1.7

The next few weeks were a bliss, we spent even more time together if it was possible. Before, we were attached to the hips but now we were literally inseparable. I couldn't fathom how no one noticed, the stolen touches and lingering glances were exhilarating and terrifying. We alternated between our homes and our parents were so supportive. We never did anything more than making out since we wanted to take it slow. In our private little bubble, in our houses, we were safe and free. I would not mind living like this forever.

"Dude it's been weeks, you coming to the party?" Kean asked. Painfully, I tore my gaze away from

Kade's sharp profile.

"Uh," if I go to the parties, they would expect me to hook up with some girls. What if I got drunk and kissed Kade?

"Everything alright?" Kean's tone was surprisingly serious, and that alerted everyone in our lunch table. Conversations stopped and everyone focused on us. Kade's hand lightly squeezed mine for support and he quickly continued eating. I was too busy thinking of an excuse to noticed Jeremy's stare.

"Yeah, just- yeah I will come tonight," I tried for a smirk, thankfully, they didn't notice any different and they turned their attention on Kade.

"Since Zac is coming, Kade you're coming then right?"

"Yeah of course," Kade's smirk was no better than mine.

"Good, a party wouldn't be one without you couple," Jeremy said, Kade choked besides me and I pounded his back too hard, trying laugh it off like his words were not too specific. No one noticed his choice of words but the look Jeremy was giving us told us it was no coincidence.

"Yeah of course," Blake said, oblivious like everyone else except the three of us. The conversation continued on as if nothing significant happened, I engaged in one with Blake and Kilorn to seem like nothing was wrong. The bell rang and Kade and I quickly left, saying that we had lessons in the other side of the building, which was true. We said goodbyes and quickly got out before the massive waves of student.

The hallways were almost vacant, just one or two students loitering around, still we spoke in whispers.

"Jeremy he-" Kade tried to sound nonchalant but the panic underneath was too obvious.

"I know, maybe he didn't mean it?" I tried to convince him and myself but the look he shot me told me I was as bad as him.

"It was bound to come out sooner or later right?" I said, this month was nothing short of paradise, but everything had an end, even paradise.

There was a short silence, maybe this is too fast, or he is ashamed? "Yeah maybe we should, so girls will stop throwing themselves at you," his voice cut me off my overthinking.

I raised an eyebrow, a genuine smirk graced my lips, "someone jealous?" He scowled at me and the way his eyes kept flickering to my lips were not helping at all.

"You know that I do like girls too right?" I continued teasingly, with a quick look around, he pulled me down and gave me a bruising kiss that left me gasping.

"Shut up," Kade scowled at me.

"Make me," I didn't meant for my voice to be this husky.

"You did not," he growled but before he could do anything else, voices were approaching and Kade could only scowled at me once more before hurrying off to his AP calculus. If I went to class with a grin too wide well, no one could pry the answer from me.

Kade did not wait for me by my locker, instead he was already in his car and he drove off without a word. The quick drive was cut even shorter with his speeding and before I could start worrying, we had arrived to my house.

"Kade?" He cut off my question with a hard kiss. Before my mouth could open up, he had moved on to my neck. I couldn't stop a groan and that made him bit harder just at the conjunction of my neck and shoulder.

"Kade," I strangled out, finally he stopped and gave me a triumph smirk. It was my turn to scowl. Quickly I got out and dragged a too-smug Kade, to my house, up to my room and slammed the door shut. I didn't gave him a chance and attacked his neck, pulling off his sweater, mine was discarded too.

I pushed him onto my bed and started my attack from the waistband of his jeans to his jaw. When I was finished, he was shivering and swearing like a sailor. I admired my handy work for a moment, the beautiful mess in front of me.

I didn't give him any chance to recover, my lips were on his before he could utter a single word. This time, it was a lot softer and we were taking our time, exploring each other as if we hadn't already done it a million times. Then, he flipped me over and with a wicked smirk, he returned the favour.

By the time we went down for dinner, my parents gave us knowing looks, Daisy took one look at us, fake gagged and return to her fried rice.

"You guys really should cover those up," dad gestured at our neck. I looked over at Kade, the purplish red marks over his neck, two on each side and one more peaking out of his sweater. I smiled at the thought of more hidden by his sweater. I knew my neck was probably covered in even more hickeys, and more on my body.

"We're going to a party tonight," I said as we sat down in our usual spot.

