A week goes by. Tucker and I sneak around behind Danny and Sam, despite his protests. We try to figure out what is going on with my powers. I told him about the turning invisible when I'm scared. Right now, we are taking a break. We had been trying to activate floating again, but I only ended up falling on my butt.
"We really should tell Danny and Sam." Tucker hands me a spoon for the sundae we are going to share.
"Tell Danny and Sam what?" Sam says angerly walking around the corner Danny in tow.
"Well-"
I cut Tucker off, "That we've been secretly dating. Not long. Only a week."
"Why didn't you guys tell us?" Danny asks.
"Vlad," I answer, "isn't going to approve, and I felt that the less people that know, the less likely he will find out. I also didn't want to ruin the dynamic we have when hanging out. Everyone knows things tend to change with friend groups when romance gets involved."
Danny and Sam sit with us and we talk a bit more. Tucker stays unusually quiet.
Suddenly Tucker says, "Octavia, you need to get going now or you will be late. You just got ungrounded, and I don't think Vlad is going to be happy if you are late again."
"Walk me home?" I say standing up.
Tucker gets up with me and we start the trek up to Vlad's house.
"Why did you lie to them?"
I shuffle uncomfortably, "I don't know. I panicked."
"I don't want to lie to them. I could barely handle just sneaking behind their backs."
"What if it doesn't have to be a lie?" I feel heat rise to my cheeks, and my heart start to pound. I try to calm myself down, but I can't.
"Do you like me, like that?" He asks.
Someone walking on the other side of the street gives him a funny look. So, he pulls out a phone and holds it to his ear. I must be inviable. I don't answer.
He says, "It's really not cool if you just walked away." I still don't respond. He sighs, and then says, "I like you. Not that it matters if I say so because you have clearly walked away from me."
I kiss him on the lips then ran off, completely embarrassed. To calm down I know I have to get away from him. After I am certain I have returned to color, I walk into my house and go to my room.