“More?”I echoed, intrigued yet apprehensive.What else could there be if she claimed nothing else happened?
“It wasn't just a kiss.I felt something, something I think I had buried for so long while you were together.I can't stop thinking about that moment and how it felt, and I feel so guilty because you're my best friend, and I'm hurting you,” she confessed, her hysteria rising again.I knew I had to say something, but I was still trying to process everything she had revealed.
“I've never really noticed anything,” I admitted calmly.“I thought you had a thing for Jake, but even then I didn't realize it until you mentioned it.Clearly, I'm not great at reading people,” I replied.
“Honestly, I thought so too about Jake.I wasn't naive enough to hold on to someone who wasn't available,” she replied, then added, “I'm truly sorry.I thought I could bury these feelings and nobody would notice, but that kiss changed everything for me…” She glanced at me, as if bracing for me to walk away, but instead, I smiled at her, leaving her momentarily speechless.
“I think my situation is even messier: my parents just split up, and all I can think about is what it would be like to kiss Zane, who happens to be dating my friend.So, tell me, how is your situation any worse than mine?”I asked, surprised at my own words.Emily’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“What?”she laughed, and soon we were both caught up in fits of giggles.“What a disaster,” Emily remarked.
“No, it's just part of being a teenager,” I shot back.
“I guess… So you're not mad at me?”she asked tentatively.
“I'm frustrated that neither of you told me, but I'm not upset about what happened.I just believe that strong feelings can't be bottled up or punished,” I replied, and we fell into a comfortable silence.
“So, what now?”Emily asked, looking at me expectantly.
“Now, we head to class,” I said.
“I think my parents might be looking for me.After my performance, it's probably best if I go home with them,” she said as she started to stand up.I followed her lead, and as we faced each other, we shared a genuine hug.
Emily left with her parents as she had some explaining to do, while I stayed until classes ended and took a different bus to avoid running into Marco.
I made my way to my usual spot at the back of the bus, which was nearly empty.I inserted my earphones and hit play on my favorite track, letting it loop endlessly.I wanted a moment of escape, a break from the chaos of my thoughts and the weight of my problems.I just wanted to retreat into a realm where reality couldn't reach me.
But as I began to lose myself in that blissful distraction, something abruptly yanked me back to reality.I looked up to see Zane boarding the bus and making his way toward me.My heart dropped, and my mind began to whirl.Without so much as a word, he settled into the seat next to mine, his eyes locking onto mine.
I took in every detail of his face—the scattered freckles, the small brown mole near his right eye, his soft coral lips, and his auburn hair, which had grown longer and revealed its true color.His amber eyes, with their unique orange undertones, were striking.Only a small fraction of the population shared that hue—like 5% or less—and he was one of them.
His face looked freshly shaven, likely done just this morning.What time did he get up to do that?Did he take a shower before heading out?I shook off those distracting thoughts, striving to maintain my composure and appear indifferent.But as soon as my emotions threatened to surface, I turned them into anger.
“Excuse me?”I snapped, my voice laced with irritation.“There are plenty of other seats.”I didn't break my gaze from him.
“Is this seat taken?”he asked with a charming smile.
“No, but I'm sitting here,” I insisted.
“On both seats?”he teased, earning a snort from me.
“What do you want, Zane?”
“Nothing, just catching a ride on the bus.”
“A bus that isn't yours?”
“Do you know where I live or where I need to go?”
“I've never seen you here before.”
“Maybe you just never noticed,” he replied with a sly smile.
“Maybe you should go to hell,” I snapped, not realizing how tense I had become, gripping the seat with both hands.I tried to relax and loosen my hold.
“What are you listening to?”He tugged one of my earphones out before I could respond, but I didn't move to stop him.“Interesting taste in music,” Zane remarked, a playful smile dancing on his lips, revealing a charming dimple.I felt foolish, caught off guard.What was I supposed to say?Did I want him to leave?Did I?I remained silent, watching him intently, though a question lingered in my mind.
“About what you mentioned earlier,” I stammered, struggling to find my voice and clear my throat.“Is it really true that there's no recording?”I finally managed to ask.He simply nodded in response.“But that day, you told me there was,” I retorted, my frustration bubbling to the surface.
