Not So Bad - A.M.

12: Secret

I've been doing my best to avoid Austin all day at school today. I already know my answer, but I just want to be absolutely sure. You know, keep it a secret for a little while longer.

I made it all the way to lunch. Austin keeps looking at me, though, from across the cafeteria, and something tells me he'll be coming up to me soon.

"Look who's coming, Ava." Naomi said. I looked and, of course, Austin was on his way over.

I guess soon is now.

"Hey, Ava." He said sitting next to me. He gave Jordan and Naomi a nod of his head, and they smiled at him.

"Oh, Austin, these are my best friends, Jordan and Naomi." I said, pointing to each of them individually. "Girls, this is Austin, my-"

"Boyfriend." He finished for me.

"You're not my- he's not my boyfriend." I said, turning from Austin to my friends.

"Not yet." Jordan mumbled.

"That's right." He smirked.

"Really, Jordan?" I asked.

"Okay, fine. I know when i'm not wanted." She stood up and motioned for Naomi to follow her. "We'll be outside if you need us."

"No, wait." I protested, but they were already walking out.

"What? You don't want to be alone with me?" Austin teased.

"What do you need?" I sighed.

"Just wanted to ask if you had an answer for me yet."

"I do."

"You do?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"Well.."

"Can we go somewhere more private? Your friends are staring right at me." I said, gesturing towards his friends.

"Yeah, let's go." He grabbed my arm gently and pulled me all the way into a hallway. This hallway leads to the old classrooms my school never uses anymore, so we shouldn't run into anyone here, hopefully.

"So, I decided that I would, um, you know, give you that chance." I blushed and looked down as soon as the words left my mouth.

"Nah, I've just been playing with you this whole time. I wanted to see how far I could take this." He said.

My head shot up and he looked back at me with the most serious look on his face. Just as I was about to lash out, he started laughing.

"I'm just kidding." He laughed even harder when he saw the look on my face.

I started laughing too, and gave him a shove. "That was mean." I giggled.

"Let me make it up to you, then." He said. He placed his hands on my waist, and kissed me. At first, I kissed back and thought nothing of it, but then I came to my senses and pulled back.

"Austin.." I started.

"I still can't kiss you?" He asked.

"We're just friends. Friends don't do that." I told him.

"Says who?" He challenged.

"Says me."

"Oh, come on, Ava. You know I like you."

"I don't actually." I corrected him.

"For starters, I never, and I mean never, tell girls how I feel about them. And, I don't wait around for them like i'm doing with you. That has to tell you something." He explained.