Royally Kissed | ✓

03; the first kiss

—three—

the first kiss

SHE BLINKED.

For someone who had heard so many jokes from Owen alone, Arthur's was the best of all. His was utterly ridiculous, if not bordering as an off-the-wall antic, it wasn't even funny.

"What?" was the only thing she could say, for she was dumbfounded at the wake of his words that might suggest his undying love for her.

Well maybe not, but...

Time just stood still then. Paige let the silence sit through as she waited for his answer, although immediately attempting to study his body language like a conversation. Was he serious? Should I let him kiss me? Oh, wait, no. I don't even know how to kiss. And if he does, then he would be my first kiss−

But when Arthur's face had begun to crack a puckish smile, it didn't take a genius to know that the joke was actually on her. The beginnings of her growing hope from his fake words of encouragement had abruptly shut off when his smirk escalated to a laughing fit.

Perhaps, yes, his question that simply bowled her over wasn't what she'd entirely expect to happen so soon. But this was Arthur Huxley, and the fact that he was merely fooling around hurt more than she let on.

"Right," she maundered with a chuckle that didn't really cover up the embarrassment written all over her face, or the awkwardness washing through her. Her eyes studied him through pained hooded lids as he continued to bark out a barrel of snickers, then she mechanically curled stray hairs behind her ear−a habit of hers whenever she felt thoroughly ashamed. Felt like she was the everlasting, biggest joke to ever exist, leaving her bruised and scarred in places only her heart could see. "Would you stop laughing?"

"You should've seen your face." He was beetroot red now, eyes in amused slits as he regarded her with much playfulness. "You're so gullible."

She wanted to tell him off, say something indignant, as the beginnings of rushing anger swept through her yet again. But deep down, she knew she shouldn't act on her impulses; so then she slowly recollected her bearings to weigh her emotions with a sound approach.

Pursing her lips before heaving a breath, she tilted her chin up a little but without the ego and smiled at him. "I guess I've been well-played, Huxley, since I did think you're nice." She crumpled her face which she'd hoped had shown her abhorrence when she added, "What I didn't expect was that you've more dick in your personality than in your pants."

Arthur blinked at him in utter surprise, since it was obvious he didn't see that one coming. For most of her life, people particularly reckoned her as someone so conventionally correct and timid that it somehow got to a point where they had to keep a wide berth from her, for fear of smearing the image they'd portrayed her as.

His mouth was still clamped shut as she undid her legs to stand up, even as she picked up her bag from the grass. Turning to him one last time with a smile on her face, she hitched the strap of her bag on her shoulder with a clenched fist.

"Shame the rumors aren't true. You are nothing but a cock and bull story, Huxley. It is not so nice meeting you."

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Her steps faltered by the door when she entered the classroom, seeing that Arthur had tore his eyes away from his notes then to her. Looking away, she advanced herself in the direction of her usual position in Finance and ignored him all the way through, even though his eyes were following her every move based on her peripheral vision.