Prom Queen

A 360 Change (4)

"After the thank you note, from Duke. I needed answers from our kiss because I began to wonder what it meant. At first I deduced he thanked me for keeping his secret thought, one that would catastrophically ruin his relationship with Ivy.

So I wrote a note of my own, "We need to talk, Study Date?" I hesitated to write date, but I left it there anyway. I thought it'll be cool to have it there, it made everything seem so scandalous when it wasn't. I chided myself for the thought. It was Ivy's boyfriend I was thinking about!

I left it in his locker and sure enough during our break with Ivy in plain sight, he offered to help me with homework, Ivy had to do chores so she left with Ethan. We headed to the library choosing a table with the most privacy. It felt okay, Ivy was okay with our study date.

I never thought we'd be alone or how I'd feel when Duke's eyes met mine. "Do you want to talk now?" He was sitting besides me, so close I could smell his shaving cream.

I flushed, unsure why it happened, it just did, "Sure," I bit my lip, "What did you mean when you wrote 'thank you?'" His face was nearer to mine, I could feel his breath fanning on my lip.

"This," He whispered on my lips, lightly brushing it, "Making me feel wanted."

I couldn't think coherently, I just felt this craving, this burning feeling from where he touched me and all I could think was I want more. It's only much later did I realise that I just kissed my best friends boyfriend." - Adeline Stone.

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ETHAN DROVE ME after biology to the hair stylist. He kept giving me fleeting looks. I had this distinct feeling he wanted me to change my mind. I wasn't just doing this for popularity or so they'll recall me. I'm also doing this for me. Duke had always liked my long hair, cutting it off would feel like I'm cutting Duke off.

It was strange. I went to the saloon, sat on the leather chair and told him, "Slightly longer than shoulder length," When his scissors came to cut my hair, I didn't even flinch. I closed my eyes wondering when had been the last time I had short hair, surreal as it, I found myself slightly afraid to open my eyes.

It took some time. I flinched when the metal scissors touched the skin on my neck. It was cold, reminding me, I was cutting my long hair off. "Do you want to add any highlights?" He asked me. He stopped cutting my hair. Was it horrible?

Wearily I opened my eyes. The girl in the mirror looked different, in a good way. I glimpsed at myself in the mirror, then to Ethan our eyes meet through the glass.

"Another time," I told him overwhelmed, "Thank you," I paid him leaving the shop, nervously I peeked at Ethan, he's avoiding my gaze. "What do you think?"

Ethan stopped, turned to look at me, not sure how to respond to the intensity of his gaze. I froze. Ethan's hand comes up to touch my much shorter blond hair. He looked at me. He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. I touched his arm, and he quickly pulled it back. The intensity in his eyes, that brought butterflies in my stomach was gone, he was back to the familiar boy I knew, "You look stunning, there's going to be a long line of boys asking you out."

I chided myself for the not so friendly thoughts that swam into my head. Ethan's a friend. Just a friend. 

"Thank you," I grinned back, unable to comprehend the sincerity in Ethan's compliment and much less the jumble of emotions I felt.

Ethan's eyes on the drive home kept glancing back at me. I deadpanned "If you keep staring, I'll do trick."

Ethan laughed, "Will you fetch a stick?"