SIMON
I touch my lips, they feel warm and raw. My heart is still racing and my breaths is ragged. I don't know what to do next. I feel utterly helpless. So I call Agatha, for no intelligent reason. The wind is whipping ferociously, making her blonde hair swirl around her.
"What is it, Simon?" She sighs.
"I'm so sorry, Agatha," I tell her, "I feel terrible."
"I told you, it's fine."
"I know, but…" I trail off. She rubs my cheek with her thumb.
"I don't want to break up with you, Simon," She mumbles and leans in.
BAZ
I shake my head at annoyance at myself. The coach seemed angry, shouting that fags don't belong on his team. I convinced him well enough that he was misinterpreting things, but the sick feeling stays in stomach. I know he'll call my father. I stop when I see a couple kissing in the parking lot. A short girl with glorious blonde hair and of course, Simon. I sigh. The expected sadness arrives, this is what was bound to happen. I walk past them to my car, but I can feel a gaze on my back, "Baz, wait up!" I whip around and almost smack into Simon. His girlfriend is staring at us twenty feet away, looking confused.
"What?" I snap. He looks flustered.
"I-uh-I didn't mean-" He grabs at me, but I take a step back.
"Use your words," I say, as mean as I can muster while he looks at me with puppy-dog eyes.
"I-uh…Agatha kissed me," He stutters out.
"Why should I care?" I shove my hands in my pockets.
"I didn't want her to," He says softly, avoiding eye contact with me. My heart flutters with ignorant hope, I crush it immediately.
"Yeah, and?"
"I want to- I'd rather kiss you," He looks at me and touches my face with one hand, cupping my cheek. I look past him, Agatha is gone and there is no one around. So I let myself lean into the touch. He stands up taller and tilts his chin up, our lips almost brushing, "Basil?"
"Yes?"
"Can I kiss you?" He asks softly. I don't respond, instead I lean a centimeter forward, pushing our lips together.
BAZ
"Basilton?" My father looks up from his newspaper as I walk into the house. He sits rigid on the couch.
"Yes?" I say, already walking to the stairs.
"Your football instructor contacted me," He says, "Something about the Snow boy," I don't turn around, but stop walking.
"What about him?" I ask, keeping my voice stoic.
"He informed me that he walked in on you and the boy. That all he saw was you push the boy on the floor and that your hair was a mess," He explains, "He also told me that you said you were fighting about a school assignment."
"Yes, that's true," I reply.
"Your instructor also said that he thought you must've been kissing the boy because of the expression on your faces," My father says slowly. I'm glad I'm not facing him because I feel my cheeks go pink.
"I wasn't."
"That would be disgraceful, Basilton," His voice is low and dark.
"I know," I say and walk up to my room.
SIMON
Baz yanks me behind a vending machine on my way to lunch, "We shouldn't do this at school," He says quickly.
"Aww, why?" I lean in and kiss his cheek softly.
"Just…we shouldn't." He mutters, "We'll get caught."
"No, we won't," I whisper in his ear and cup his face.
"Mm…," He leans into my hands.
"No one has to know," I say quietly and kiss him. My phone rings and we both jump apart. I pull it out and see that Agatha texted me.
"Your girlfriend?" He asks with no emotion.
"We broke up, but yes. Agatha," I text her back, telling her I'll be there soon. I shove my phone in my pocket, not ready to leave, but Baz has already closed off. He's leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
"Oh, why?" He says casually. I almost laugh, but instead I lean closer till I hear his breath hitch.
"I like someone else," I breathe into his ear. He mumbles something I can't make out, but I don't have time to ask because my phone rings again.
"You should go," He says, smoothing his hair. I nod slowly and walk out. I meet Agatha and Penny at our table. Penny's purple hair is pulled up into a high ponytail and her glasses lean a little too far down her nose.
"Where were you?" Penny narrows her eyes at me.
"Uh..I had to do something," She raises her eyebrows.
"What?" Agatha asks, "Or should I say who?" She says bitterly.
"Jesus, I just had to return a library book," I lie. Penny still looks at me suspiciously and Agatha glares.
"You don't read," Penny replies.
"So? It was for class," I say, avoiding her eyes.
"You're a shitty liar, Simon," Agatha retorts, "Who's the new girl, huh?"
"Agatha…." I run a hand through my hair.
"Leave the kid alone. He probably had to use the restroom or something," Penny says, looking Agatha strongly in the eye. Agatha makes a "hmph" sound, but doesn't protest.
"How's Micah, Penny?" I quickly change the subject and scoot in next to Penny. Her eyes glaze over and she sighs happily.
"He's really great, actually. He's doing award-winningly well in track. He should be visiting the first week of winter break," She swoons.
"Lovely," Agatha grumbles.
"You're just jealous I'm dating an American," Penny rolls her eyes.
"As if."
"It's true, Simon's accent just isn't good enough for you," Penny jokes and laughs. Agatha and I turn red. Penny immediately notices, "What happened?"
"We broke up," Agatha says sharply.
"What? Why?" Penny looks more devastated than both Agatha and I combined.
"Simon kissed someone else," Agatha replies, omitting the fact she kissed me and it was I who said we should break up. Fair enough.
"What the fuck, Si?" Penny punches me in the arm. I rub the injury and glare at her.
"I apologized, jeez," I say.
"Well, who was it?" Penny asks.
"I was really drunk," I explain, trying not to lie directly.
"You don't remember?" Penny asks.
"Uh, not really," I mutter. Penny stares me down, but continues gushing about Micah.