***Chapter Twenty-Six***
“Someone’s jumpy today,” Cameron came to sit next to me.
Dillon agreed. “She’s been like this all morning,” she eyed me.
I couldn’t help it! After yesterday, I’ve been thinking about everything that transpired. Seeing Drew’s face would be the death of me. I’ve been avoiding him at all costs today just so I wouldn’t see his face. It was nice getting to experience my first kiss. Especially with Drew, but nobody warned me about the ball of anxiety that I would be become. If word gets back to Julie, I’d be screwed. Both of us would be!
The feeling of that kiss I couldn’t deny, though. It was everything I could ever dream of and then some. The way his hands gripped on my waist made me feel so secure, so safe. My hands resting gently on his biceps that have always been deceiving to look at. They were there, and they were solid. Everything about Drew in my eyes was amazing. He wasn’t lying when he said I looked at him in a special kind of way. He’s everything a girl could want and more. Yet I couldn’t have him. I’d give anything just to feel his beautiful lips one more time.
“Earth to, Anna. What’s going on with you today?” Dillon crossed her arms.
My cheeks turn red as I look down. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” I lied.
Cameron didn’t buy that. “Something happened and you’re not telling us?” He was so good at reading me. “So, what is it?”
“You guys are silly. It’s just been a long morning.” I continue to lie.
Dillon chuckled sarcastically. “Long morning, my ass. Now spill it!” She yelled at me.
As much as I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs that we kissed; I couldn’t risk Juliana finding out. I had to trust they wouldn’t say anything. They were closer to me than her, but there’s judgement. What if they tell me how stupid I already know I was being? It’s not the best decision I’ve made thus far, but they know how much my heart yearns for him. Who could pass up the opportunity to do something so deliciously welcoming? And it was very welcoming. I needed to get this off my chest somehow.
Sighing, I whisper to them. “Promise you won’t say anything to Juliana,” I wanted confirmation.
They both nod. “Secrets safe with us,” they both say.
I look around before telling them what happened. “Drew and I…we…we kissed,” I whispered again.
“You what!” Dillon screamed as she stood up.
That gained the attention of everyone in the cafe, but it was very shocking news. I’m sure that’s the last thing they expected me to tell them. It’s true. We kissed, and I was a mess about it. I wanted to feel those things I felt again, but knew that couldn’t happen. Drew might not want that to happen either, he said one and done. It ended up being two, but still. One means one!
Cameron looked on very confused about what I had just said. “You kissed Drew?” He was shocked.
“Can we not say it out loud? I don’t need anyone else hearing.” I looked around again. “And he kissed me! Well, the first time.”
Dillon’s eyes widened. “It happened more than once?” Ok, I’m thinking this was a bad idea.
I ran my fingers through my hair, completely stressed out. “What am I supposed to do, guys? He said one time only and now…I want more.” I wasn’t afraid to admit that. At least to them.
“How-how did this even happen?” Cameron stuttered, still in complete shock.
I explained to them everything. From Dillon and Drew’s mom calling. To Drew, asking if he could kiss me. To it happening, me freaking out, then going in for more. Everything felt like it had happened so fast that I couldn’t keep up with it. My mind was in complete shock that he would even ask me such a thing. Then it happened, and I lost myself at the moment. So much so that I had him kiss me again. All the while knowing he’s still dating Juliana. Everything is a mess and the worst part is, I want him to do it again. All my worries felt like they melted away when we locked lips. With Drew, nothing else mattered.
“I should have known you were up to something once you were gone for 2 whole days.” Dillon snickered.
Cameron laughed. “This is good, right? It is what you’ve been wanting. He noticed you.”
“He noticed me, but what does it all mean?” I was worrying more than I should have. “You don’t just ask someone to kiss them if you don’t have feelings, right?”
Dillon shrugged. “He could’ve asked to see if he felt something. That way, he could know what to do from there.” She had a point.
“I think the question is, did you feel something?” Cam raised a brow at me.
There were a million things I’ve felt. The butterflies, my heart jumping for joy. Everything about that moment was bliss to me. Despite Juliana, it was the perfect thing I could have ever experienced. You don’t feel those sorts of feelings for anyone. That, to me, felt like love. Love that I’ve been trying to shove down into the pits of my stomach for so long. That kiss brought those feelings to the forefront with a powerful force. There’s no way I could shut it off now.
Before I could answer that, Dre came walking over. Honestly, he’s the one I should’ve been asking what to do. He knows the reason I fell for Drew to begin with. He’ll have a better understanding than anyone, ironically. Even better than Dillon. It also helped that this was Drew’s best friend. If anyone knew what he was thinking, it had to be Dre.
Sensing the tension, Dre sat next to Dillon, looking at all of us with a perplexed look on his face. “Uh, what’s going on here?” He looked at us.
“Our innocent Annabelle over here shared a romantic kiss with Drew,” Cameron said. He was always spilling the beans.
Dre’s eyes lit up as I face palmed myself. “Wait, I thought you were trying to move on? What changed your mind?” I could hear the excitement in his voice. He was always supportive.
“I didn’t change my mind. He asked to kiss me,” I explain yet again. “How could I turn him down?”
Now he looked even more confused. “Drew asked if he could kiss you?” That didn’t sound good.
I nod my head as Dre sat back in his seat. That made me worry. Normally, I would think nothing of it. As I said, this was Drew’s best friend. If he was sitting back like that, something must have been wrong. I knew it was a stupid idea to agree to this mess. Dre didn’t give me a look of satisfactory. He looked almost petrified. Like we both definitely fucked up somehow.
Deep down, I knew it wasn’t the smartest idea. He has a girlfriend and I have a Keegan. None of this was thought through enough, but it still happened. Now neither of us could take it back. What were we going to do once we had to see each other? It’s a big campus, but not that big.
“Julie doesn’t know, right?” Dre continued to ask questions.
Dillon scoffed. “Like we’d ever tell her,” she shrugged it off.
Dre nodded. “I advise you not to,” he says.
I looked at him, terrified. “What-what do you mean? Why?” I’m scared shitless.
He grits his teeth. “It’s not my place to say, Anna. Just say nothing to her.” He warned me.
He was talking as if Juliana were some kind of mob boss. Though it made me wonder what she was capable of. Was that sweet, generous persona just a ruse? It is strange how Drew and Juliana magically started dating. I’ve seen them talk from time to time, but when it was made aware that she was his girlfriend, it shocked me. I’m not doubting that he wasn’t interested, but something was off.
There wasn’t much time to think about it as my worse nightmare approached us. There was Drew with his dark shaggy hair and green eyes that made my heart melt. It affected me even more now that we kissed. Just seeing his face makes me want to jump out of this chair and suck his face some more. Maybe even let him slip his tongue into my mouth this time. As lovely as the thought was, that will not happen. Quite the opposite, actually.
Drew’s attitude was different this time around. Sometimes he ignores me when I’m around guys, but this ignoring felt different. He and Cameron squashed their beef, the one sided beef that is. So that’s not the reason he was ignoring me. I’m positive it had something to do with yesterday’s events and that stung. A lot.
He says hi to everyone but me, which I ignore as he speaks. “So, you all want to head to the bar again tonight? I could use a fun time,” he suggested.
Everyone agreed, including me. “I’m down to dance my heart out this time.” I say, smiling.
He looks at me; I mean really look at me, before completely ignoring what I said. “Anyway, be ready by 6,” He tells everyone before skating away.
I’m not sure what was up with him, but I can’t lie and say that didn’t hurt. Because it did. q
***
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