Beautiful cover by: stellaarden7

I'm still 99.9% sure this is a dream and I'll wake up any second.

Surely. It has to be. Jake Haze kissed me. In front of the entire school. And people have not stopped talking since. Seriously, this will be the hot topic of conversation for years. Nothing like this ever happens around here.

"You recovered from the shock yet?" Jake asks me as we walk to class together, our shoulders brushing with every second step.

"Don't think I ever will."

He grins at me. "Let's do something tonight."

"Like what?" I ask.

"Go out to dinner," he smiles. "On a date."

I stop to look at him. Really look at him. "Why are you being so... not yourself?"

"Because we went a couple of weeks without seeing each other and it was literally the worst thing I've ever experienced," he replies. "And I've come to the realisation that you're worth it."

Suddenly overwhelmed with my all-consuming feelings for him, I shove him through the door of the vacant classroom beside us. I lock the door and yank down the blind.

He arches an eyebrow at me and looks damn hot as he does.

I toss my backpack to the floor and he does the same. There's a heartbeat-length second of us staring into each other's eyes, both non-verbally expressing how much we love each other. It's so intense it's almost unbearable.

I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him with all I have. His fingers tangle into my hair while mine slide down his neck, to his chest and down his sides. They dance at the edge of his shirt, teasingly stroking his stomach underneath. Jake groans softly, the kiss deepening to something far too intimate to be done on school grounds. There's a pile of school-issued novels on the front desk which are sent clattering across the floor.

With our lips still glued to each other's, we manage to tumble into the side-room and fall breathlessly to the floor. Jake is seated beneath me and is tugging at my shirt. I rear back and yank it off in one fluid movement, before planting my lips back on his. I barely have him reclined before he flips positions, pinning me and wedging his knee between mine.

A hot trail of kisses burns across my jaw, down my neck and across my collarbones. My head is spinning and my heart racing. I've completely forgotten where we are.

"I want this so bad," Jake exhales, his warm breath spilling across my skin.

"Me too," I say just as eagerly back.

"This isn't very romantic," he pants as his lips begin to move down my body.

"Don't really care right now."

I throw my head back, a little painfully, when his hand slips in between my waist band and skin. I'm completely lost with time and our surroundings. The only thing I can focus on is him.

I vaguely hear the bell ring but it's the least of my concerns. It's not until a few moments later, I hear the jiggle of the door handle.

We both freeze.

"Damn door is stuck again," I hear someone mutter as they, once more, try to get the door open.

We both blink back to reality, realising we're half naked and about to get it on in a classroom in the middle of the day.

"Shit," we both panic, scrambling to our feet and rushing around, trying to find our clothes. I hear footsteps leave the door and I reach for Jake's hand, tugging him after me.

"Wanna' skip school?" Jake asks me, shrugging his jacket on and rubbing his hands together.

"Aren't you on a good behaviour bond?" I question.

"Er, yes," he replies.

"Probably shouldn't then."

He sighs, throwing his hand through his hair, looking a little flustered.

"It's going to happen," I say to him, sliding my fingers between his. "There will be the right place, the right time and the perfect moment."

We begin to walk again and Guy is standing by his locker, his jaw swinging as he stares with wide-eyes. He refuses to make eye contact with either of us. He's not so brave now. After a few awkward moments of avoiding us, he finally looks up. Jake casually raises my hand, that's gathered in his, to his mouth and kisses it. Guy looks to the floor as he walks past us.

"I hope this perfect moment comes soon," he says to me with a smile.

"Oh yeah," I grin, squeezing his hand in mine. "It will."

***

"How, when, what!?" Thomas questions before making a movement around his head like an explosion.

"Where have you been? This has been going on forever," Grant rolls his eyes via facetime.

"You knew!?" Thomas exclaims.

Grant looks smug and I shake my head at him.

"Seriously dude, you didn't tell me?" Ed huffs. "I'm literally the only person who would have understood."

"I know, Ed, I'm sorry," I say, genuinely feeling guilty about that.

