Chapter 125: Stacked Odds

He locked her lower lip between his and kissed her, then her upper lip, before he dived into her mouth. As their lips met for the first time, it was a strange feeling for Sharon, as she had never kissed before.

He gently placed his hand on the lower part of her back, drawing her closer, inviting her to respond.

In sync with his lead, she mirrored his actions and returned the kiss, letting her tongue move with his in a fluid dance.

Their first kiss was tender, a delicate dance of exploration and discovery, a proof of the magic that existed in the simplest of touches.

Brandon had bared his emotions through that kiss, hoping that it would be the key to unlock Sharon's heart.

In that moment, as their foreheads gently touched, Sharon almost had a change of heart. The kiss felt so special, and it happened in her favorite place.

They shared a special moment beyond words, forged in that stolen moment behind the shelves. The outside world faded into oblivion. That moment was theirs and theirs alone.

As their lips parted, he tenderly rested his forehead against hers, relishing the sweet activity with closed eyes.

"That was my first kiss," she confessed.

"Yeah?" he responded, locking eyes with her. "Did you enjoy it?"

A pleased smile spread across her face, and she attempted to look away, a clear sign of her satisfaction.

He chuckled softly and kissed her once more. Wrapping her hands around his neck, he lifted her by her waist. She felt like she was flying.

Sharon's senses heightened, capturing the subtle mingling of feelings; nervousness, anticipation, and the sweetness of an unexpected moment.

The hushed whispers of pages turning and the distant murmur of students in other aisles created a scenery to this intimate exchange; leaving both Sharon and Brandon suspended in the enchantment of their sweet, stolen moment.

"So , what do you say? Will you be my girl?" Brandon insisted.

"I don't know…Molly…"

"Forget about Molly, focus on me. You're the girl I want, not Molly or anyone else," Brandon assured.

"Give me some time, let me think about it," Sharon said.

"What's there to think about? You like me, right?" he asked.

She gave a small nod.

"And you know I like you so much."

She nodded again.

"That's all that matters, Babe," he said, giving her a small kiss.

"I'll think about it," she insisted. Her judgement was seriously clouded at that moment with him towering over her.

"Don't make me wait too long. Tomorrow, after school, meet me under the Bleachers. I'll be waiting for you."

"Okay."

"Promise me, you'll come."

"I promise.

"See you later, Babe," he said. "Don't forget to eat your lunch. I kept it by your corner."

"I will."

He kissed her one more time before leaving. She watched him walk off, and she touched her lips, giggling to herself. She finally kissed a boy!

And she liked it.

So very much.

***

Nicole watched everything with keen interest.

Her fixation on Sharon led her to crave everything Sharon had, especially the attention bestowed upon her by Brandon through public displays of affection.

Without Brandon's knowledge, she quietly followed him to the library, knowing he was taking lunch to Sharon, something he had been doing since the previous week.

Food?!

What a silly way to show affection.

Nicole stayed behind Brandon as he searched for Sharon deeper into the library, moving quietly along the nearby bookshelves.

And when she heard their voices, she maintained a considerable distance. She quietly removed some books so they could be in her view.

Nicole could not take her eyes off Brandon. He was such a beautiful being. She hated the focus Sharon was receiving from him.

Why couldn't she have that?

The way he held and kissed her was so romantic, even the way he spoke and his words were so sweet.

And when he leaned in to kiss her, Nicole felt the earth shift under her feet from intense resentment and jealousy.

Even though Nicole had liked Brandon for a long time, seeing him interested in Sharon made her want him even more.

'That was my first kiss,' she murmured in a bitter whisper as she mocked Sharon, copying her with a crooked mouth.

Witnessing them together ignited a powerful urge within Nicole to intervene and disrupt their connection.

There was no way that secret meeting under the bleachers would happen. Nicole was determined to ensure it wouldn't. Sharon wouldn't see it coming until she lost Brandon.

After school, instead of going straight home, Nicole needed to cool off with some heat.

Fighting the raging emotions within her, Nicole sought solace in the one thing that seemed to calm the storm within her: fire.

In an attempt to regain control over her emotions, she retreated to a secluded spot on the school grounds and dug a deep hole.

She was armed with paper that would soon succumb to the embrace of the consuming flames.

Holding a paper, she ignited it with a lighter, relishing in the glowing flames, a little chuckle in her throat.

The mesmerizing dance of flames held a strange comfort for her.

The crackling fire provided a momentary escape from the turmoil within her, a ritualistic release for the chaotic emotions she grappled with.

Ashes fell into the hole she had dug, concealing any evidence of the burnt papers. She covered it up when she was done.

Despite burning all the paper she brought, it wasn't nearly enough. She needed to burn more stuff, as she wasn't quite sated.

Nicole craved a roaring, more intense fire, one fueled by the sole purpose of destruction.