KIMBERLY'S POV
Sleep didn't come easy last night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I could still feel Lilah's lips on mine. The second kiss. Not forceful. Not cold. Just... raw. Like she'd been holding that ache inside for too long and finally let it spill.
And I let her. I didn't push her away. I didn't even want to.
But now, with morning light pouring through my window, the moment felt like a dream I wasn't ready to wake up from.
Mom was in the kitchen when I came down, talking softly on the phone. Josh wasn't around, thankfully. I wasn't in the mood to be fake-smiley. I just grabbed my bag, said a quick goodbye, and slipped out the door like a ghost.
School felt louder than usual.
Maybe it was me.
---
WESTVILLE HIGH
As soon as I stepped into the courtyard, I spotted Kate — bouncing toward me with her usual confidence. Her smile was wide, eyes bright, voice a little too sweet.
"Hey, stranger," she said, looping her arm through mine. "You dipped yesterday. Everything okay?"
I nodded, even though my brain was miles away. "Just tired. Stuff at home."
She gave me a look. "Wanna talk about it?"
Not unless I can say, Lilah Stone kissed me and I kind of liked it.
I forced a smile. "Nah. Nothing serious."
Kate didn't press — she never did. But I noticed how she kept checking her phone. Sneaking glances. Fingers twitching like she was waiting for something.
Someone.
It wasn't hard to guess who.
Kelvin Greg. The school's golden boy. The one who always had eyes on him, even when he pretended not to notice.
He wasn't mine — but he wasn't just a friend either. At least, not to Kate.
I'd seen it. The secret looks. The way she got flustered when I mentioned his name. The way he always showed up when she "just happened" to disappear.
But she never said a word.
So neither did I.
---
LILAH'S POV
I knew I messed up.
I shouldn't have kissed her.
Not again.
But the look on her face — the way her lips trembled, how her lashes fluttered down before I leaned in — it haunted me.
She didn't stop me.
That meant something… didn't it?
I barely spoke a word to anyone that morning. Not even Sophia and Isabella. My entire mind was a storm cloud, thunderous and heavy with one name.
Kimberly.
I spotted her during break, standing beside Kate like nothing had changed. Like we hadn't kissed in her bedroom. Like she hadn't looked at me like she wanted to stay close forever.
Something inside me twisted — sharp and ugly.
And then I saw him. Kelvin. A few feet away from them, pretending to scroll on his phone.
Only, his eyes kept darting toward Kate.
And hers toward him.
Subtle. Controlled. But not invisible.
Not to me.
Something was going on there. And if I noticed… how hadn't Kimberly?
---
KIMBERLY'S POV
By fourth period, I was officially overthinking everything.
Kate was still acting like her usual bubbly self, but I caught her looking over my shoulder a few times — like she was trying to make sure someone wasn't watching. Or maybe she was hoping someone was.
Kelvin, probably.
I wasn't stupid. I noticed how they moved.
But I said nothing. Because how do you bring that up?
"Hey, are you dating him behind everyone's back?"
"Do you love him, or do you just like being his secret?"
Besides... I had my own secret now.
Lilah.
I thought maybe she'd ignore me today. Maybe she'd pretend yesterday never happened. But then...
---
LUNCH BREAK
I found a quiet spot behind the school building. No people, no noise. I sat on the low brick wall, chewing slowly through my sandwich, when I heard footsteps.
I looked up — and there she was.
Lilah.
Her black boots. Her short pleated skirt. That oversized jacket she always wore like armor. She didn't say anything at first. Just walked up and stood in front of me, arms crossed.
"You're hiding," she said.
"No, I'm not."
"Kim, you always come here when you're overwhelmed."
I blinked. "You… remember that?"
She didn't smile. "I remember a lot of things about you."
The silence stretched too long.
Finally, she exhaled and dropped her bag beside mine, sitting next to me on the wall. Her shoulder brushed against mine, and even though she wasn't looking at me, I felt the weight of her words before she spoke them.
"I'm sorry."
I swallowed hard. "For what?"
"For kissing you again. I shouldn't have. Not without knowing if you wanted it."
"I didn't say I didn't want it."
Her eyes turned to me so fast I thought I imagined it.
"You didn't say you did."
I looked away. "Because I don't know, Lilah. I don't know what this is. What we're doing."
She nodded slowly. "Okay. I just needed to hear you say it."
"And what if I figure it out?"
"Then I'll be here."
And then, softer: "Even if I have to wait."
---
KATE'S POV
He brushed past me in the hallway again.
Kelvin. That subtle, slow graze of his hand against mine. Hidden between class bells and the chaos of teenage noise.
He winked, like nothing was wrong. Like no one could ever find out.
And maybe no one would.
But I saw Lilah watching us.
She was standing by the lockers, arms folded, mouth in that little smirk she wore when she was on to something.
And worse — she looked straight at me, like she knew.
No way.
There was no way she could know.
Right?