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Declan's mood swings didn't get better. In fact, they got worse – alternating between grumpy one moment and immature the next. So it was for that very reason that he chose to stick with me for the rest of the day, instead of with his usual bunch of friends.

"I might scare them off with my mood swings," He informed me seriously, when I asked him why he wasn't showing any signs of leaving. "I'm worse than a girl on her menstrual cycle."

I rolled my eyes at him. Honestly, I didn't know if I liked the fact that he stuck with me only because he didn't want to show his irritable side to his friends. Then again, I couldn't complain. I had basically made him quit smoking.

"The second I master the art of kissing," He said, interrupting my trend of thought. "I'm smoking again. I'll buy ten packs of cigarettes and smoke myself to death."

Shielding my eyes from the afternoon sunlight, I gazed up at him. "Why do you smoke anyway?"

"I don't know. I just picked it up, I guess? It stuck ever since."

I stared at him, finding nothing suitable to say, and he glared at me. "What?"

"Stop psycho-analysing me," He accused, his lips twisted downwards in a scowl, his mood taking a hundred and eighty degree downturn. "There doesn't have to be a reason for me to start smoking. Not everything happens for a reason."

"You didn't have to stop smoking just because I said so," I reminded him, at last. "After all, I'm not the girl you're going to be snogging. Maybe your future girlfriend will like the taste of tobacco."

"Tell me," He said, turning his gaze towards me. We were heading out of school then, since lessons were over, and Declan had suggested holding the second lesson at his place. "Was kissing me that bad?"

I flushed and avoided his gaze. "Well...t-there's lots of improving to do, I guess?"

"But it wasn't horrible, was it?"

I bit my lip. "No, it wasn't."

The knowing smirk that played on his lips almost made me want to smack myself for answering in the negative and boosting his ego to the highest heavens.

"So," He mused, in a self-congratulatory, triumphant sort of tone. "I do have potential. And the kissing-professional thinks I'm not a complete hopeless case. And, and maybe, if I'm lucky enough, I can get her to lay one on me again – "

"One what?" I asked, my voice dangerous.

He cast a side glance at me and winked. "A kiss, of course."

He was incorrigible. He was too immature to be true, but oddly enough, I found myself wanting to laugh at his antics, despite being rather annoyed. Before I could stop myself, I was swatting him with my textbook. "Shut up."

"But you didn't deny it!" He crowed, triumphantly, laughing at my flabbergasted expression. "You have it bad for me, El, just – "

"Shut up," I hissed, for his voice was attracting the unwanted attention of several passers-by. "Shut up, will you?"

He grinned. "You get riled up so easily. It's cute."

To my utmost mortification, I felt my cheeks flame even more at that comment. "Don't call me cute!"

"Fine. Adorable, then."

"I am not adorable," I declared, hotly. "Stop that."

"But you are," He continued, smoothly. "And funny, and amazing, and gorgeous and – "

My hand was moving before I could stop myself, blocking the words from leaving his lips. Declan looked at me in surprise, and I removed my hand from his mouth, biting my lip in embarrassment.

"Sorry," I muttered, my heart racing at our brief contact. "But you have got to stop lying to my face."

Declan was silent for so long it was almost unnerving. And when he spoke again, he sounded genuinely curious. "Why on earth would you think I'm lying to you?"

Clearly, Declan had seen the conflicted look in my eyes. His eyebrows furrowed in concern, and he placed his palm on my cheek, his fingers spreading out and for some strange, weird reason, I felt almost fragile in his grasp. Too fragile.

"Hey, El, listen," His voice was soft, unexpectedly gentle. "I didn't say those things just to flatter you. I meant every word of it."

I couldn't help it. My body reacted to his touch, and I found myself leaning into his touch, relaxing into his warmth. It wasn't because I was expecting a kiss. I shut my eyes because, for a moment, I wanted to believe every word he said.

"No," I forced out, because while one part of me was already in too deep with the lull of his words, the rational side of my brain was flashing red signals in my head. "You didn't."

