no one said it would be easy

Chapter 1 - take it slow

Casey

„I'm not looking for easy", I say as we pull into a quick, but passionate kiss. The way her lips feel against mine sends shivers down my spine. It's like I can actually feel how the butterflies are awakening in my stomach.

She touches me on my neck and I pull her into a hug. I've been waiting so long to do this, that doing it now is still surreal.

Izzie pulls away from me and looks me in the eyes. She looks happy, somehow relieved, and also a bit jumpy. I mean, how couldn't she be nervous. We're kissing in the hallway of our school, and it's not like it's pretty common fort two girls to do this. Unfortunaly.

„You know, I know you've said you're done being weird about us, but it's totally okay if you want us to take it slow. We have plenty of time", I say, touching her cheek.

She smiles at me. It's not her normal genuine smile, no, it's more like a sad smile.

„Hey, Izzie what's wrong? Did I say some dumb shit again? Dammit."

Izzie chuckles a bit, which releases the tension.

„No, you didn't say something dumb. Even though you do it a lot."

I push my arms into my sides and put on a fake outraged face: „Well, maybe I just sneaked a peek of you."

Izzie slaps my arm softly and I pretend being hurt. She shakes her head, which makes her hair fly a little. She's so unbelievably beautiful. I'm glad to have her back in my life. I know it wasn't right of me to cheat on Evan with her, he didn't deserve being hurt like that. But I know if I wouldn't have kissed her back then on the tracking field, I would've lost her. Izzie's not dumb. She had enough of those jerks who treated her like boo boo the fool, and she wouldn't have let someone treat her like Nate did ever again. Even if this person is me.

„I am done being weird. As I said, I really like you. But..."

„Oh I don't like where this is going", I say, fiddling with the strings of my backpack.

„Newton, would you let me finish? Please?", she says while looking me straight in the eyes. Whatever is on her mind, she was thinking about it a lot and it's pretty serious. I say nothing, so she knows she can carry on talking.

„Okay, see the thing is... I think we should keep it casual in school. I don't want to be like those cringey couples who have half a makeout session in the hallways. We're 16 years old, almost 17, we're better than them, don't you think?"

I look her up and down. That's really what she wanted to tell me? Oh god, she thinks about so much stuff.

„I get it and you're right. We'll keep it casual in school, if that's more comfortable for you", I say. I really don't want to push her. And she's kinda right though, those couples who make out in the hallways are weird as hell. Just thinking about being like them freaks me out.

„Plus...", Izzie says, „technically we're not a couple, so it's even more strange to make out with you in public."

I arch my eyebrows, examining the way she looks at her feet, avoiding any kind of eye contact. I think that was a broad hint I just received.