IT'S HERE!!!

I changed the cover btw, as shown above...

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The classed ended with another pair of girls who just presented the most boring poster presentation ever. Even I did better when I started middle school.

But, I didn't have the time to point out and tell them that because I was busy staring daggers to the seat a few from me. When the bell rang, I was the first one out, ignoring the shouts from my friends, heading straight to the hallway I knew for sure that would be the right spot to get what I was about to do as fast as could, without anyone noticing.

Then, I took a few deep breath, shaking my body right in the middle of the small space, setting the nerves off.

With one look, I reached at the right time and pulled onto the bag, dragging the body attached to it with me. Max stumbled, turning around only to stop struggling when he noticed that it was me.

"Alan?"

I let go and he straightened up. Without saying anything, I quickly took him to the stairs and up to the rooftop. We didn't go out, just stood at the door.

"What are you doing? And you literally just ran away from class." He shook his head, as if he's a father disapproved of what his son's done. "You did great though. That's what I wanted to tell you before you ran away from Brian as if you're on fire."

I nodded, huffing. He stared at me, probably realising that I was being weird.

"What's—"

I reached for the back of his neck as fast as I can, pulling his head, taking his lips to mine. My heart lifted, spreading its wings and I felt my whole body shivering pleasantly. I kissed him, as if my life depended on it.

It took me exactly, three seconds to realise that he wasn't kissing back. I slammed to the other wall on the place as fast as I could. I felt like my heart could drop dead on the floor right then and there.

Shit.

Shit.

I knew it.

Alan Baker. You've done it this time. Shit.

The kiss didn't even last long to make history, and yet, there I was, stuck to the wall, breathing heavily, as if I just had sex with the guy.

"F-fuck... shit..." I huffed, gulping. "I... you... y-you... I thought, you... don't like me now... do you..." I dared to look at him and saw that he was as frozen as I am.

Shocked. His expression made me more embarrassed. So, obviously I tried to reason it out and plan to burry everything behind me somewhere far away.

"The confession on Saturday... and the weird glances... and the song, I just... fuck... sorry... I thought that y-you still like me and j-just..."

I bowed my head.

How stupid could I get?

I knew the next thing I had to do. Drop out of the team, change my clothes and hide away from everyone as well as I can until high school finishes and I end up in some stupid job to prevent from licking the roads.

"Um..."Max started, his feet moving here and there, fidgeting. "I mean... I'm shocked."

I barely realised that I was nodding along, as if it didn't matter to me. Of-fucking-course it mattered to me. I, a guy myself, finally got the courage to kiss the guy who confessed that he liked me after... we did stuff, only to have him say that he's shocked that I kissed him.

Maybe I should've thought things through with Bailey.

"I mean, yes..."

I looked up, noticing that he was breathing hard, a little, as well. "What?" I took a deep breath. "You don't... like me? Or is it that you still, like me?"

He took a step forward, and then another. "Yeah... I mean, of course."

He leaned forward, this time, kissing me, his arms instantly holding onto my waist, the other on my collarbone. I never knew that kissing can show how much someone cares. I mean, it's usually for the pleasure, right?

But then, when Max kissed me... when Max kissed me, I left like I would burst right then and there. The feelings were powerful, as if like those fairytale movies. The thought of it, I didn't know if I should go crazy or bang my head for thinking something so gay.

In the end, I kissed back, a smile forming, which I couldn't stop. Max seemed to notice and pulled away.

I let out a breath, huffing when I noticed that he had a smile on himself, a little hesitant, but a smile none the less.

I did the only thing I could do that avoided the plan to run away. I wrapped my arms around his neck, as tight as I could and slammed my body onto his, burying my head into his neck. His skin felt amazing on mine and I was starting to wonder how it felt for him. Was he comfortable?

Max's arms found their way around my body and I almost melted right then and there.

I never felt as to how I felt when Max hugged me.

It might've looked weird. Two grown boys hugging each other as if their life depends on it at the end of the stairway. One fit and the other tall and handsome.

