Jaylan earned a sticker Monday.

Two actually, but I have to ease up on them because he really could earn his reward quicker than I thought.

We stayed in Virginia for at least four hours, getting to know each other as acquaintances.

He was right, the endless fries just kept coming. I made sure we got some for Jordy. Jaylan kept eating some and I threatened him with not getting a sticker. He straightened up really quick, with a fry sticking out of his mouth like a walrus.

After the third time on repeat, he sang Hakuna Matata with me, reminding me not to worry about his previous love affairs.

Jaylan told me his situation with Ava right away at dinner, to make the air clearer because she texted him a very inappropriate photo. We were trying to make our perfect pinterest fry photo and perfect boomerang on Instagram for him catching the fry in his mouth.

He kept apologizing to me for seeing her small store mangoes. He even blocked her on every account he had, then went through all his phone contacts and showed me that he deleted and blocked any other girl's numbers. I told him he didn't need to do that, especially if Max told him, but he gave me a stern look and said he should have done it weeks ago.

I know he's just trying to prove there's nothing to worry about, but it's natural for an overthinking woman like myself to do. When he said he is going to prove himself to me, I'm not sure what he means but I'm curious what that crazy, spur-of-the-moment plan ruiner is going to do.

I sigh, dreamily typing my name into the blank Microsoft document that needs to be my term paper.

In one long conversation, I found out a lot about Jaylan. The worst part was he likes the worst possible candy in the world, PEEPS.

Who eats that stuff?

I may be a candy enthusiast but I know for a fact that Peeps should have never been invented.

For starters, the texture makes no sense. They're sugar coated, too sticky, and of course Jaylan says it's perfect because he can lick it off his fingers. That was not a telenovela dream I wanted to have last night, of him licking his fingers so perfectly as his eyes turn into the maple syrup that's banned in America. Besides, who would put Splenda on a marshmallow?

I shake my head, titling my paper, 'Smoking's effect on coronary arteries, and the pattern and complexity of coronary artery disease.'

You know what else I like about Jaylan? He really loves his mom.  His mom sounds like a really nice lady and honestly she was very beautiful too. The photo he showed me says was the best memory of his life because it was the first time he saw his mother happy from accomplishing something for herself. She did seem very happy with her baby boy in that photo.

I know she would be proud of him for the man he has become but not sure if she would be pleased by him not living by a schedule.

I sink my teeth in as I begin my thesis. My heart palpated while I'm researching and writing out the truth about coronary artery disease.

You know what else he did, to earn two stickers Monday?

He bought me a bag of peach rings for dessert on our way back. I fed him a few times and he kept trying to lick my finger, making me giggle at how his tongue felt on my skin.

Mr. Unplanned Hot Pants doesn't cease to amaze me and yet makes my eye twitch about how careless and free he is without a schedule. He doesn't even go by the paper print out calendar to put our custody candle agreement, his times to put on his aloe, physical therapy, x-ray appointment, and our one a daily slot of twenty minutes.

He doesn't know, but I've made a tracker for myself to keep up with our progress to move us to friends level. It's almost filled surprisingly. I actually started it Saturday and I had to slow down because he's really close to the friendship level.

Like this Tuesday, he showed up to Clinical early in the morning and dropped me off coffee and cheesy tots from Burger King during our pre-briefing. He even kissed my cheek and wished me a happy Tater Tot Day in front of everyone. Even Professor Khan cooed at that and I still think she has no heart.

He earned a sticker for that day too.

Or yesterday, when I typically have lunch with Jessica sitting in the window seat to spy on Physical Therapy students because Jessica has set her eyes on one girl. He showed up again, with Chipotle and ate with us! He even got extra hot on mine just like I like it.  Jessica said it was the cutest thing in the world, him stealing some of my chicken out of my bowl.

Ugh, he got a sticker for that too!

I don't honestly know what to think of this dynamic because if it was any other guy, then I would have told him to take a hike after messing up my schedule. But when Jaylan does it, I can't help but enjoy it.

