The Young Spy (Book One)

Chapter 24: The Magic Number

"I like how you said that," Audrey smiles, leaving Swift red on his cheeks. Without a warning, she moves forward to him and gives him a short kiss on his lips. If Swift isn't blushing that hard right now, he totally is now. "See you later... love." She says it back.

With a final smirk, Audrey takes her leave. Meanwhile, Swift stands there in disbelief and glee. She just kissed him in school. Sure, it's eye-catching for some people, seeing the relatively new student already getting a new girlfriend, or at least that's what a few of the thinks. Swift doesn't think much of it. Instead, he just keeps on thinking about today's agenda. That's what he does until he turns further to the hallway when he spots Iggy, staring at him, mouth agape, utterly flabbergasted at something. Swift raises a brow at him.

"What... the hell... was that?!" Iggy shouts at Swift.

"What was what?" Swift says, taken aback by his aggressive question.

"Did she just-" Iggy speaks up again, but the ringing sound of the bell cuts him off. He huffs upsettingly and walks into the hallway further from Swift. "We'll talk about it later!" He shouts again before disappearing out of sight.

Swift is left in confusion at first, but he slowly realizes. She. It's clear that Iggy is talking about Audrey. The bafflement on his face says it all. As Swift traverses down the hall reaching for biology class, he rethinks about Iggy's reaction earlier. Although left surprised, he finds his reaction to that one small kiss appropriate. He remembers the fact that Iggy and Audrey, along with Dane, have been long-time friends since middle school. Seeing one of his friends kissing a new friend would be completely shocking for him, so Swift thinks he can let that one slide. After fetching a biology textbook he has in his locker, he enters the biology class, taking a seat near the back of the classroom, one row further from the wall. He relaxes for a moment, resting his back. Letting out an exhale, it turns into an annoyed scoff when he realizes who takes a seat right next to him.

"Goddamnit," He murmurs when the unwanted presence of Jake, appears beside him setting his books down on the table. "You again?" Swift says, trying to be calm as possible to not raise the situation into another conflict.

He already knows what Jake would do if there's no one in the room, especially the teacher, like for instance punch Swift in the face, but surprisingly he seems calmer than their previous encounters, even when he realized that Swift is in the same room. They've been in the same class multiple times, but none of them is as neutral as this.

"Didn't expect to see you here." Jake greets him after sharing a glance.

"You and me both," Swift says. "So, what are you gonna do next? The usual spitballing? Or the classic launching a rubberband at my face?" He quips quietly, Jake shows no amusement to that.

"The trouble I'm gonna get into if I do that now..." Jake says.

"Huh?" Swift raises an eyebrow. Thinking back, he recalls the brother-like relationship he has with Matt, who has saved him a bunch of times from Jake. "Oh, I remember," A chuckle leaves Swift. "What is he gonna do? Scold you? Is he your boss or something?" He laughs again, making sure to keep it silent and unnoticed by the teacher.

"Kind of," Jake tilts his head. "Speaking of Matt, he's looking for you." Swift, while opening his biology textbook, stops abruptly, and he looks at Jake with a hint of reluctance. He's looking for me? He thought he was imagining him saying it. It's rather odd knowing Matt, someone up to no good that Swift's been supervising secretly, is supposedly looking for him. Does he know? No. That's impossible. There were no tracks left behind of Swift or his partner Tom that needs erasing that would expose their cover to Matt, at least not that Swift knows of.