"Yes," He murmured, and I felt the fingers of his other hand weave themselves into the hair at the nape of my neck. "I did."

His breath fanned against my lips, and every rational, sane thought I had flew out of the window. I was far too enraptured, caught up in the moment to realise the harsh sound of wheels scratching against the gravelly road, and then the loud blast of the horn from a car that had pulled up beside us.

I flinched away from him. Declan, on his part, was a lot calmer, and he turned to face the car, a frown etched between his eyebrows. The window of the car rolled down, to reveal a dark-haired boy who was gazing at Declan and I with an indecipherable expression on his face.

"New girl, Harte?" He asked, at last.

Declan flicked a quick glance at me, before looking back at the guy. "No, just a friend."

"And that's why you disappeared all of today. Anyway, me and a couple of others are heading to Savvy's for a late lunch, you coming?"

"I'm good, thanks," Declan replied, swiftly. "El and I still have some things to talk about. I'll see you tomorrow in school."

The boy shrugged. "Your loss, Harte," He said, rolling up the window quickly. The car sped off, and the street seemed unnervingly silent once again, the tension between Declan and I thick enough to cut with a knife.

"That was, um, that was Parker," Declan cleared his throat awkwardly. "But I guess you already know him."

Who didn't know Parker Collins? He and Declan were friends, along with Joey and Royce and a whole bunch of others. But Parker, well, he was Declan's closest friend. The two had been inseparable for as long as I could remember. "Of course I do," I muttered, at last. Declan had resumed his walk, and I followed, my shoes scuffing the ground as I walked slightly behind him. "Who wouldn't?"

Perhaps he had sensed the unexpected note of bitterness in my voice, because he cast a furtive glance at me over his shoulder, and slowed his pace. "What's wrong?"

I gazed up at him in surprise, taken aback that he had noticed my sudden turn in mood so quickly. For all his impulsiveness, it came as a huge surprise that Declan was actually sensitive to the feelings of others.

"Nothing," I replied, mildly, hardly wanting to tell him anything. Instead, I quickly switched the subject. "Why didn't you go with him?"

"Because I'd much rather spend time with you," He answered, quick as a heartbeat. No hesitations there. He was so frank with me that a smile threatened to bloom on my face, before he ruined all the happy feelings by opening his mouth again. "Feeling flattered, El?"

I rolled my eyes. "More like aggravated."

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We were back to cherry knotting once again. Declan's house was empty when we got there and after grabbing a plate of cookies and two glasses of milk, we were out in the patio for another bout of practising. Of course, I had had to eventually run him through the basic steps of cherry knotting.

"I don't get it," Declan said, frowning thoughtfully as he worked a cherry stem into a knot in his mouth. "Why do I have to practise on stems? When's the real practical coming?"

"Real practical?" I echoed, innocently, even though I knew full well what he was insinuating.

"You know," He shot me a quick wink, nudging me with his elbow. "Actual snogging."

Nursing the glass of milk between my palms, I shrugged. "Probably never."

"Never?" He sounded horrified.

"That's right," I confirmed, trying to keep a straight face. "Never."

"Pity. I was really looking forward to another snogging session. I thought you knew that. I had been dropping subtle hints all the while."

"Declan, you're about as subtle as a gun. Besides, you're horrible at snogging. So until you actually learn how to cherry knot, don't even think about kissing me."

"So, just to set things straight here," He mused, "I just have to learn how to cherry knot, and you'll consider kissing me again?"

"Which probably won't happen till the next century, but yes, I'll consider," I replied, just for the sake of humouring him.

"Well, then, get ready to begin your consideration," He said, his lips tugging upwards into a boyish smirk. He pulled the cherry stem out of his mouth.

Only it wasn't a stem. No, it was a knot, a skewed knot, well chewed and twisted, but a knot nonetheless. Practice makes perfect. Obviously, Declan had practiced enough. A sinking feeling of dread worked its way into my stomach as I realised I had been well and truly played by Declan. I should've known better than to let my guard down around him.

"Practice makes perfect, El," He said, a devilish gleam in his eye. "Now it's time for the real deal."