(A/N Just so you know this starts with a telephone conversation. Also, shoutout to my online friend Pingupotato. Go and check out her stories if you're a Malec shipper!!! But not before finishing this chapter *glares* but seriously, she's an amazing writer! *whispers* I love those stories)

2017

"Girl...I am so proud of you!!!", he screamed in my ear almost making deaf. 
"Keith William Marvin, calm the hell down! Don't get so worked up now.", I said.
Keith is Lizzie's elder brother who is in college and IS VERY MUCH GAY (in his own words). The three of us have always been close from the start. So it was the natural course of things that he came to know that Steve and I were dating.

"But, how in the whole wide world, did you manage to end up with THAT GUY?", he asked.
"Technically, he asked me out," I said casually.
"Woah! That is f**king amazing. See, I told you that you look gorgeous and that some guy's gonna come someday and fall heads over heels in love with you..."
"Language Keith," I muttered and continued, "I guess what you said was true. I like Steve a lot. He's the sweetest guy you could ever ask for. He knows when to push me but also knows his limits and gives me space. I now look forward to lunch break because we can talk about our day and Liz does get a little pissed off."
"She's lying straight to your face. She literally calls me up every day to tell me how cute you both are."
"SHE DOES THAT! I'm gonna kill her when she comes today at my home. She acts AS IF SHE'S SO PISSED OFF..." 
"CALM THE F*CK DOWN!"
"LANGUAGE KEITH"
"Don't go all Captain America on my arse!" And he started laughing and so did I.

After getting a brief respite, I asked him, "How's it going with James by the way?"
"Nothing much, to be honest."
"Oh really? Come on, whom are you trying to fool?"I could literally feel him roll his eyes and blush through the phone.
"Well, we may have gone on a fancy date....and something might have happened..."
I jumped on the bed and squealed, "YES!!! YES!! OH, MY GODS YES!!"

"Hey, Tess! Calm down. It was only making out. Nothing else."
After a disappointed ohh, I reassured him, "But seriously Keith, I'm so happy for you. You finally get to be who you are! I wish I could hug you."
"Awwww. Only if my dad wasn't a homophobe...I could've told him." There was silence for a bit. "I'll talk to you later then?"
"Uh-huh. Love you and take care!"
"You too, baby."
I smiled at the old nickname he had given to me. I remember my mum telling me that Keith was 4 when I and Lizzie were born. He couldn't pronounce Tessa so he called me baby all the time and it stuck. 

I proceeded to clean my eternally cluttered (not too much to be honest but still) room because well, I was going to have guests. Actually, it was just Liz, Kyle, and...Steve. Today it happened so that Mrs. Anderson who happens to be our Algebra teacher, told us that we had a significant test coming this Friday which would account for almost 20% of our grade this semester. So, the boys came to us for help. Swaying my hips to shake it off while arranging everything, I recollected all that had happened today. 

The two of us were just about to dig in when Kyle and Steve sat down at our table. My eyes locked with his brilliant blue ones.
Kyle blurted, "We need your help!"
Liz who looked bored asked, "Mrs. Andersons' test?"
"Yes! there are only four days for preparation."
She looked at me and asked, "What do you say, Tess?"
"Well," looking at Steve who was staring at me," I think they could use our help."
After an exasperated sigh, she said, "So, we're ready to help you two but what's in it for us?"
Kyle replied flirtatiously, "You get to spend time with this", motioning to himself.
"No thanks, I'll pass!" She said flipping her perfect blonde hair and giving a sarcastic grin.
"I was kidding...please! We're pro bono cases.", he pleaded.

I could barely control my laughter and Steve noticed that. He was smirking at me.
'That idiot boyfriend of mine', I thought. 
After not-so-much deliberation, I replied gravely, "Looking at these charity cases, I think they deserve our help."
"Fine! We can start today but where do you wanna study?"
This time it was Steve who said nonchalantly, "How about Tessa's place?"
Slightly shocked, I replied, "Um...I don't mind, I guess?"
Internally, I was screaming, 'HE'S PLANNING SOMETHING!!! YESSS!'
"Tessa's place it is then."

