For the First Time

Chemical Bonding

SYDNEY'S POV

I was planning to implement the Spanish Inquisition since morning on Adrian. That absolute jerk. Instead, I was interrogated the minute I walked through that door.

'What are you wearing?' I heard a familiar voice ask.

'What do you mean?' I retorted.

Adrian's puzzled face met mine and I couldn't help but admire his face and notice a touch of yellow paint lingering in his hair. He motioned at me up and down and then to himself. That's when I took in his attire, shorts and a white tee.

'Sage, I know you want to keep up the stone hearted, cold demeanour, but it’s way too hot today, even for Palm Springs.' 

'Yeah...well I just felt like wearing this.' I answered slowly. I hesitated as I tried to come up with a feasible excuse. 

Adrian took in my shirt, buttoned up to the top and the scarf I was wearing and his eyes widened. It didn't take him long to notice my fidgeting and involuntarily scratching my neck to put two and two together. 

'Hold on, come here.'

'No ' I mumbled. I could tell, he knew. 

'Sage, come here' he insisted but he was amused. He kept coming closer and I kept moving further back. To the point, I was running around his kitchen. Adrian was quick with his reflexes and was one side of the dining table and I was on the opposite. He anticipated my every move and a loud giggle burst out of me. 

He laughed as I fell onto the couch after him.

'No, Adrian. No!' I wailed.

He ignored me innocently and continued.

'Please, but don't laugh.' 

'I won't.'

He undid my button and took in the red marks all over my neck and leading down further. There were at least four purplish bruises conquering my body. Adrian let out a heart-warming laugh. He threw his head back and rested one hand on his stomach. 

'I'm really sorry' he managed to get out between laughs.

'Do you not realise how humiliating it was never returning from my 'date' and having to do the walk of shame in the same clothes?'

He kept smirking as I rambled on.

'And trust Eddie to be waiting in the main dorm room, scanning me from head to toe. Like that wasn’t enough, he then muffled ‘Glad you're safe’ as he laughed and walked away. Better yet, I was stopped on my way to my room by Jill informing me ‘Oh by the way, you should maybe cover that up?’ She got a good laugh out of my clueless blank expression turning to recognition.' 

'I'm about to melt in this shirt and you're still laughing. Unbelievable' 

His chuckles began slowly down after my rambling yet held on to his devil-may-care smile. 'Just take it off for now.'

'I have to go back soon. I don't have two classes with Ms.Terwiliger today.'

'That’s a shame.'

'No it's a shame that I can't wear my new sleeveless top because you left marks on me everywhere.'

'I prefer to call them love bites'

'How do you manage to get away unscathed' I groaned.

'I don't' 

****

Later that night, I was preparing my chemistry test when Adrian’s name popped up on Love Phone.