Lexi has been more excited and involved with this whole process of new beginnings. She said she had never seen me smile this much since I won the five hundred counted filled Jolly Ranchers at the Special Olympics that I won last year while volunteering. I'm still working on finishing them, I don't know why there are so many grape ones.

Jaylan is definitely making up for his words since Saturday and making up for lost time since Sky Zone. It almost makes me wonder if the photo had never happened, what could be happening right now. I'm not sure if I'm ready for a relationship, especially with everything going on at home. Isabela has been so overwhelmed with Señor Ricardo eating dinner and even spending the night. Mateo really doesn't care because he's leaving soon and he shoves everything down because 'it's none of his business,' as he puts it .

Señor Ricardo is not a bad man but he is not Papa.

Papà has been doing everything he can to spend time with Isabela, assuring her false promises like he is good at. I don't want Isabela to face this alone. I wish I could be there to celebrate Decorate with Candy Day today, like old times. Mamà would decorate our house like a candy store and we would make homemade lollipops with Tio Victor. Papà would make a scavenger hunt, finding candy bag throughout the house. But, by the end, he would have a huge bag full for us, waiting in the backyard, all the time. 

My eyes begin to water as I go to the search engine, typing the negative outcomes of coronary artery disease. I wipe them away and blink my eyes until the screen becomes clear again.

I wish I didn't have to write a stupid paper on Decorate with Candy Day. It requires APA format, somebody give me a Mexican ghost pepper. Luckily, Lexi made today slightly more exciting, wishing Maxine a good luck as she hopped on her team bus to UNC for a game while wearing our candy costumes bright and early.  Marcus even came to say goodbye, giving Max a sweet romantic kiss in front of everyone.

It was so magical. I added some ideas to my dream first kiss Pinterest board.

I smile, thinking how she got so red, like her hair. Marcus got some candy too. However, not the cheerleaders, well, some did. Most them kept grumbling at Lexi and I, saying how immature we were, how we were in college and needed to grow up, when Lexi was doing a tik tok to Laffy taffy with Testudo.

Ava was one of them as she snatched several Tootsie Rolls from the bowl we had for everyone. She didn't even let Testudo have any. Good thing I saved extra in my backpack.

Maxine shut those statements down, telling them to take a hike or she'll shove up the candy up their conga drums. Unfortunately, I had to take another sticker down for that, leaving her with just the same amount as Jaylan now.

I'm glad she stuck up for us but people are just mean because they can't find joy in themselves. I was so happy I could get a Pinterest photo in my costume though, all thanks to Marcus. Maxine tried to hide her smile at that.

She likes him.

Unfortunately, I couldn't celebrate much more of it today because I had to go clinical right after. I was bummed I couldn't wear my sky blue scrubs or my candy necklace earrings. However, I did give my clinical unit bags of candy bracelets. My preceptor Ximena was excited, just like everyone else on the floor.

I really need to pick up a shift there.

I twist my lips as I begin to write my opening paragraph of the anatomy aspect of how chemicals accumulate over time through the arteries.

If only Papà  could have followed through with his words.

I sigh sadly every time the reality of what my Papà did to himself over the years resurfaces in my typed words, behaviors and symptoms that lead up to his myocardial infarction. Anatomy and Statistics never lie about what drugs do to our body.  Why couldn't he have been addicted to candy like me? I just have a few cavities here and there and some stomach aches.

I wish whoever his friend was hadn't shown him how to smoke. It ruined the people he loved and broke a family apart.

I hate cigarettes.

My chest tightens as I think about how each cigarette has so many carcinogens. Just the word scares me to think about.

I wish I could tell Jaylan about it but he probably thinks it would be silly. I guess I'll wait until I finish my acquaintance to friend tracker. 

I nibble my lip as I finish my last sentence, introducing my first reasoning on the complexity of coronary artery disease. I'll tell you what... a broken family.

