let me teach you how to kiss me ...

“Let me teach you then, Butterfly.”

He leaned down, pressing his lips firmly against hers once more. He bit her lower lip with gentle persuasion, gaining instant access to her mouth, letting his tongue slide deep to explore her interior.

Her heart battered wildly against her ribs, echoing loudly in the quiet space between them.

Everything she had ever imagined was happening all at once. She threw her arms around his broad shoulders, rising up onto her tiptoes as he bent forward slightly so she could hold onto him comfortably.

His tongue deepened the kiss, and Sarah, completely lost in the sensation, squeezed her eyes shut, tilted her head back, and let him take total control.

He finally broke apart from her, watching her struggle to catch her breath, a low smirk decorating his handsome face.

"Consider this a practical demonstration. Don't fret when we have to do it in front of people...... Girlfriend."

He turned and walked out of the library, earning a sharp, reprimanding glare from the librarian who was just walking through the front door.

…..

Sarah walked out of the library with the most unsteady steps she had ever taken in her life, her wide eyes darting nervously in every direction as if the walls themselves had witnessed her shame.

The walk back to the classroom felt utterly endless.

"So? Did you do it?"

Bunny's eager, itching voice was the very first thing that greeted her the second she crossed the threshold into the lecture hall. Sarah's gaze drifted slowly over to Bunny, scrutinizing her with intense focus.

"Guess what I'm currently thinking about."

"I'm not psychic, Sarah. I can't just guess."

“Ninety-nine different ways to murder you and receive a public award for eliminating a threat to society…… That's what's running through my mind.”

“Oh my……” Bunny gasped, feigning utter shock. “Whatever.”

She waved her hand dismissively and yanked Sarah down into the seat beside her.

“Tell me, girl! Where were you? Did you actually do it?”

Sarah swallowed hard, staring blankly into space, which prompted Bunny to tilt her head, staring at her eye-to-eye.

“I am completely doomed, Bunny…. And it is entirely because of YOU.”

Sarah snapped, turning around to grab Bunny by her hair, smacking her repeatedly on her back while Bunny squealed loudly, drawing immediate glares from every classmate sitting in the room.

“Hey… keep it down over there, will you?” a blonde girl shouted from the front row.

Sarah released Bunny's hair, glaring at the girl with eyes that looked ready to devour her whole.

“Hold onto her hair tight, Plain Jane… because pretty soon, you're going to be screaming a lot louder than she is.”

The high-pitched, mocking voice startled the entire room into absolute silence. Every pair of eyes in the class shifted over to Nova, who was standing near the front aisle with her arms crossed tightly.

“I hope she isn't talking to us, Sarah.”

Sarah turned her glare back to Bunny.

“Yes, she is. And again, it's all because of you.”

“Stop fucking blaming me!” Bunny snapped, her forehead furrowed in annoyance.

“I'm talking to both of you pathetic losers,” Nova's voice cut through the air again, sharp enough to draw blood.

Bunny looked at Sarah and immediately burst into loud, unfiltered laughter. Sarah just kept staring, first at Bunny, then at Nova, and finally back across the silent room.

Bunny gradually stopped laughing and turned to face Sarah again.

“What the fuck is she even ranting about?”

“I may or may not have…… entirely because of you…… accepted a fake relationship.”

Bunny raised her eyebrows in sheer shock. “Wait, what? Really?”

“I agreed to fake-date Blake so he could finally get rid of Nova.”

Bunny stared blankly at Sarah, her eyes locked onto her face without moving an inch.

“Sooooo…. Technically speaking, you are currently fighting with Nova over a man?”

“Not really, I…..”

Her sentence was cut short as Nova slammed her hand heavily onto their desk, demanding their full attention just as she desired.

“Sarah… do you honestly think I bought that absolute trash? That *you*…… plain, boring *you*…… are actually dating Blake??”

Her voice sounded utterly vile, dripping with deep condescension and disgust.

Sarah's expression shifted instantly from quiet endurance to a lethal mixture of rage and annoyance. But just as she opened her mouth to speak, Bunny beat her to it.

“Move your pitiful self out of here and go face Blake man-to-man.”

The entire classroom went dead silent once again as everyone turned to watch the show unfold.

“You……” Nova's face tightened in extreme fury, her refined features twisting into something ugly. “What the hell do you mean by *man-to-man*?”

“Well… you certainly act like a bitter, aggressive prick. I honestly don't blame Blake for choosing Sarah over your trash personality.”

The entire class gasped in unison, and within seconds, loud laughter erupted across the room.

“You should probably leave now and stop embarrassing yourself, Nova,” Sarah added, her voice coming out much harsher and colder than she had originally intended.

Nova stomped her foot hard against the floor and turned on her heel, but not before pointing a rigid finger directly at Sarah's face.

“This isn't over.”

She turned around and stormed straight out of the classroom, her designer heels clicking angrily down the hall.

“She is definitely mad. It's been confirmed,” Bunny snorted, leaning back.

“You know,” Sarah turned to Bunny, “maybe, just maybe, if you hadn’t pushed me toward Blake, I wouldn’t be in this massive problem right now.”

She grabbed a fistful of her own hair, pulling with what looked like absolute desperation, though she was barely applying any real pressure at all.

"You know I hate trouble and drama, Bunny!" she whined softly.

"Calm down, do the calms. I suggest at this exact moment, you had better start looking for actual outfits to wear. You are dating our basketball team captain and the hockey team leader, baby. You can't be seen walking around in your regular oversized rags," Bunny said all in one breathless rush.

"How on earth did I end up becoming friends with you, Bunny?" Sarah squinted her eyes, tilting her head as she scrutinized her.

"That is entirely irrelevant right now. What's actually important is surviving Mr. Brown's lecture in two minutes and going shopping. Don't worry, I'll pay!" Bunny beamed, displaying every single one of her teeth in a brilliant smile.

*Ping.*

Sarah glared at her before turning her attention down to her phone screen resting on her lap.

**Hi.. girlfriend. Meet me after school by the library. We will be stepping out for a bit.**