More than ever, I completely understand why Collins and Lena kept their relationship secret.

Now, don't get excited; Hendrix and I aren't in a relationship, but after a little more kissing and getting absolutely no project work done, we decided that we'd continue to see how we felt in private, behind closed doors so to speak, to make sure that this isn't just a phase.

At the end of the day, it makes sense. Elijah and I have been enemies for years. And that's not an exaggeration. Literally years. Nine weeks of close contact has suddenly turned us into horny creatures, and I need to make sure that I'm not going to snap his neck at the first given moment, because I don't think my mugshot would look all that good on national news next to the headline 'Insane girlfriend kills boyfriend in argument over cereal'.

So, until we're completely, unequivocally sure, we're continuing in secret. It's sort of like a test, you know, to make sure we work before we announce it to everyone.

We're going to get to know each other properly, practice not falling out over the most stupid, trivial shit, and frankly, Hendrix could use some lessons in etiquette when it comes to a relationship, because his track record isn't all that great. I don't plan to be one of his little one time flings and the quicker he gets that through his thick skull, the better.

And I mean, come on, this is high school. As soon as people see that the two arch enemies of St Bardos are suddenly sticking their tongues down each others throats, it'll certainly introduce us to a plethora of questions, and more so, miserable fans that will miss our regular grapples in the cafeteria.

We're not pretending to hate each other though, for fear that we might fall too deep into the improv and actually return to hating each other. We're just going about our daily business. Today, we're spending our free period sat together at a table in the common area, starting on the project we were meant to start last night.

His kissing and his aunties food distracted me.

We've made quite the start, talking about how we divided responsibilities, where we struggled, where we excelled. We're planning to incorporate our itinerary to show how we were seriously invested in the parental role, but of course, much to my dismay, we will have to mention how I literally could not cope on my own.

"That sentence doesn't make sense." Elijah says, pointing to a place on my laptop screen. I furrow my brows, reading it again.

"Yes it does." He looks at me dubiously. I roll my eyes and push the screen towards him. "Read it again." He edges closer, placing a hand on my thigh as he does so, pulling a smirk to his face. "I don't think that belongs there mister." I tell him.

He turns to me, that twinkle in his eyes. "Oh really? It seems pretty comfortable." He says, squeezing me slightly. As lovely as it does feel, it's neither the time, nor the place.

"Hands off champ. I'm not one of your flooze's that you can feel up in school." I push his hand off me though I'm still grinning.

"Can I feel you up later?" He asks me. I scoff and edge away.

"How pent up are you? Did our entire conversation last night just sail completely over your head?" I nearly snap at him. He sucks his bottom lip into his mouth innocently, which I try not to smile at.

"You're right, I'm sorry." He mumbles and I grin when I see him sit on his hands as if to maintain control. "But just for the record, I'm very pent up." He adds. I look at him with a raised brow.

"Is that so?" I ask.

"Mhm. Been just me and my good old right hand since I kissed you at the party." He tells me. I grimace but can't ignore the warmth in my chest.

Last night, when Hendrix drove me home, he admitted that since he kissed me at the party, he's very much wanted to do it again. He made sure I was exceptionally clear on the fact that he hasn't always had a crush on me, but since then, and for a little while before, he thought that he wouldn't mind getting to know me without my clothes on.

I slapped him over the head for that comment, making sure he was exceptionally clear that I'm not a put about and if he wants to investigate these feelings we're currently having, we're doing it in the right way. He promises me that he will, with full investment while we 'figure it out'. That means no flirting with psycho red heads, no rainy day strolls with blondes, and certainly no fun times in the bed sheets with other red heads.

"Hey Chapstick," I look up and grin as Seb and Collins make their way over to us, though Collins hardly lifts his gaze from his phone to acknowledge me, too invested in responding to Lena. She's not due back for another week, which completely mortifies me, because I already miss her to no end. "What's happening, Eli?"

Elijah smiles and first bumps him over the table as the pair join us, making me roll my eyes. "You good man?" He asks.

"Yeah; what you guys doing?" Seb says, pulling out his own books.

"Baby project." I muse, retraining my eyes on the laptop, changing the sentence every so slyly when I realise that actually, it doesn't make sense. Hendrix notices however, and he hands me a knowing smirk.

"Hey, isn't it your birthday next week?" Seb inquires, looking towards Elijah. I look too, catching him in time to see him nod. "Big eighteen. You having a party?" He continues.

"Nah, no plans to." He answers casually, though his posture stiffens.

"Really? Won't your folk let you?" Seb continues to probe. I feel Elijah's hand fumble for mine under the table and despite the fact I declared very limited contact in school, I don't mind accepting his hold, already knowing why he desires it.

He hasn't explicitly said, but I can imagine his birthdays are hard without his mum around. I can only imagine how much harder this one will be. Eighteen is a big deal, and he can't celebrate it with her. I squeeze his hand and he squeezes mine back, tracing his thumb slowly over my skin.

"No, nothing like that. Just don't want it to be a big deal." He tells him plainly. Seb shrugs and returns to his book. Elijah looks at me then and mouths an apology, lifting our tangled hands under the table, but I shake my head and smile at him.