I reach ever to stick a Twizzler in my mouth while researching fears I don't ever want to come true.  I hitch my breath as I chew up some Twizzler, shaking those negative outcomes out of my mind about what could happen to Papa.

As I begin to work on my third sentence, my phone flashes up. I look over, arching my brow because I definitely had it on Do Not Disturb. I reach over over to see it's Mr. Carefree face timing. I furrow my eyebrows because I specifically wrote on his calendar not to disturb me at this four to seven time slot, but the butterflies make my thumb swipe across.

Mira Nomas

My eyes float around as he smirks while sitting in his room with his shirt off, rubbing some aloe on his fresh, beautiful tattoo. He lets out a chuckle because I must have been staring too hard while counting to eight.

"Chuckles, I thought you were writing a paper." He hums at the end.

"You called me." I furrow my eyebrows.

"I know. I was just calling to remind you that I'm picking up my candle tonight," he teases.

"Our candle," I correct him.

"Ahhh, you finally admit it." He shares a cocky grin.

"How did you get through my do not disturb?"

"Because I'm a favorite." He winks.

My mouth gapes open and I check my phone and see that he added himself! I grunt and he starts cracking up, laughing loudly.

"I'm taking you off," I warn and he continues to cackle.

"Well, I'll see you in thirty minutes," he says, keeping his boyish grin.

"No, you don't mister, I have a paper to write." I point my purple highlighter at him.

"What you want from America's best wings?" He ignores me and I twist my lips to the side because they do have really yummy cheesy jumbo mozzarella sticks.

I arch my brow and he does it back. "You can't come till seven," I twist my lips and he chuckles, making my butterflies dizzy from too much nectar.

His voice shifts to that stern lecture mode that makes me shiver. "Elizabeth, what do you want."

"Mozzarella sticks," I say softly and he rubs his jaw, making my butterflies get the spins.

"That all?" He looks like he doesn't believe me.

"And french fries," I squeak and he laughs.

"Alright, i'll see you then,"

I nod slowly and he smiles at me as our eyes dance back and forth. "Bye." I hang up quickly and plop back right on Conor's back, trying to wipe this smile off my face but it won't come off.

"Conor what am I going to do with Mr. Carefree," I whine. "I think he earned another sticker."

I let a light sigh and sit up as some of my notes shift around. Gathering my notes about coronary artery disease, I get back into my essay because Jaylan will only distract me further once he's here.

Okay, I need to work harder on this paper.

━━━━━━━✿━━━━━━

After having a twenty minute meltdown not knowing how to find another reasoning on the effects of smoking and coronary artery disease, I slam my Apple Mac closed and shove all my papers to the side.

I hate APA format.

I sigh, crawling off my bed as I catch sight of myself in the mirror. I begin to check myself out and twist my lips. Maybe I should put on some mascara? I just wiped off my makeup from earlier and I'm seriously due for a facial mask, especially all the stress I've been under but I'll just do it tomorrow. I twist up my long shirt to knot it at my waist like Lexi does sometimes, to show off her belly ring to Stephen when he comes over for movie night. 

The slight flash of rose gold at my midsection catches my eye. The small heart dangles perfectly, not to big and not too small, just how I like it . Do I want to show Jaylan mine? I mean, maybe he'll like the new belly ring I got for today. I ordered a really cute one that I saw on Etsy on Pinterest that I couldn't resist to get for valentines day.

Yeah, I better pick up some more shifts.

Okay, should I leave my hair up or down.... Geez, where is Lexi better yet Maxi-

"Doc Mc. Stuffins, I'm freezing girl," Jaylan calls through the callbox, his voice echoing through the house.

I squeak, rushing out the room with my shirt falling down out of the knot.  I go into the kitchen and let him. The butterflies in my tummy begin jumping up and down, so I hold my stomach to calm them down. I sink my teeth in, quickly walk to the door, and not even five seconds later he knocks on the door. I open my door to see Big Dinosaur with two bags in his hands. He smiles, drawing back as he flickers his eyes up and down.

