Little Miss Perfect | Neteyam¹

Chapter 23: Caught

Italicize - someone's thoughts or a story from the past

Bold - sign language

Marali stood frozen as she stared at the boy, who looked at her nervously as he fidgeted with his fingers. What the hell does he mean he likes me? Like as a friend? More than a friend? Her head was spinning as the thoughts raced through her mind.

"W- What do you mean?" She sputtered.

Neteyam released a shaky breath as he tried to regain any ounce of confidence that left after he confessed to the girl. "I mean that I like you. As more than a friend." Nereyam confessed.

The girl stood there and continuously opened and closed her mouth like a fish as she tried to think of something to say. Neteyam confessing to her had been a dream of hers for as long as she could remember, but now that he's done it, she doesn't know what to say.

"I-" She started but was cut off.

"You don't have to tell me if you like me back, or not right now. In fact, please don't tell me right now. I don't think I can handle the rejection." Neteyam quickly said.

Marali looked at him and furrowed her eyebrows. "What if I like you back?" She asked. and Neteyam looked up at her with wide eyes. "You like me?" He questioned as a grin made its way up to his lips.

"No." Marali said as she walked over to the boy, "I asked, what if I like you back? What would you do?" She teased as she brought her mouth up to his ear.

Neteyam visibly stiffened as he brought his hands to the girl's waist to keep her in place.

"Don't be shy, Nete," Marali said as a shine ran up and down the boy's spine.

Her body was starting to get hot from the proximity she had to Neteyam. Not to mention the fact that she was teasing him, and he was touching her, igniting flames of fire on her skin. Neteyam wasn't sure if this was some sort of sick prank his mind was playing on him or if it was real. But, to be honest, he didn't care if it was real or not right now.

"I would probably kiss you," Neteyam whispered.

The teen girl pulled her head away from his ear and brought her face extremely close to his. "Yeah?" Marali questioned as she brushed her lips on his jaw, and Neteyam's eyes fluttered shut as he breathed out an 'Mhm'.

If she was being honest, she had no idea where her sudden wave of confidence came from, but she was going to use it to her advantage.

"But you'd only kiss me if I said I liked you back?" She teasingly whispered as she gently wrapped her arms around the boy's neck. "Yes," Neteyam said as he kept his eyes closed.

"And you don't want me to tell you how I feel right now?" Marali questions, wanting confirmation of the boy's wants.

Neteyam was quiet for a moment as he felt goosebumps form all over his skin from the girls' lips on his jaw. He had never seen Marali this assertive before, especially towards him, but he knew he liked it based on his body's reaction.

"I don't want you to tell me how you feel right now," Neteyam confirmed, after that confirmation, the girl's hands were removed from his neck, and she quickly backed away.

The boy almost whined out loud from the lack of warmth around his neck from where Marali had been touching him. "Why'd you pull away?" He whined.

Marali shrugged her shoulders and turned around to walk away. "You don't want to know how I feel," Marali responded.