Between Textbooks and Kisses

Six

The car was filled with an awkward silence during the first few minutes of the ride, and Yani remained somewhat aloof. To break the tension, Atasha decided to strike up a conversation.

"So, where do you live?" Atasha asked, trying to make the ride a bit less uncomfortable.

Yani hesitated for a moment before she responded, "Just drop me off by the bus stop at Freewalk Avenue."

Sure. Of course Yani wouldn't give her the exact address.

Curiosity gnawed at Atasha as she drove Yani to her destination. She couldn't help but wonder if there was more to Yani's request for a ride. To satisfy her curiosity, she asked, "Yani, be honest. Gab excluded, is asking for a ride the only reason you waited for me?"

Yani, still somewhat reserved, looked out the window for a moment before answering, "No, it's not."

Atasha couldn't help but be intrigued by Yani's response, wondering what other reasons might be lurking beneath the surface.

Intrigued by Yani's previous response, Atasha ventured a bit further. "So what is it then?"

Yani's reaction was less than enthusiastic. She shook her head and replied, "You're just giving me a ride. It doesn't mean we're friends."

Atasha, feeling a need to address the tension between them, spoke up. "You're in my car, so you should at least answer me. It's not like I've wronged you or something."

She continued, "For the record, I'm the one who's supposed to be mad at you, not the other way around."

Atasha's candid response reflected her desire to understand Yani's perspective and to potentially move beyond the barriers that seemed to exist between them.

Yani, clearly irritated by Atasha's comment, retorted, "I did nothing to ruin your relationship with Gab. I basically just existed. But you—"

She trailed off as she glanced at Atasha and their eyes met for a few seconds. In that moment, Atasha could almost feel Yani's racing heart and the unspoken emotions that seemed to hang heavy in the air.

Atasha, confused and wanting to clarify the situation, asked while eyes still on the road, "What did I do?"

Yani's internal struggle and the unspoken emotions between them had left them in a complicated dance of misunderstandings.

Yani's outburst took Atasha completely by surprise. She shouted, "You fucking kissed me!" in the midst of their drive, causing Atasha to stop the car abruptly.

Atasha, still in shock, yelled in response, "You didn't have to make the kiss such a big deal! It's not like it your first time kissing someone."

As Yani's expression shifted from anger to a more secretive demeanor, she avoided eye contact with Atasha. Atasha couldn't help but pick up on the change in Yani's mood and made an assumption. Her realization made her chuckle, and she couldn't resist teasing Yani further.

"Wait, was it?" Atasha inquired, amusement dancing in her eyes. She continued with a sly grin, "That explains why it felt like I was kissing a wall."

The playful banter lightened the mood momentarily.

Yani, slightly annoyed by Atasha's teasing, attempted to reach Atasha to deliver a playful pinch or slap. However, Atasha was quick to evade her, laughing as she tried to prevent Yani's retaliatory action. Atasha's laughter filled the car as she continued to tease Yani.

Amid her laughter, Atasha managed to express her apologies to Yani. "Okay! Okay!", Atasha continues to laugh. "I'm sorry, okay. For stealing your first kiss."