"Yo, where is your pants," he says loudly in the hallway and I gasp, pulling him into the house. The last thing I need is the film majors who live diagonally from us to text Maxine giving her heart palpitations before the game.

He cackles as he pokes my side as I furrow my eyebrows at him. He walks to the table putting our stuff down...weird to say. He rubs his hands together, pulling stuff out but I reach my hand over to stop him.

"I'm hungry," He whines.

"Wait," I tell him.

I go into the kitchen to grab the assorted candy plates I had bought yesterday at Five Below, with pink matching utensils. We had funfetti oreo pancakes this morning with strawberries because Maxine refused to eat junk food.

I go back into the living room to see him with chipmunk cheeks and a french fry hanging out. I furrow my eyebrows and put it on the table. I then quickly go back to the room to grab our candle and my phone. Then go back out to the living room seeing him with an onion ring in his mouth.

"What? I'm starving, chuckles, Workouts make me hungry," he confesses.

I grunt and he laughs as he chews his food.  I go back into the kitchen to grab some cups and Maxine's naughty mango lighter for fountain drinks and our candle. All Jaylan could do is smile at me as I organize our stuff in a cute way then place our candle in the middle. I light the candle and he gasps because I'm playing with fire, knowing the rules of our condo building.

Yeah, there is no telling Maxine not to do something, especially when she pale santos or sages herself.

"Breaking rules?" He lets out the biggest smile and I shake my head, dismissing any of his teasing comments.

"Okay, now we can eat. No, wait," I say, stopping him and he groans.

"Elizabeth," he grumbles, wanting to devour his food.

"We have to pray," I say sheepishly and he wipes his hand over his face.  I giggle and shut my eyes, reaching my hands over to his, which grabs mine playfully to be annoying.

"Gracias dios por este alimento y gracias por este día amén (Thank you God for this food and thank you for this day amen)," I say shyly and he says, 'Amen,' caressing my wrist.

"Can we eat now?"  He says like he hasn't eaten in six thousand years.

"I wanted a Pinterest photo but I guess I'll have to wait."

"Oh, we can have plenty tonight." He  his hand through the Five Below grocery bag.

I arch my brow but my mouth drops and I gasp loudly. He pulls out the most romantic thing ever that makes me want to throw all this food onto the floor and attack him with kisses.

"Happy National Decorate with Candy Day." He waves the candy necklace box.

My upper body grows warm at the most chivalrous gesture anyone has done for me.

"Thank you," I shyly look down, opening up my styrofoam container.

The aroma of fried cheese and Italian seasonings hits my nose and I sigh happily. My eyes marvel at how perfect they look. Too delicious too eat but good enough for a picture.

"Thank you, Jaylan." I pick up the heavenly cheesy goodness.

"Anytime gorgeous." He winks at me, biting a barbecue wing that coats a small drop of sauce on the corner of his lip. His tongue flicks out and licks it off and, for a moment, I forget what I'm eating.

At the reminder of my cheese sticks, I wrap my lips around one and now Jaylan is staring at me. I bite down and instantly a moan escapes from my mouth from the euphoric combination of seasonings.

"Este sabor tan bueno (This tastes so good)!" Letting it all melt in my mouth, with the added marinara sauce, I close my eyes.

I open them to see Jaylan's eyes completely dilated and gazing at me like he's lost in la la la land. I giggle, making him shake out of it and I sneak an onion ring.

He winks at me making me squeak while biting the onion ring and put it down on my plate.

"Where did you find the candy necklaces, I looked over where with Lexi yesterday," I stress looking at the box of fun.

"I have my resources," He tease and I sink my teeth in my lip looking down at my plate.

━━━━━━━✿━━━━━━

After stealing each others' fries and Jaylan added ketchup to my nose, dinner was fun. I had to go back to my room and fill in more of the acquaintances to friendship tracker because he cleaned up the dining room table and told me to finish my essay.

"Making sure you add that," he says smugly when I peel off a star and add it to his chart. I look up, the sticker in mid-air, and see him leaning against my door frame with his arms crossed.