I don't mind. I really don't.

"What you planning to do for it then?" Seb eventually asks, clearly not letting the topic drop.

"Dunno. Was planning on asking this really fit bird to go on a date with me." He says.

"Bird?" I echo in disgust. In my peripheral, Collins snaps his head up and both him and Seb have their eyes on me. I snatch my hand from Elijah's. I'm no bird.

"Girl." Elijah corrects, reaching for my hand again which I pull away, banging my knuckles on the table, causing me to yelp. He snorts a laugh while I glare at him. "Yeah, going to ask this really beautiful girl to go on a date with me. If she'd like to."

I narrow my eyes and purse my lips, fighting back a grin. "I'm sure she'd love to go on a date with you. As long as you're a charming gentleman." I tell him.

He grins at me and pulls the laptop towards him. "Please, I've got charm coming out of my arse." He retorts. I scoff and bring my hands up to clasp them on the table.

"Yeah, real charming Hendrix." I huff, earning a grin from him. I shake my head and my eyes find Seb who is looking at me with an expression of concern. I furrow my brows in confusion to which he nods a head towards Elijah and mouths the words 'you okay'. My mouth falls open as realisation washes over me. Only a few days ago, I'd been near crying to Seb about my newfound feelings towards Elijah, and now, here I was, encouraging him to go out on a date with a girl.

Little does he know, that girl is me. And I am very excited.

~

"Can we do that kissing thing again?" I sigh as I feel Elijah's lips skim over the exposed skin of my neck, his arms having snaked their way around my waist from behind me, occasionally drifting north of my midriff, to which I physically move them back.

"Kissing later." I mumble as I continue to try and make this stupid table fit on to our report. I can't help tilting my head slightly to offer him more room though. It just feels so good. More than ever, I remember why I love being in a relationship.

Which we aren't, but so far, I can't complain.

He continues to pepper kisses across my skin, stopping to give certain areas more attention, like right over my pulse which is currently hammering at 100 miles an hour. My eyes flutter slightly, despite my best efforts to remain focused, so I decide that how the table looks right now will do and I save the work and close the laptop, leaning back into Hendrix to which he continues to kiss me, moving forward to my clavicle.

How weird. Hendrix, kissing me. I still can't get my head around how this is actually happening. Had someone said this to me when I had smoothie oozing from my hair, I'd have kicked them in there nadgers.

"What's Tanya making for food?" I ask him when I feel the mood in the room shift. We need to keep this PG. He groans and edges away, so I spin and look at him.

"Did you come over here to spend time with me tonight or eat my aunties cooking?" I grin at him sheepishly. Tanya's food is impeccable. "Unbelievable," he utters, "exploiting me for food."

"Well, you could've come to mine and exploited me for food. But there would've been no kissing in front of my older, very protective brothers." I kiss him lightly on his cheek.

"That's why you have a door to your bedroom." He tells me.

"I'm not even allowed to close my door when Seb comes over." I inform him. He frowns at me and inches away, rolling his eyes.

"Huh, spending a lot of time with Seb, are we?" I laugh and shove him back on to his bed.

"Well, he is my best friend. Why, you jealous?" I goad him through a massive, skin splitting grin.

"Always have been, especially when I thought he was more than a friend." I laugh and lay myself beside him, propping my head up with my hand. "I remember when you asked for Seb at his party when you saw Adam, I thought I'd impress you by being the one to sort it out."

I raise a brow at him dubiously. "You insulted me a couple of times that night." I remind him. He rolls on to his side and looks at me deadpan.

"You weren't the only one confused Charlotte. Besides, I prefer to call them backhanded compliments." He says with a boyish grin.

"Backhanded compliments?" I mimic.

"Yeah, you know, like 'you look beautiful tonight, even though your makeup looks like it's been done by a five year old'. That sort." I roll my eyes again and shove him.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway," I begin, pulling myself so that I'm sat, unable to ignore the smile on my face. "Where are we going for your birthday date?" I ask him.

He guffaws. "Oh, did you think I meant you?" I scowl at him and move to stand from his bed but he's quick to grab my wrist and pull me towards him. "Lottie, I'm kidding." He kisses my cheek, then my nose, then my mouth. "God, you're a stick in the mud sometimes." He mumbles against my lips.

"I am not a stick in the mud," I retort sharply, punching him in the shoulder, only making him laugh. "Besides, stop changing the subject. This might be the make or break to see if this is actually going to work." I tell him pointedly.

"You'd really dump me on my birthday?" He asks me though a mocking gasp, his hands still wrapped around my wrists.

"Play your cards right and we'll see, won't we?" He tsks and lifts himself slightly, inching towards my lips.

"I like that you're playing hard to get." He mumbles.

"Elijah," I mutter, edging ever so slightly forward so our lips are skimming against one another. "I'm not playing hard to get, I am hard to get." I press a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth and then wiggle off of him. "Come on; Mason asked me to play Lego."

He groans as he tugs himself from the bed, his arms quick finding my waist again as I pull the pair of us towards the door. "I always knew you'd be a handful."