We all ate together and watched Liz and Kyle flirt back and forth. I was rolling my eyes because Lizzie was just like Izzy lightwood. She'll wear 4-inch heels (stilettos?) and walk all over Kyle's heart, unlike Izzy. But, Kyle was no less of a shameless flirt compared to Lizzie so no danger there.

The loud music had changed to how you get the girl and brought me back to my room. I was singing along so loudly that I did not notice the bell. I was engrossed in singing and dancing awkwardly and freely around the room that I did not notice that Steve was standing in the doorframe with his backpack slung over his shoulder. When I saw him, It felt as if someone had simultaneously poured ice-cold water and scalding hot water over me. But, he was smiling as if he had seen something as enchanting as a glassy lake surface on a full moon night.

I was too mortified to even move but he was blushing too (thankfully)! He came up to me and took my hand in his and gently caressed the lines on my hand with his thumb. My heart was beating so hard that I think that he could hear it. My ears were burning red and my cheeks probably looked like tomatoes. 
He just asked, "Tess?"
"Ye...Yes?"
"May I," looking at his shoes, he asks, "Kiss you?"
Bringing up my hands to his lips, he gently kissed each knuckle, and then my palm. In a bold moment, I cupped his cheek and leaned in. But my glasses hit his nose and he yelled, "OUCH!"
"Oh, my gods! I am so sorry," I exclaimed.
Instead of replying, he gently took my glasses off and placed them on the top of my dark red hair.
I leaned in again and then, he met me halfway and when our lips touched, it felt like a surge of electricity went through me, making me feel alive. His lips were thin and soft. They pressed against mine with a sense of urgency. It was intimate and gentle but unpracticed and messy at the same time. He kissed me like I was air and he couldn't breathe. I could feel him pull back for a second and then kiss me more urgently. My hands wrapped around his neck played with his baby-soft brown hair. I felt his nose, his forehead, his chin, and his cheeks pressed against my own. I could feel his lightly muscled and long arms holding me as if I would break if he won't. I smiled against his lips with radiant happiness and felt his lips curl into a smile too. 

So when Lizzie interrupted us with a scream, the two of us pulled back hurriedly and in shock. My mum shouted from downstairs enquiring about Liz. I hurriedly replied that she had seen a spider. I and Steve who were still in each other's arms stared at Liz. 

I broke away from Steve while he looked at me so wistfully, pulled Liz in, and slammed the door shut. I was almost livid at her for breaking up my first kiss. Ever. 
I hissed at her, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"
"I should be the one asking that question. It looked very amazing," She said, vexing both of us.
"I'm not telling you.", I declared. In the meantime, Kyle decided to drop in too. He knocked at the door and I let him in.
"What is going on?", Kyle asked puzzled. 
I opened my mouth to say something but Liz cut me off by saying, "THEYHADTHEIRFIRSTKISS."
"Huh? I didn't understand that."
"The two of them kissed each other."
Now, it was kyle's turn to stare at Steve and make him uncomfortable. It was getting very awkward now so to break the silence, I said," Let's settle in and finish off a chapter today now, shall we?" Everyone settled in and I decided to sit between steve and Liz. 
After four hours, four glasses of milk (insisted on by my mum), a few hundred awkward questions fired at me, and Steve, we finally completed our study session. It was almost 8:30 so everyone went home (Liz was adamant to stay back but I promised her details on phone) except Steve.
I went to the door to drop him off. 
"So?"
"Well," He removed a book from his bag and gave it to me. It was his copy of the city of glass, "Take this and give it to me tomorrow morning. You'll know." He gave a squeeze to my hand.
"Bye. See you tomorrow."
"Bye Tess."
And with that, he was gone.
I opened the book to see what was inside it. It was a letter.

A/N - So, they've had their FIRST KISS and Lizzie blocked them (couldn't help it.lol)!!!!! I'll be updating sooner, I promise. I love y'all!!
I'd love to hear from you all so comment! Vote and share the story!

Love, 
Fangirl1918