"Finally going out huh?" Mami said as she passed us our bowls of fried rice. Conversation momentarily stopped as we all savoured our fried rice. Rice coated in battered eggs, with crunchy green onion, spam and ham. If you think about it separately it seemed disgusting but together, it was pretty close to heaven.

Dinner went by fast, after cleaning up, Mami and dad washed the dishes, shooting down our offer to help. We went back to my room for me to changed into some white shirt and leather jacket with a hood and some jeans so dark it was almost black. Kade nodded approvingly and we would have gone to his house sooner to get him ready if not for some distraction.

What was probably half an hour later but felt like merely minutes, we were in his car and on our way to his house. We stayed almost an hour there, not because of any distraction, but him taking almost an hour to style his hair since I "messed it up too much", or maybe because I kept running my hands through his unfairly soft hair that should not be that soft with all the hair product he used daily.

Finally, we arrived to Kean's house, fashionably late as usual and greeted by everyone enthusiastically. We made a beeline for the kitchen, eager for alcohol, and Jeremy was there. We both tensed up and when Jeremy saw us, he gave us his sunshine smile that was a bit too loopy, probably because he was already tipsy.

"So you guys," he gestured wildly at the two of us as we poured some vodka and orange juice.

"What about us?" Kade said casually, sipping on his drink, the only indication of his nervousness was how tight he was gripping his cup.

"Isn't it obvious," Jeremy laughed, then gave us a big smile, "you guys are together,"

None of us spoke afterwards, the loud music wasn't enough to suffocate the silence consuming us. I looked at Kade and he was already looking at me.

Finally Kade spoke again, "yeah so?" I held my breath.

"Good for you guys," Jeremy's smile was huge and his genuine tone breathed air back into my lungs.

"Thank you?" I said, maybe he was too tipsy to know what he was talking about, "do others, know?"

Jeremy shook his head, "they are too dense, but they won't judge," he said the last part like he was trying to convince himself.

"How did you guys find out?" Jeremy asked, looking down at his cup as he swirled it.

"Find out?" I prompted.

"That you guys aren't, straight," he looked directly at us and then I realised.

"Well, we find out we like each other. You don't really find out more like you suddenly have the realisation, it suddenly hitting you like how you always knew the sun is shining but then you suddenly realise it's actually shining on you and that you can feel the heat." I said, looking straight at him.

He nodded, and began leaving but then I asked, "who is he?"

He stopped and I thought I got it wrong, but then he said, "Kean," and left.

"Wait what?" Kade turned towards me, "I feel like I just missed a whole conversation, was the conversation in chinese? Is that why I don't understand?"

"He likes Kean," I said simply. Kade's eyes widen, and then it hit him and he grinned.

"Wow,"

"Yeah,"

"Maybe we should give him the courage yeah?" Kade said with a nervous smile, and a determined glint in his hazel eyes.

Heart pounding, I grinned at his words, "sure," we both finished our cups, poured more vodka, drank it and threw the cups away.

Knowing that we were not alone and that there were probably more people out there, we went out hand in hand, fingers intertwined. People didn't really noticed, those who did did a double take.

I kept a smile on my face while Kade smirked, I could feel his hand clamming up and I tightened my grip.

"You guys made it!" Kean greeted us, then he saw our linked hands and his mouth made an 'o' shape. He looked at our faces, back at our hand, then at us again, "so is this why you guys didn't go to the parties?"

"Wait why don't they go," Blake suddenly appeared, his arms slung around Kade and I's shoulders. Kean gestured at our hands, Blake looked down, and then at Kean again and then dropped his arms awkwardly, "Oh,"

If tension could suffocate, we would all be dead.

"Good for you guys! And more girls for us!" Blake said cheerfully, clapped our backs and pulled us towards a beer pong table, "okay you two love birds against us," Kade and I were too shock to do anything except letting them drag us.

"Wait so you guys are, fine with us? This?" Kade finally spoke as he threw the first ping pong. It missed.

Kean threw the next one, "why wouldn't we be?" It landed in one of the cups and I drank it, I desperately needed the alcohol.

"I don't know," Kade missed again. Blake threw the next one and it went in again, I drank again.

"It doesn't affect us or anyone, what you think we'd care? The only thing we care about is if we are going to win this year." Blake said casually as I threw the next one, it went in.

"So no one would mind?" I asked.

"Those who do will feel the volleyball team's wrath," Kean said.

"Thanks guys," warmth blossomed in my chest as the final weight was finally lifted off. The easy smile on Kade's face probably mirrored mine.