𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐈; flipped

𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗘; 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗎𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽

||꒰𝒃𝒓𝒚𝒄𝒆꒱||

Have you ever noticed that Juli has very pretty eyes? See, look at them. Wait, what? Oh man, she caught me staring at her! I whipped my head around as nonchalantly and quickly as I could.

To my relief, the class was easy and didn't require me to interact with anyone else. Surely they'd have teased me. At the end of math, I stayed behind to ask the teacher about the lesson. I didn't quite understand how you get the average of a set by... adding and dividing? Or was it multiplying?

Anyways, afterward, I went out to the lunchroom and saw Garrett approaching Juli. Two-face! He only wanted something if I did too.

"Since you aren't Bryce's girlfriend, will you go to the grad dance with me?" Garrett asked Juli. How could he do this? How could I let this happen? I should've asked Juli to get more serious-

"No... you sure hit the ground hard..." I swear heard Juli say. Thank God! Oh, buddy, you don't know how worried I was. I listened to Juli spit a reply in Garrett's face, and then I followed her to another table.

"So, I asked you to the grad dance?" I asked teasingly.

"Yeah, sorry, I just wanted to get out of that situation," she replied with a giggle. I understood.

I decided to take a risk. "But in all seriousness, are we going to the grad dance together?"

"Oh, well, only if you want to..." Did Juli think that I didn't want to? If so, she was most certainly wrong.

"Of course I do! I just saw wasn't sure that you wanted to," I said, trying very hard to conceal the grin that was growing on my face.

Juli shook my head. "No, I'm going to turn down the person I've liked for six years."

I laugh at this remark and we sat in comfortable silence. I could feel her gaze on me as I looked down, so I looked up at her, locking eyes. How could I have ever wanted to run away from Juli Baker?

•••

As I dumped my books into my bike basket, I could feel Garrett's presence near me.

"So, you're going to the dance with Juli?" I heard his voice say.

I nodded as I spun around. "Yup, sure am," I said with a smirk.

Garrett laughed. "You know, I asked her on account of a dare, but I didn't actually think she'd get a date. Somehow, you two never fail to surprise me."

"Just leave us both alone. That was a total jerk move and I don't understand why you're acting like this," I spat at him.

He pushed me, and as I was going to shove him back I felt a pair of hands grab my wrist. Turning around, I saw Juli and it came to me that this was wrong.

"Don't be stupid," she whispered before pulling me away. I nodded and followed her off to the side of the school.

"What was that?" Juli asked, more demanding. I could see in her eyes that she was unhappy.

I sighed. "Juli, he was making fun of us. Of you! I wasn't going to let him do that!"

Shaking her head, Juli's expression softened. "Who cares? For six years people made fun of me, and I just ignore them."

"But Juli-"

I was cut off by a gentle sensation on my lips. Suddenly I felt more aware of everything and noticed her hand in mine; her lips on mine; our physical closeness. Abruptly she stepped away and looked down. "Sorry.." she mumbled.

"No, it's fine," I said, more than okay with what she had done.

"No," she says sternly. "I-I should've asked."

"Well then," I said quietly, waiting for the words to form in my head. "Can I kiss you?"

Juli looked into my eyes, her face a mixture of surprise and excitement.

"Yes," she mumbled before crashing her lips onto mine. She tasted sweet, like strawberries. I savored the moment and when it ended there was but one thing on my mind.

"Juli," I began. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

She giggled and said "Yes" and laced her fingers with mine. "I think we need to go," she said with a pang of sadness.

"You're probably right. But who says that we won't see each other tomorrow?" I could stay here forever. But I knew I shouldn't. "Well, we still have the ride home together."

"That's true," she replied contently. And we were content. Happy, even. To have this off our chests and instead in the small space between us. As we raced down the streets, I watched in amazement as Juli's hair flew gracefully, carefree. She's beautiful. And today? Probably the most memorable day, like, ever.