But it wasn't even close to the feelings I felt.

I felt like I could stay right there, forever.

A few minutes past, or that's how it felt before Max slowly let go of me, indicating that I should too unless I wanted to sound like a desperate bitch. And since I wasn't one, I let go, my face turning red in milliseconds, probably making me look like a bomb about to blow.

I cleared my throat, keeping my gaze away.

I had no idea what he was doing.

But then, he lifted his hand to place it at my the back of my neck and slightly tugged me closer, rubbing circles with his thumb. I shivered physically and turned even more red, if that was possible.

Not knowing what to so with my hands, I tucked them inside my pockets of my jeans, which was hard to do, and waited.

"So," he finally started, "does this mean anything?"

And the eye rolls are back. "No Winters, I just kissed you because I thought it'd be funny and the highlight of my day."

He laughed quietly and played with the end of my hair. "So, a reply to my confession?"

My ears turned red.

"I think I know that 'kissing me because it's funny' is a joke. But, I hope the 'highlight of your day' wasn't."

Well, he wasn't wrong.

My day automatically, in the most cringe way, got better after seeing him.

"Hey," Max's voice turned softer and he was changing the motion of his finger, slightly making me look up. I refused. "It's okay..." I slowly lifted my head, enough to see his eyes and blushed red again, like a fucking high school girl.

Shit, what the fuck?

When did I start to become a puddle?!

Where the fuck was the cool and composed Alan who barely took shit from others?!

Max leaned in a bit so his face hovered over mine. Then, he whispered, "I like you too..."

Jesus, that flip in my heart should've caused a heart attack. I didn't even say it to him and he replied.

Geez, Alan, you're caught red handed.

What were you fucking thinking?!

After laying it out there for the guy who's been messing with my head, it was finally clearing the dark cloud in my head. How the fuck was I supposed to handle everything now?

Yes Alan, you start to be weird around the guy you hate the most and you both accidentally had sex that you can't even remember. That's all it takes for you to suddenly go crazy, plus the fact that the guy himself confessed that he likes you —which could've been a lie, but now it's not— and kiss him at school with no explanation.

"Wow, you're thinking."

I snapped back to reality to see Max staring down at me with a smile. I scowled. "No, I'm not. And whatever. I just... I-I... um..." I scratched the back of my head.

Abort mission.

"I-I'll, see you around." Then I used my fast reflex and —I can't believe I did it, I got on my tiptoes, smashing my lips on his month before running away, out of the dark stairway hall and to my next class that I was very late to.

Just when I sat on my seat after a short lecture from my history teacher, did I realise that the kiss was somewhere between his lips and his cheek and I must've looked like a fool doing it. And lunch was next.

~~~

I barely realised that the bell for lunch was ringing over the classroom because I was busy wondering how the fuck I was going to face Max Winters. Especially after what we did. In front of everyone.

I saw Katie before anyone else and pulled her to the side, realising that I haven't talked to her properly after scaring her. But then, Bailey joined us and was continuously giving me weird eye gestures. Katie caught on.

I wanted to dig a hole right there.

I wondered what Bailey would do if she finds out that Max and I kissed. Or, if she knew that I started it.

"What's going on?" Katie finally asked as we got out of the school towards our usual bench.

I shrugged, hoping the on and off glances I was giving Bailey would tell her exactly what I wanted to shout.

Shut the fuck up and don't say anything.

"Nothing," Bailey's excited voice replied. At least she got the memo.

"No, there's something." Katie looked back and forth at us. "Since when did you guys start to be all close and friendly?"

I pretended that I didn't hear her. Bailey answered for the two of us, "since the party." I choked on my saliva. Bailey gave me a weird look, as if to say that I was the one who's making it so obvious. "We just talked and realised how common we both are. Plus, our date was fun, wasn't it Alan?"

Katie turned to me, with a look that told me that I had a lot of explaining to do. "Yes," I muttered. She jaw almost dropped. "Yep. That's... correct. Very, correct."

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