"RYAN!?"

"Yeah. " Larry smirked. "Look at your brand new-boyfriend cheating on you."

Jessica ignored Larry's comment as she grabbed Ryan's arm and pulled him along with her. She walked swiftly till they were far away from the sight of Larry. 

"You do know if we were seriously dating, this would have been considered cheating."

"This is cheating. But that son of a bitch forced me. I thought he would leave me alone."

"Apparently he wouldn't. As a matter of fact, you were kissing him back. Why not admit liking him when you do? Is it about what your sexuality is?"

Ryan sighed. "It is not about what my sexuality is. I would not prefer myself to be with a man but that is because I have always been against people who are not straight. I can. accept. that. if that is a part of me."

Jessica looked at Ryan with concerned eyes. 

"I... I just need time, Jessica. I cannot push myself into something I am not ready for."

"Relax. I was just asking. You are still my boyfriend, and I won't let someone steal you without my permission. Wait I have something here-"

She took out a ring from her finger, one she had been wearing for a long time now, circled it around Ryan's head once and then put his hands into hers, sliding the ring in his pinky finger.

"-its done. Now you have a protective shield around you. And no one can seduce you except the owner of that ring."

Ryan looked at Jessica as if she was the dumbest person he had ever seen. He chuckled.

"Are you for real?"

"You got to put up with that. For now at least."

Ryan gently smacked Jessica's head as he walked ahead.

"Wait. Drop me off to my dorm." Jessica rushed to catch up with him.

"You don't seem like the one to talk nonsense talks all the time." Ryan stated.

"One should never assume. What's that cut on your lips from? Did Larry bite you?" Jessica grinned.

"None of your concern."

"Again?"

And that was how this long day had come to an end for these two- with a long walk in the night as friends.

*************************************************************************************

"Jessica, over here." Kiana waved at Jessica and pointed to the empty seat next to her. She had convinced Jessica to stick with her whenever they had a common class, not wanting to lose her to a boy. Believe me, its easy to lose your good friend in a relationship, way easier than you might think.

Jessica had barely taken her seat when Ryan hugged from behind and planted a kiss on her cheek, leaving Jessica all red and stunned. She had never tried the P.D.A. thing before, not that she had anyone to try with. She was blushing hard, and her face was a burning fire.

"Whatever are you doing!?" She whispered to Ryan who had accommodated himself in whatever space was offered to him after pressing the two girls in an inch's space. Kiana scoffed as she gave him a side eye.

"Just giving my girlfriend a morning kiss." He smirked.

"Yeah, girlfriend. Don't you sit with your friends?"

"I have a girlfriend now." Ryan said as he twirled a strand of Jessica's hair with his fingers, looking straight into her eyes. You are something. Jessica said to herself.

"Let's go for a movie, after classes."

"We have exams from next Monday, remember?"

"I am all prepared-"

"I am not though."

"Shut up you two. Profs here." Kiana hissed at these two, an all lovey-dovey couple.

.

.

.

It was only after about an eternity that this particular lecture of advanced mathematics involving functions and derivatives was over. Jessica banged her head on the table, "How many more classes do we have today?"

"I have two. You have none, unless you missed any of the practical's or something." Kiana said while packing her stuff as she left the class.

"She's pissed I guess." Ryan shrugged.

"So, what movie are we watching?" Jessica tried to smile in a flirtatious way, while making sure she didn't look dumb. Although she had been talking to Ryan and spending time with him, she was not the most comfortable with him.

"Just movie? I was planning on a date-"

"So Larry would be jealous?"

Ryan laughed at that and Jessica, well, she found herself lost for a moment. As if she still felt something, more than friendship.

"No... no. I just wanted us to spend some time together. Get along or something."

Jessica raised an eyebrow.

"We have been getting along just fine. But I think we should go out, I haven't seen much of this place, and I am assuming neither have you."

"I don't have any money on me-", Jessica smirked "- and, for all those insults that you threw on me before, you should pay."

Before Jessica could react, Ryan planted a quick kiss on her lips, leaving Jessica stunned once again. "Okay", he whispered, "I'll pay."

"Let... Let's go." Jessica quickly turned the other way and got up to leave.

"I've got good flirting skills, haven't I baby!?" Ryan spoke loud enough for whoever was in the class to hear. That made Jessica walk away faster. Leaving her embarrassed.

It was about 1 pm when these two finished dressing up and met each other at the parking lot. Jessica spotted Ryan from a distance. He wore a black hoodie and jeans, was on a phone call with someone, and for the second time in a day, Jessica couldn't look away. Ryan too, had now seen Jessica and waved at her as he continued to talk on the phone. It was strange, the way these two pair of eyes looked at each other. Jessica walked towards Ryan, with small, steady steps, and not once did her eyes stopped staring into his. And words never stopped coming out of Ryan's mouth, but his heart exulted at the way a certain someone he had never thought was even close to being called pretty, looked exquisitely beautiful under the sun and in the light wind that blew. It was at instincts that he uttered something inaudible to anyone, almost in his mind and yet aloud- "You look beautiful."