With the intense way he's looking at me, I kind of get distracted in the process to pick up where I left off on my essay o-

I gasp when a large hand closes on my laptop down and I furrow my eyebrows because I literally just got to the closing paragraph.

Good thing I saved it.

Our eyes meet as I furrow my eyebrows at him and he shares a flashy grin.

"But I was almost done!" I wail, only to be tossed up and backwards onto his shoulder.

"I want to celebrate Decorate With Candy Day with the most beautiful certified candy inspector." He lightly taps two times on my conga drum, making me squeak when inreality he just touches it again.

He lets out a chuckle as we walk down the hall back to the living room, which he has all oddly organized but it warms my heart that he tried.

He gently puts me down on the chair and our eyes catch each other. I sink my teeth in my lip, trying to hold my good Maxine face and he just chuckles. He sits down first, and I move to sit next to him but he grabs my waist and sits me on his lap. A tiny squeak leaves me as I plop softly down. My thighs are half the size of his but I shift my legs outside his. My cheeks flame warm at how my conga drum is pressed right up against his lap.

He's... actually comfortable. These eight abs are harder than the rocks I used to collect when I was younger and waited to hit the tooth fairy for sneaking into my room without my permission... Papa wasn't too happy about that and the tooth fairy gave me a pink slip of insufficient funds.

"Soooo, do we eat these after we're done?" He reaches over my head and pops a light blue ring in his mouth. His chest rubs over my back as he moves and I blink a few times before his question registers in my brain.

"Not until midnight," I say but shut my mouth as he grins devilishly.

"You aren't staying here that late, I go to bed atttt ten," I say, glancing at the echo show flashing Lexi, Max, and I's photo last night at Target. I'm in the cart because, well, of course I wanted to out do the photos on Pinterest. 

"Aww, come on. Maxine's gone for the rest of the weekend." I can't see his face from behind me but hear him smirking as he grabs a white elastic string.

"Jaylan, you have to earn twenty stic... never mind." I palm my forehead and he bounces me slightly on his thighs as he cackles. Looping a blue candy ring on his necklace, he's concentrating a lot better than I am. I grab a light pink one and he grabs one too.

"Alexa, play Thursday Night playlist." I lift up my finger and surprisingly she gets it right.

Ooh, the rhythm takes you over

Takes you to a different place

A different space

I bop my head back and forth to the music, trying not to shake my hips too much, while continuing to make my necklace. Jaylan mimics me and I giggle at his interesting dance moves to Selena.

"Alright, so I know we made a candle together, you like to puke on me to get a sweatshirt, you like to play in a ball pits, like the color blue, have a love for french fries, celebrate every possible day of the year known to man, you have a good taste in tattoos, want to be a nurse to take care of me when I'm old, want to be Pinterest famous, and... hmmm, like my eight abs," he lists with a big grin at the end.

ALEXIS LANISE. She has a big mouth.

I gasp and he cackles, adding another candy ring. I furrow my eyebrows as I take a yellow candy ring and consider what I can roast him back with.

"Hmm, let's see I know you. You like disgusting Peeps, like to eat other people's food, have a billion tattoos, are too tall for life, laugh at everything I do... like the color blue... like to hold hands with me, and - Hey! Stop that," I interrupt myself as Jaylan's holding up his phone at his long arm's length and recording my rant.

I wave my hand in front of him. He continues to laugh and squishes my face into his for the camera. I cover my face and he ends the Instagram story. "Add me on Insta."

"No way," I crinkle my nose but smile at the invitation.

"Come onnnn," he teases and pokes one finger into my side.

"You have too many followers," I remind him and he lets out a soft sigh. He does, more than Lexi and Maxine combined. He has about two million followers and is verified, which Maxine says is fake. She's been trying to get verified for awhile now.

"But I feel like everyone should know the most beautiful Tater Tot Day celebrator," he says in the cutest way, tucking his chin over my shoulders. I sink my teeth in my lower lip, taking a green candy ring and slipping it on my necklace.

