'Put your lips close to mine

As long as they don't touch

Out of focus, eye to eye

'Til the gravity's too much.'

*ALTHEA'S POV*

October 21, 2023.

In all of this, he had been exceptionally silent, at least until I met his blazing gaze, and he uttered one word, low enough to be drowned under the excited shouts around yet raspy enough to make my knees weak,

"Croak."

Inside my chest, it echoed like the slamming of a trapdoor shutting on me. Except it was my own trap I'd fallen into, and while my heart banged out against my ribcage, I didn't have walls closing in on me, but the twinkle of his green eyes above and the kids' expectant ones around. All unbudging.

I had no way out of this kiss. Only one small kiss. One tiny brush of lips. One millisecond, faster than a breath I couldn't find as I inhaled deeply. One minuscule flicker of touch, and the prince would be saved and the kids happy.

Their chants were already quietening as my shaky hand reached for Asher's cheek, though not the pounding inside my chest.

Only one small kiss. I tried to fight the rush spreading faster and faster in my legs to run away. One tiny brush of these rosy lips he slowly wetted. One millisecond that my heart skipped as I closed my eyes and leaned in.

Yet when my mouth met with the soft roughness of his lips, the minuscule flicker of touch felt like so much more, hundreds and hundreds of sparks, heightened by the number of days, hours, seconds... since the last time our lips had grazed. Enough to light a fire and ring all my warnings as I quickly pulled away before I could get burned.

The sparks didn't die out, however, swirling and seeping through every part of me like... the magic of the prince's curse being broken.

The picture of the frog turning into his original form through a cloud of glitters was the closest image I could come up with. Or the charm of a good luck kiss that had been left hanging for three years, seven months, and twelve days, and with it, something aligned again. Though not his lips when my eyes finally fluttered open.

Maybe there needed more sparks for this. The strain at the left corner of his mouth was pulling on all my being to find out, my gaze sliding away only to meet an even stronger tug in the intensity of his wide eyes.

I knew this smoldering look beyond the surprise too well, the dizzying jade shades flickering all over my face and reversing time for an instant.

We could have surely traveled far if a voice hadn't interrupted our stare, bringing us back to reality.

"They got married and lived happily ever after," Carol announced, claps and cheers echoing her, while I shook my head, trying to process what had happened.

'A mayical kisss', according to Munisa, who added excitedly,

"Let' do it again tom'row!"

"No, tomorrow is Sunday, and there's no story time on Sundays," Gracie explained before I could find my voice and protest.

Indeed, there were already enough attractions planned tomorrow, and licking my dry lips, I wasn't sure I was ready anymore.

***

October 22, 2023.

"Good morning, bab—oh, what happened?"

"What?" I exclaimed, the phone in my hand following the jump of my heart, though I managed to catch it before it could crash on the floor, finding the two inquisitive brown eyes on the screen again. "What do you mean? Nothing happened."

"Well, it looks like a tornado passed in your hotel room." Jordon chuckled, pointing his finger at the bed where I was currently sitting.

"Oh, this." Of course, this.

I didn't know what else I'd thought of. Or maybe I knew too well, and it was the reason why my heart hadn't bounced back in its place.

What had happened last night.

As if it could have been written on my face, and even if it had been, there was nothing to read up on. It had been a scene of a story, and Asher and I had played our roles. There was nothing more to talk about than if it had been Oliver, Carol, or anybody else. It had only been one tiny brush of lips, one small kiss, and I quickly rolled my lips together to get rid of any flutter of touch that could have remained.

"I was looking for a dress for today. Well, not for me, but for Sarah, the new girl. You know her boyfriend is surprising her with a date, and when I talked to her yesterday, she told me she only has sweatpants and comfy clothes at the clinic."

I'd got to learn many things actually, as I'd avoided Asher after the story time.

"So I thought she would prefer to be dressed up for her date, and since she's about my size..."

"You're always so kind." Jordon smiled, taking a spoonful from his takeaway box.

I could have almost forgotten that it was already midday in New York, as my internal clock had gotten used to the Californian time by now.

"But are you sure she'll like the orange one? They're the gothic couple, aren't they? I didn't even know you had something this... colorful in your wardrobe."

"Yes, it's them, but no, don't worry. This one is Asher's gift." I angled the phone up to show him the full piece of clothing I'd just ironed. "It's kinda a tradition. I've always made him a little piece of clothing for his birthday: a wristband, a basketball jersey, a speedo, a bow tie... So now that he works at a desk job, I've sewed him a suit jacket, and all the kids drew something on it."

'Colorful' was the word, but I was sure it would suit Asher almost as perfectly as—

"A speedo?"

"Yes, one of the best pieces I've created. You should've seen it."

Or maybe not, because if the memory already made me shake my head, Jordon had trouble gulping his salad at the mere word.

"It's a long story with a bet in college. I'll tell you another day, when we have more time."

As if to prove my point, a doorbell echoed in his background before I could even ask about his plans for today.

"My mom must be early." He sighed, rolling his office chair back as the doorbell resonated again. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I have to get ready anyway. Tell her I say hi." I shrugged, already glancing at all the clothes I had to fold and put away as he added,

"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow. Have fun, babe, and say happy birthday to Asher for me."

The last part sounded so casual through his charming smile, and yet inside my chest, it echoed discordant like my present and past clashing, like Mentos and Coke mixing; it was what I pictured every time I thought about Jordon and Asher crossing paths in any way, and by the time I shook the image away, Jordon had already hung up, before I could reply to his 'I love you'.

A small chapter, a tiny kiss, but sometimes, a flicker of touch is already enough. What do you think? 😉✨

I promise next chapter will be longer. It's Asher's birthday, after all! 😉🤭

In the meantime, tell me all your thoughts about this kiss, and don't forget to vote ⭐ if you can't wait for more!

PS: Did you miss Althea and Asher as much as I did during my Holidays break? I'm so excited to be back, and there's still so much I've planned for these two... 🤫🤭 Love you my little Peaches!! 😘💗🍑