Jessica stood right in front of him when she stopped, gesturing him to end the phone call immediately. 

"Okay, um, I'll call you later, bye."

"Where are we going?"

"Get in the car. We'll decide when we see something." Ryan put on his black sunglasses and offered another similar pair to Jessica. 

" 'ave ye ever seen some'ne so cooool!" Jessica faked an accent as she laughed lightly. She was starting to enjoy it.

They head off first to an arcade, playing whatever games they set their eyes on. They had planned to try everything in the place. 

"Let's do the toy claw crane. I neverrrr win that." Jessica groaned. 

"You make me feel embarrassed, you know that right?" Ryan said as he headed towards the game Jessica pointed to. 

Just like everyone, he lost it. The first time, the second, and the third.

"This damn thing is rigged." He explained when he had finally caught a Pikachu toy but it fell down the moment he moved it to the left. Jessica couldn't help but laugh at how pitiful he looked. Ryan went on trying, again and again, until someone who worked at the arcade offered to help him, and actually won three softies for them. 

Ryan was still dissatisfied at having to admit defeat. 

"It's just a game. Relax. Where do we go next? It's been hours already." Jessica said when they finally came out of the arcade. 

"Amusement park?" Ryan suggested as he searched possible places for continuing the date on his phone. "We could try a few rides and then maybe take a stroll."

"Sounds good." Jessica agreed.

Time passed away in whim at the amusement park. Rides after rides and then something to eat. For two people who never got along, this was something strange.

"What flavor do you want?" Ryan asked Jessica as she looked at the ice-cream chart for the third time. 

"I'll go with mint-chocolate. Never tried it before."

"Okay. One mint chocolate and one butterscotch."

By this time, the sky had turned dusky, with lights shining everywhere, the stars could not be seen, but the moon was visible more than ever. Ryan and Jessica had found a quiet place, designed like a hill, quite far from all the hustle of the rides and shops, and offering a beautiful view to the eyes.

"We should do it more often."

"What? Go on dates? I doubt I was half the fun you would have had with your friends."

Ryan chuckled. "They are rowdy. Yeah, I would have had more fun-" Jessica gave him a glare,"- but it was good to spend some one on one time and know you. It was calm and serene."

"Calm and serene are the last thing people want their amusement park visits to be." Jessica let another spoonful of ice- cream spread on her taste buds.

"I don't know. It was just good." Ryan looked at the lights while nodding in approval.

A moment of silence prevailed as the light wind went passed through them.

"Did you think about-"

"The Larry thing?"

"Yeah."

"I might be a bisexual."

"Okay"

"Okay?"

"No well, what did you decide about it then? Are you giving him a chance or-"

"Can we talk about that later, maybe?"

"Sure. Sorry." 

"What about Liam? I am afraid you would actually fall for me." Ryan winked at Jessica and she smacked him lightly.

"I stand true to my no boy policy. No relationships. I like him still but since he doesn't, I'll not hope for anything more."

"You are in a relationship with me."

"Let's break up then."

"Was this date so bad?"

"I feel we are better off as friends."

"Friend zoning me?"

Jessica smiled a weary smile. "You have a thing for Larry, I have, maybe a thing for Liam. Right now, I don't feel anything 'romantic' for you. And Larry anyway would not stop troubling you, so it seems."

Ryan nodded once. "Well, before breaking up, I might teach you something to help you with your future relationships." He tried to lighten the serious air that had seemed to engulfed them both.

"Oh? And what might that be?"

"The way to kiss."

"I-" 

Ryan lightly brushed his lips on Jessica's, lightly sweeping the tip of his tongue over her lower lip. He slowly slid his tongue in and playfully kissed her. Jessica didn't kiss him back immediately. "Kiss me back." Ryan blurted as he bit on her lips and kissed her again. This time, she kissed him back, with a passion she had not thought she might have. 

They were both breathless when they stopped.

"That felt... how did that feel?" Jessica asked Ryan.

"Kind of good."

"Yeah. Same. Why did we kiss though?" Jessica asked genuinely confused.

Ryan shrugged. In all honesty, he too had no idea why he kissed her. 

"Maybe to end our date? Like a good date?"

"Let's go." 

The night had turned dark when they were heading back. Jessica was exhausted, and being the early morning person that she was, had already dozed off. Ryan had broken the speed limit once again, they streets were mostly empty.

"Jessica... wake up... we are here."

Ryan gently shook Jessica to wake her up. She stirred a little but did not wake up.

Something made the time stop again, for Ryan once again was unable to move his eyes from Jessica.

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1855 words :)