"I'm seriously that confused," Thomas literally scratches his head, looking dumbfounded. "All the times you fought; it wasn't because you hated each other it was because you... were into each other? I don't get it. That's a weird way to show you like someone."

"It's complicated," I laugh.

"I did not pick this from either of you, man," Thomas looks perplexed as his eyes switch between us. "Like, Cal, you're definitely pretty enough to be, but I never expected it."

I snort. "Pretty?"

"Hey!" Jake intervenes with a frown. "What about me?"

"Sorry dude, you're... rough around the edges."

"Screw you!"

Thomas grins and avoids Jake's swing. "Don't be a princess."

"So, how did it happen? Give me a play-by-play," Grant interrupts. "Was literally everyone in the courtyard? It was before first class, right?"

"Yep," I nod.

"Can you re-enact it?"

Jake lets out a soft laugh. "Nah man, had to be there the first time."

"Damn Influenza," he mutters, genuinely looking disappointed he missed the show.

"This might sound weird, but have you always been gay?" Thomas quirks his eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I recall you kissing a certain someone several times this year," he continues, pointing his pinkie finger in the direction of Alice's group, who have been the most notorious for gossiping about this latest development.

"That was a confusing time," I say awkwardly and rub the back of my neck.

"Trying to make me jealous," Jake rolls his eyes. "Didn't work."

"Worked very well, actually," I point out.

"Okay, this is really weird," Thomas blinks at us. "Jake, you look happy for the first time in your life. Which is just...bizarre to see. And Cal, man, how have you kept this hidden?"

"I thought it was becoming obvious but I guess not."

"Is it weird that I kind of want you two to kiss right now?"

"Yes," Jake and I both say.

"Okay, fair call," he nods.

Grant lets out a series of wet-sounding coughs and Thomas screws his face up.

"Ew Grant, you're ruining the happy vibes here."

"Sorr-ee!" he rolls his eyes. "Can't help that I'm dying."

"Quit being dramatic."

We talk to Grant for a few more minutes, before the end-of-lunch bell signals. We wave goodbye and make our way to the lockers. Chewing at my lip, I reach for Jake's hand. He tightens his fingers through mine and gives them a squeeze.

"This isn't so bad," he smiles. "People are watching us, judging, whispering, but I actually don't care?" it comes out as a question as he shrugs. "Thought this was all going to be a lot worse."

"We definitely made it out to be worse in our heads, that's for sure," I agree. "But if anyone says anything to us, we'll just punch them."

Jake gives me his trademark wild grin, that invites my own onto my face. "No one would dare to step up to the Football Captain."

"How'd you hear about that?" I ask.

"I know people who know people."

"Thomas told you at lunch."

"Yep," he laughs. "It's been my dream you know, to date the captain..."

"Quit it," I punch his arm softly.

We reach my locker first and I can't wipe the smile from my face as I withdraw my History textbook.

"I did a thing," I state.

"What thing?"

I point to my locker door where I've made a six-photo collage of photos of us. They all have a sun-tint pre-set edit that Ellie used on them, to make them look top-level photography level.

"Cute," Jake smiles.

"You are."

"You were first."

"Yeah, nice one," I laugh.

"Shut up."

We head to his locker next, which isn't far from mine. As I lean against the cold metal, I reach out and touch my fingers down the side of his face.

"I fucking love you."

Jake gives me his rare, beautiful smile. "I fucking love you, too."

---------------

Thoughts?

So... I've been thinking about the ending (sorry, this story will eventually have to end and yes I'm so not ready for it) but I'm realistic enough to know that y'all are going to ask me for a sequel and considering you talked me into writing this whole book, I'm 100% sure you'll convince me to do a sequel, so I'm just thinking of my options here -- what do you think about what I did for Darker Than Sin by making Part One and Part Two?  Which will basically be two whole stories but all just on the one book sectioned into two parts? I'm also thinking it could follow them through to the life after school? Thoughts? And/or ideas?

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