"Maybe when we become friends," I shyly tease and he tickles both my sides this time, almost making me spill all my candy necklace on the table.

Silence fills around us, except the sounds oft us picking up the candy together. At one moment we pick up the same yellow ring together, catching each other's glances. I flash a smile and look down and he lets out a chuckle.

Finally, and before Jaylan, I finish up my necklace and hold it up. He takes a photo and smiles proudly.

"Here let me put it on," he softly whispers, making the butterflies get butterflies in their tummies. 

With the rough pads of his fingers, he gently pushes my hair softly to the side and puts the necklace around my neck. "Don't tie it too tight," I instruct him because he's being so gentle.

His warm breath sends tingles down the side of my neck. "Never, Doc McStuffins."

I look over my shoulder, shyly smiling at him. He licks his lower lip at me and I look away from him, noticing our candle still burning on the table. Getting off his lap, I walk over and blow it out, smiling because we can't let it go to waste. I have plans for this thing.

"How's mine look?" Jaylan diverts my attention to his half-yellow and half-blue necklace. He has no sense of organization. I smirk and giggle.

"You going to put it on me." His voice makes my chest warm a bit. I step closer until I stand between his knees. At this height, my mangoes are right in his face.

I sink my teeth and he turns his head and places it around his neck. As I tie it, I notice his side neck tattoo that has a humming bird. I want to touch it but think I should ask. "What does your neck tattoo mean?" I softly say.

He turns his head and takes my hand to trace my fingers on it. His skin was so smooth on his neck in comparison to his hands that are rough and scratchy. His tattoo fingers remind me less of a coloring book like I first thought and more a journal of illustrations.

"My grandmother, my mom's mom, used to like bird watching in her backyard. She would have different feeders for each bird. She liked the hummingbird because it reminded her of healing. She said a hummingbird is appearing to you so that you can reconnect with your core essence, to rebuild your life from a foundation that aligns with your true purpose," he softly says as his eyes light up like his syrupy color mixes with honey.

"I never knew that," I softly say and he touches my chin making us look at each other.

"Maybe we could go to the place she likes on Kazoo Day," he slips that in and I try to hide back my smile.

"Maybe,' I whisper as he sweeps the pad of his thumb in an arch over my chin, making my lips part slightly open.

He clears his throat and picks up his phone. "Here, let's take a photo, make Jordy jealous."

"Hey, that's not nice. Maybe we should make him one," I say, reaching for another string.

He narrows his eyes, teasingly looking me up and down while opening up his camera. We pose in the camera when Jaylan tries to take a bite of my necklace.

"JAYLAN!" I whine and he takes a picture right at the right moment. He lets go and he smirks at the cute photo of us, which actually is kind of Pinterest pin-worthy.

"Seeee, I'm good at it," he teases and I shake my head.

"Hey, let's play truth or dare," he taps on the table.

"Umm, actually... We can't." I hide my hands over my lips.

"Why not," he arches his brow.

"Because well... Maxine says not to play that with guys alone."

He cackles, throwing his head back at a legit rule we have in this house.  Maxine said the last time she played that, she was with a frat guy under the bleachers of the  doing some naughty things. I actually tuned that story out, like the rest of her naughty encounters through our college experience. She actually keeps track of her adventurous encounters.

"Comeeeee onnn," Jaylan begs playfully, touching my necklace. I smack his hand and he laughs.

"Okay, but you go first," I point and he nods, smirking. "Truth or Dare," I say shyly.

"Dare," he says like a bad boy.

I think about it tapping my chin and he pokes my side, making me laugh. "I dare you to go live and say you like broccoli and eat one," I crinkle my nose and he laughs, shaking his head.

I hop off his lap and rush into the kitchen to go into the refrigerator, digging in Maxine's healthy food storage bin. She loves too many vegetables. I break off the largest broccoli tree in there and shut the refrigerator, only for Jaylan to behind me while holding his phone out and I furrow my eyebrows.

