everyone also recognises Levi and Elle as the 'it' couple who are so 'ridiculously perfect' for each other. With both our relationships on the line, we wouldn't ever say anything. Right?

"The best thing is neither of us will care. It'll be a quick, meaningless action," Levi interrupts my thoughts.

He is right, we are both technically strangers. We hardly talk, we don't even acknowledge each other that much. One stupid kiss shouldn't change anything.

"I-It'll mean nothing?"

"Right." Levi shrugs.

Before I have time to think, to even reconsider my decision I stammer the word, "Fine."

I want this over with, to make sure that no one will ever find out.

Levi looks surprised for a second, as if he wasn't quite expecting me to agree. Well, that makes two of us.

Then, the look of disbelief is gone. It's replaced by a something that's confident and composed and is accompanied by the faintest trace of a smile lifting his lips. Levi takes just one more step forward and, with that, the space between us both disappears.

My heart begins hammering, fluttering and faltering, as if it's protesting against how much of a bad idea this is.

Levi's gaze drops to my lips and a rush of adrenaline courses through my veins. The only sound in the courtyard is our breath.

He leans in.

The whisper of air between us is charged and tense as his mouth hovers over mine, pausing for the slightest of moments.

My lungs refill. My eyes flutter close. Levi's lips meet mine.

At first everything stills and freezes and I'm standing there, motionless and expectant for him to take the picture. Levi's lips press softly against mine, lingering. And then, slowly and effortlessly, as though he doesn't need to give it a second thought, his hands find my waist.

Something completely unexpected sparks. Heat. It ignites and burns.

Thoughts of wondering of what we're doing rapidly become submerged and soon I find myself doing something that complicates the situation tenfold. I kiss him back.

Everything changes. Skin burns warmer, mouths open wider, lips press harder. A soft moan leaves the back of my throat and Levi tugs me closer at the sound.

His lips, his taste, his very being is deadly and addictive. His mouth is hot and electric. My nerves are alight and I want more.

More. It's this word that kickstarts the thought, what the hell is going on?

It's as if this occurs to him too, because then the bright flash of a camera fills the air, the sound of the snapshot imploding everything.

I pull away, a startled gasp vacating my mouth as I push my hands against Levi's chest, stumbling back. I look at him wide eyes, my mind a tumbling mess as he looks just as surprised back.

Oh god. I feel light-headed and I hate that I don't know if it's from the shock or the kiss. Pressing my lips together, I try to ignore how they faintly ache. His own lips are parted and red, a reminder that what has just happened is real.

Levi continues to stare at me, silent and almost as though he's seeing me for the first time. His gaze has my skin burning and doesn't let my heart calm down. I'm unable to muster any sense out of all this. Wonder, longing, guilt, all emotions become another, combining like ink in water.

The guilt is the strongest. The central planet the others orbit around.

"This..." I finally manage to say. "This shouldn't have happened."

Levi's eyes darken with an emotion I can't recognise. Shoving his phone and hands into his pockets a little too forcefully, he nods. "This was nothing." His shallow breath disagrees.

I turn away from him and glance toward the sky, the realisation of just how awful an idea this is hits home.

"Look," Levi begins, dragging a hand through his hair and inspecting me warily. "I-"

"No," I interrupt, finally having the upper-hand. I don't want to hear any excuses or anything he has to say.

Levi inhales steadily before nodding slowly. "Alright."

I look at him unbelievingly. What does that even mean?

His passive expression offers no clues and after everything, I can't handle anymore. Not bothering to say another word, I turn and walk out the courtyard. Even coming here was such a bloody mistake.

My footsteps quicken as I pace down the corridor, attempting to put as much space between Levi and I as I can.

As soon as I'm outside again, the cool autumn air feels like a relief against my blazing cheeks. My mouth still burns and the sound of my pounding heart fills my ears. It reminds me of the feel of his lips, the warmth of his hands... I shake my head furiously, trying to clear my mind.

It's nothing compared to what already I have.

My shoes hit the pavement in quiet thuds, I'm at my street and nearly home. All I have to do is get home and just have a bath and forget about this. If I just put on a good episode of Sherlock and just-

"Ruby!"

At first I think it's Levi and my fists clench into tight balls. I turn round; ready to yell a bout of insults before realising that Levi isn't the last person I want to see. It's Ryan.

He's standing before me grinning and waving a DVD case around. Guilt immediately roars up within me like a solar flare and I can't meet his eyes as he jogs over to me, his smile brightening.

This is the boy I've been dating for three months... the boy who I've just cheated on.

Trying hard to ignore the sensation of a tightening knot around my stomach I look at Ryan with what I hope is a smile as he comes close enough for me to see him.

There's something comforting about seeing his familiar self, the messy head of black hair and startlingly bright blue eyes feel like both a relief and a burden to welcome.

"Hey," I say, walking up towards him as he comes to a stop. I feel the instinct to press my palms against my cheeks to calm them down but instead I keep my hands by my side, hoping sorely that Ryan won't notice how pink my face is.

"Have you been running or something?" He asks. Damn it.

"Uh yeah." I nod frantically, clutching at the first fragments of a lie I can get. "I was in a hurry to get home... Sherlock will be on."

"Oh." Ryan nods before giving a soft smile and brushing his fingers across my face. "You look all flustered."

I can't think why.

"Well, are you ready to get visit the land of Middle Earth?" Ryan asks. I realise the DVD in his hand is a Lord of the Rings one, which one I can't tell.

I'm not in the mood for a three-hour adventure of elves and hobbits and whatever else, as much as I love the series. Seeing Ryan isn't letting me forget what just happened, and as pathetic as it sounds, that's all I want to do.

"I can't," I say, hating how blunt I sound. Ryan's smile grows smaller.

"Oh," he says, there's no denying the disappointment in his voice. "Right, well, what's wrong?"

Think of a good reason, now. I need something that he won't question but will be enough to let me off.

I clutch my abdomen tightly. "It's my period."

Ryan looks startled at the word, jumping a little like I just shouted a terrible swear word. "My stomach's cramping and I just feel awful." I try and sound a little calmer.

Ryan on the other hand looks more concerned. Honestly, you can never mention stuff about periods without guys looking like you've just killed someone.

"Er, d'you want me to stay?" he asks. I hate how there's worry in his voice. I'm the last person who deserves it. "I can-"

"No, it's ok, don't worry." I smile. "I'll probably end up biting your head off or something." The laugh I give afterwards sounds too bright and chiming to come out of me. He doesn't seem to notice.

"Well feel better soon alright?" Ryan says before pressing his lips on my own. For a moment I'm almost able to enjoy it, I'm almost able to let that familiar warmth wash over me- but I can't. Guilt clutches at my heart tightly and I find myself having to pull away sooner than I would've done.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I say, giving a wave as I pull myself away from him and take a step backwards.

"See you tomorrow." Ryan nods before giving me a brilliant grin and turning round to walk off. I pause for a moment, watching him head down the street, growing smaller and smaller.

That was the first lie, how many more will there be?

None, I assure myself. There'll be no more lies, no more problems. That's what the kiss was about, to stop any problems before they happen.

I nod. Certain. I'm ready to forget anything ever happened.

My phone buzzes then, alerting me I've received a message. Pulling it out, I see it's from Levi.

I already know what it contains, judging by the fact the message has a picture attachment.

I don't bother to open the message at this moment. Instead I just pocket my phone once more and start walking back home again, ignoring the voice at the back of my head saying maybe the kiss won't stop any problems. Maybe it'll be the cause of them all.