For the first few seconds, he didn't move his lips in correspondence with mine, but finally, he did. Thank gosh.

His lips were a dry desert, yet they were the warmest and purest water that kept me alive.

This time felt better than our first kiss in English class. And that one was already hard to top. This one was spontaneous and unexpected from the both of us. This was pure fire.

Fireworks exploded everywhere and anywhere on the surface of my skin. Fire raged through my veins and in my blood. He firmly grasped my elbow and grazed my cheek with his thumb, not helping the firecrackers settle down while my hands found their way to his jaw and around his neck as if it was natural -as if it were a habit already made.

In realization of what I just did, I pulled away faster than the speed of light.

What the actual fück did I just do?

We sat there, looking wide-eyed at each other like two deer caught in head lights for a while, the flames going through my veins finally extinguishing. His eyes filled with wonder and curiosity, and mine full of fear and surprise. The electrified air was filled to the brim of passion and tension.

"I-I," I stuttered, my mind going everywhere. "I'm so sorry! Oh my gosh, I'm such a f-"

I cut myself off when I saw his wide smile; the one that could light up an entire town. Yeah, that one.

"When are you going to fall in love, Aurora White?" He asked, my facial features to morphing to confusion. I thought he'd be mad, or at least address the kiss that had happened literal seconds prior. 

Now it was my turn to smirk. "I can't even fall asleep, Alexander Kings." My eyes quickly looked to his neck to see if he still was wearing the necklace; he was.

"You're scared of sleeping?" He broke the sparking atmosphere, bringing me out of the trance in his grey eyes; he had the kind of eyes anyone could get lost in. And I guess I already did.

I nodded. How does he just pretend like nothing happened less than a minute ago? I thought to myself.

"Me too," he said quietly.

"What happens now, Xander?" I ask, turning my head to him. He knew, and I knew that I wasn't talking about his trouble with sleeping.

He sighed quietly and closed his eyes. "I don't know."

♛ ♛ ♛

It was supposed to be a good day. Well, a decent day at the least. My plans of eating my lunch in the library were soon changed when I looked up from my book and met familiar, warm, brown eyes.It was quiet, it was safe, it was good.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped, looking up from my chemistry textbook at warm brown eyes.

Michael, the owner of the brown eyes, shrugged and put his hands in the pockets of his grey sweats. "I'm sorry," he rushed out.

"What do you mea-" I replied just as quick before being tossed over his shoulder. He sprinted through the library, earning curious looks and laughs from bystanders.

"What the hell, Michael!" I screamed, hitting my fists against his strong back. "Help me!" I shouted in despair at the laughing students, but only got 'shh' from the librarian. What is wrong with people?

"Sorry, Rory. Xander made me do it, okay?" Michael quickly apologized, taking pants between each word as he set me down at the familiar blue table I tried so desperately to avoid for the past couple of days.

"What the fück man? You can't blame the entire thing on me!"

"Is this an intervention?" I snapped narrowing my eyes at Xander. His guilty smile gave himself all away. "I hate you!" I whined at him and smacked his defined chest. Okay, maybe hitting him was just an excuse for touching his rock-hard chest, but that's beside the point! I was still pissed!

"Sorry, gem, but you need to start actually talking to them." He motioned to Olivia, Cooper, Sabrina, and Michael behind him. "We'll help."

"I was studying for chemistry!"

"You're more important then periodic table, you know."

 I scoffed. "Well I'm fine! You don't need to help, okay?" I looked at the other 4 sets of eyes behind Xander, all offering me pity like I was some pathetic charity case. But Xander didn't look at me with pity. He sort of understood my mind, I guess.

"Aurora," Olivia took a step closer and put a hand on my shoulder. "I know you don't want our help, but at least talk to us. It's been three days since you've isolated yourself."

Cooper nodded in agreement with Olivia. "We're not going to let you go down the same hole again."

"D-Did you tell them about..." I trailed off, pointing at Michael and Sabrina who probably had no idea why I freaked out so much since I wasn't friends with them in ninth grade.

Michael nodded. "They did."

"Oh," I shrugged as though it was no big deal, looking at Cooper's apologetic expression for telling them without my permission. "It's fine. I guess they should know."

"You know," Sabrina piped up, changing the atmosphere to a lighter one, "I should be so pissed at you for ignoring all of us for longer than 24 hours, but-"

"Shh, Bubs," Michael put his hand over her mouth to muffle her. The use of his nickname for Sabrina momentarily brought a smile to my face at their cuteness. "Don't worry, Aurora. If anyone ever does that, you better believe we'll be there to kick some ass."

"Hell, we did kick some ass," Cooper laughed.

"What happened to that redhead kid, anyways?" Olivia asked Xander as she glanced down at her newly manicured nails. The mention of the boy who almost assaulted me made me want to throw up and tears to leak out of my eyes, but I covered it up. I've been getting better at that: faking things.

Xander took in a heavy breath, looking down at his Nikes. "I don't know."

♛ ♛ ♛

I sighed, plopping my head on my palm as I rolled my eyes at the board and at our chemistry teacher's monotonous voice.

"Aurora," she said sternly, snapping me out of my mind which was preoccupied with nothing in particular. "How many more valence electrons will the Halogens need to become stable elements?"

My eyes widened as I snapped my head down to my textbook, shuffling through the pages in desperation for the answer to just pop up magically. "Uh, uh."

I looked to my right to see Xander holding up the number 1 with his pointer finger and a smirk on his face. I internally scoffed. He knew I was terrible at memorizing the periodic table, and he was just rubbing it in my face that he was naturally a genius. Douchebag.

Snapping myself out of my quick thoughts, I turned back to Ms. Westley. "One?"

She nodded just as the intercom came on, interrupting every class. Every student perked up at the sound of the secretary's voice through the speaker as they all were desperate to hear who was getting called to the principal's office this time. Typically, it was Brett or Joey for their usual pranks on the teachers and freshmen, but this time it wasn't.

"Xander Kings," the stern voice echoed. I snapped my head to Xander who just rolled his eyes as the speaker continued, "Aurora White," a tired sigh escaped my lips as I stood up and ready to face our principal's wrath. "and Braiden Glenn to the principals office."

"What?" I whispered, raising my eyebrows in concern at Xander as we stood up. "Who the hell is Braiden Glenn?"

He took a deep breath in as he pulled open the door out of the classroom. "The guy who almost raped you at my party," he whispered as we took our final step out into the deserted hallway.

My eyes went wide. The beats of my heart pumped out of my chest, and not in a good way. The realization I would be facing my assaulter had my feet stop moving and my blood run cold.

Before he could answer, the secretary's stern voice rang throughout the classes one last time, finalizing that this was reality, "I repeat-Xander Kings, Aurora White, and Braiden Glenn to the principal's office."

♛ ♛ ♛

I need help! i posted a part in my covershop (i swear this isn't a self promo lol) and the chapter has like 3 options of covers for this book! i have literally noooo idea what cover would look best, so i really need your help! thanks y'all :) 

i have major writer's block :( vote, comment, do whatever ya want haha! anyways, ima wrap this up, and STAY TUNED FOR NEXT TIME! i love you!!

-sophia