"So, this beautiful candy inspector is making me eat broccoli." Jaylan takes the broccoli out of my hands, which looks smaller in his and I frown at that.

"HAHA, Jordy! Nah, it was a dare." Jaylan laughs, talking to his phone.

"What did he say," I squeak softly and Jaylan smiles at me, pulling me into the camera but I turn my face into his chest. "Maxine said stop wasting her food and she knows your hiding spot now"  I giggle more into his chest making me feel his vibrations on his chest.

"Alright, I'm eating it. Ready, one.....two.... three." Jaylan tosses the entire piece into his mouth, chewing it with every cringe. I should be disgusted but the determination in his eyes is... actually distracting me from the worst vegetable ever.

I cringe for him, hearing every crunch of that bitter, evil vegetable. After a tight swallow, he shows with his long tongue that it's gone but up close I see a few leaves stay behind.

"Alright, 'bye Instagram." He turns off his phone and I scrunch my face.

"I can't believe you ate broccoli."

"I eat a lot of things." He licks his lower lip and I arch my eyebrow at him. He sends another smirk. "Alright Doc McStuffins, truth or dare."

"Um........." If I do a dare he might try to make me say something naughty to our neighbors, or worse make me eat broccoli, or truth... He might make me confess that I have a Pinterest board about first time kisses and making love. And yes, I have that board, so don't judge me. It's set on private, so no one can see.

My eyes widen and he arches my brow. "Doc McStuffins."

"Okay, okay, okay," I say, walking out of the kitchen so he forgets about the broccoli, walking into the living room and hopping on the sofa.

He hops right next to me, making me bounce. "What's the hold up, Doc?"

"Nothing..." I hold my hand up to my lips.

"Scared?" He arches his brow with a smirk, then leans down closer to me.

"No." Maybe.

"Then, what's the verdict?"

"Dare," I let it slip out my lips.

Two horns pop out, one on each side of his head and his smile reminds me of a cartoon villain.

"I dare you to let me bite one of your candy rings," he says with a dark voice.

I squeak as he gives me the most wicked smile and couldn't help but giggle as he leans forward playfully. We are eye-to-eye before he dips his head lower, brushing his soft, short beard over my cheek. The tip of his nose skims lightly down the side of my neck, making my pulse quicken there. After a slow, deep breath in, he exhales, warmly letting out his overpowering cinnamon breath. My breath hitches and he lets out a chuckle, the vibrations rumbling into my shoulder.

Wait a minute...

"¿Qué día es hoy? (What is today?)" I wait for his answer and he quizzically smiles at me, making me know that this real.

My necklace sits right where the right side of my neck meets my shoulder. His lips graze over my skin before they latch on to my necklace and the warm, soft contact makes me shiver.  My eyes flutter shut because his warm, steady breaths fanning down my neck are making me dizzy. Warmth flushes through me when he wets his lips and the tip of his tongue softly touches my skin.

With a slight yank that pulls the necklace into the opposite side of my neck, he bites down. The crunch sound that erupts sounds like it's the only thing playing in the room

With a burst, the front door opens, making us divert our attention to Lexi and Stephen, who are arching their brows at us while holding hands. I cover my mouth and Jaylan laughs at us getting caught. My heart is becoming very tachycardiac and any moment Jaylan could send me right into Ventricular Fibrillation all over again.

"Elizabeth," Lexi only says, observing everything from how close Jaylan is leaning over me to his mouth looking like it's on my neck.

"It's not what you think," I murmur as heat rises in my cheeks.

"Mhm." She hums, flickering her eyes at Jaylan up and down. Stephen chuckles, pulling Lexi to her room playfully.

I turn to Jaylan with narrow eyes. He only could give me a sly grin mimicking me with narrow eyes. My cheeks become rosy as he licks his lower lip, getting the candy necklace residue off.  "We are never playing this again!"

"Never say never." He winks, chews the candy piece, and swallows.

Now I can see why Maxine says no truth or dare.

Edited and Spiced by: still_just_me