CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

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the rush of fear was replaced by the rush of excitement as soon as our lips met. i was kissing a cute celebrity, doing what so many other girls would die for. and i was kissing my crush, which i thought i would die before doing. the cold had nothing on how much i was heating up.

physically, it was slightly uncomfortable, though. i had to lean down a little and he had to strain so we could reach each other over the windowsill. but that was only for the first of the four seconds it lasted.

in the second second, i ignored everything around me including that discomfort, trying to remember how to kiss someone. because it seemed to be second nature for him, someone so inexperienced. my eyes had been closed since before we even started, so for all i knew, he could have been holding up and reading a beginner's guide on kissing right next to my face.

that was proven wrong in the third second, when he gingerly placed an ice cold hand on my cheek. and in the last second, i may have ruined the kiss by smiling. but i couldn't help it. i was overjoyed.

maybe it was then that walker was reminded of reality and heard my parents voices again, because he pulled away. after another second, i opened my eyes. he got stable on the roof again, looking like he did before that amazing moment. except this time he didn't seem to have more to say.

my mom and dad were inside now, downstairs. as reality came crashing back, he looked at me with a mixture of awe and apology. "i should go," he whispered.

"yeah... goodnight," i said.

he returned my sentiment with a small smile before carefully crouching to hug the roof and make his way to the ground. i held my breath and watched as he slowly but steadily got closer to the end of the shingles, but could finally release it when he disappeared from my vision. i heard a faint thump followed by the quick patter of footsteps on grass.

i took in the cold air to cool off after such a rush, then shut the window. it seemed that no one had ever been there with me. akin to our night together, our first kiss was over too soon. but i knew it was the first kiss of many.

i had only just trust fallen into my bed when someone knocked on my bedroom door. damn it, i wanted to replay those few seconds into the length of a movie saga. but of course i sat up and called, "come in!"

"hey! there's my favorite daughter," said dad, leaning on my door frame.

"hey, how'd the party go?"

"eh, it was a boring adult party. what'd you do while we were gone?" he asked. "if you went out to some less boring, youngster rave party, i wouldn't blame you."

"sounds like someone had a few drinks," i teased. "not me, of course. you, you would never soberly suggest i go to one of those. or think i would even do that."

"yeah, true," he admitted. "let me guess, you watched a critically acclaimed movie or tv show and analyzed the subtext and directing choices."

"how'd you know?" i laughed.

"i know you!" he winked and stood up straight. "alright, i'm heading to bed now. early day tomorrow. love ya!"

"love you too!" i said as he closed the door behind him.

not being able to tell the people in my household about the kiss was quite frustrating, so i immediately pulled out my phone and told my best friend.

you maeve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

maeve what's up????????????????????

you WE KISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

maeve omg OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!

you it was amazing. and also half in my house and half on my roof.

maeve HOLY SHIT

you i can't stop smiling. you're going to have to surgically stitch my mouth shut.

maeve sorry but i can't do that because then you won't be able to tell me every single detail.



i went through the whole night like i was scribbling it in a journal. but i didn't think i would ever need to reference back at it. the last few hours were ingrained in my brain.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

"i really feel like a third wheel now," said maeve. she sat across the table from walker and i in our booth at the bagel shop.

being in a hidden away corner after a long school friday that lacks privacy was a relief. that day was the most boring blob of academics too. anything was boring after what happened, honestly. at least i spent a good portion of math class thinking about it, still in disbelief that i was thinking of a memory rather than a daydream.

"don't worry, we've only kissed once," i reminded her.

"hey, tricycles exist! it's not the worst thing," she said happily. "but i am excited for when it's a quadricycle."

i assumed she meant double dates with jordyn, but i still pointed to the photo frame on the wall and joked, "jeffrey is right here."

someone i recognized walked past our booth. it was definitely connor; he had the bowl cut. "i just saw connor briggs," i whispered. "haven't talked to him since casting."

"we're filming at the end of the month, right? we should probably come up with an official date," urged maeve.

"whoa. i didn't realize how soon that is," said walker with a hint of alarm.

"i didn't realize how bad i have to pee," blurted out maeve. she rushed out of her seat, and that made me recall the other time she did that, when walker and i made the deal back in january.

"anyway," i chuckled. "i know your parents said they're happy with your grades, but the deal... we agreed to put filming first when it happens."

"i know. it's alright, i'll do that," he said. "if that plan works, i'll be on the way back to acting either way."

"true." now that i knew he liked me, i was having regrets about ever proposing a way for him to prove that acting was his calling and leave earlier than by the end of the year.

i pushed that aside, for now at least. my part of the deal was to focus on the film too, so that's what i had to do. whatever happens after that happens.

maeve came back a moment later. lightning speed peeing -- impressive. "what'd i miss while i was taking a piss?" she said almost melodically.

"is maevespeare back from the dead?" said walker.

"i never died," maeve cried. ( i wanted to finish a rhyme for her. ) "also, i had a mini interaction with connor outside the bathroom. he's curious about filming dates too."

"there's not supposed to be any snow this year," i told them both, "so we don't have to worry about that. just the cold, it'll be annoying for the outdoor scenes."

"do you have a green screen?" asked walker.

"do you have a hollywood set we could work on?" i played.

"i was joking," he claimed. "just checking." i elbowed him and he laughed under his breath. "anyway, i'll make the group chat with the cast."

we stayed huddled together at that booth, reaching out to the cast and finding an open time slot of joint availability. after a bagel fueled eternity, we were set for the last week of february going into march.

the process took longer than we expected: the workers were telling us to pack it up for closing and maeve's parents texted her, worried she'd gone missing. but it was done after all those hours, so walker and i rewarded ourselves with some red gatorade from the vending machine.



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thank you for reading chapter 47!

my chapter title idea list is running a little low. any suggestions that are unused and eye-themed? i will also add one i like for this chapter!