When we don't know who to turn to, sometimes we turn to the ones we least expect.
Luke Salazar is a senior at Bay High School, and he's been pushed, shoved, and shut out for most of his life. Miles Jefferson has been the ringleader of a lot of that...
I sat in my car in the senior parking lot, waiting for Miles to text me and tell me he was here. We agreed that we would walk in together and get it over with.
Morning, babe. I just pulled in. I'll be at your car in a sec.
Okay =)
A few seconds later, he knocked on my window. I smiled, grabbed my bag, and hopped out of the car. He pulled me into his arms, and I breathed him in.
I could tell he had just gotten out of the shower; he smelled like Irish Spring and aftershave. I felt his lips brush against the top of my head, and I looked up at him, beaming.
"Are you ready for this?" I asked, glancing toward the school.
He took my hand and lifted it to his mouth. "Hell yes. I can't wait to show you off," he said, looking down at me and taking in my outfit.
"I think I'm the one showing you off," I countered, turning toward him and running my fingernail down the center of his chest.
He shivered deliciously. "Now now, Rachel. Don't get me started or I'll jump you right here in the parking lot," he growled, leaning down to nip at my neck.
I giggled and leaned into him, taking his collar and pulling him down to me, his mouth crashing into mine, the remnants of his mint mouthwash sending a delightful tingle through my veins.
Miles
Hand in hand, Rachel and I came through the side hallway. It was 7:50, and the hallways were filling up. When we walked into the commons area, the bustle of the morning was in full swing, but when people started noticing us, things quietened down.
Rachel stood on her tiptoes and whispered, "Everyone's staring at us." Her eyes were gray this morning, wide and uneasy.
"Good...because if they weren't, they'd miss this," I said, and before she could open her mouth, I turned her around and kissed her, dipping her low to the ground.
I grinned against her mouth as I ended the kiss, bringing her back to her feet, her long blonde hair sweeping over her shoulder. She looked up at me, her cheeks flushed, her eyes now more blue than gray.
It was silent for a moment, and then the commons area burst into applause—led by Luke and Brooke. I grinned at Luke, and he nodded at me, sweeping his hair out of his eyes.
In that moment, I connected with him—like maybe one day, he could forgive me for what I'd put him through.
Brooke
I gaped at Luke as the crowd broke up and we made our way toward the math hallway.
"What?" he asked, noticing my stare.
"Nothing. I just never expected to see you start a round of applause for Miles Jefferson," I said.
He laughed. "Yeah, me either...but he seems to make Rachel happy...and he hasn't said the first rude thing to me in weeks." We stopped outside our classrooms. "Hey, are you ready for that test today?"
"Yeah, I think so...thanks to you," I said, putting my hand on his bicep and squeezing. Shit, he's got a little muscle hiding under that hoodie.
"Let me know in 6th how it went, okay?"
"I will," I said, and before I knew what I was doing, I was leaning forward and kissing him on the corner of his mouth.
He gasped, his hazel eyes meeting mine—warm and unguarded.
Our faces were still inches apart. "Sorry, I—" I started, but I never finished that sentence because before I could say the next word, his hand was in my hair, his lips hovering over mine.
Luke
What the hell are you doing, Luke? I asked myself, but I kept hearing my dad's words in my head: Say you'll go for it.
So I did.
My lips hovered over hers for a second, and I could hear her shallow breath. I brushed my lips against hers, realizing we were in the middle of the math hallway with teachers everywhere.
But it was enough; I felt a spark, electric and intense, and although our lips touched for only a couple seconds, I knew those couple of seconds were enough to change things.
She drew back, her dark eyes large, full of something that resembled desire. My hand was still lost in her raven hair.
The late bell rang. We both looked up at the ceiling, brought back to reality. "I'll see you in 3rd, Luke."
"Bye, Brooke," I murmured, running my fingers through her hair until my hand was at my side.
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