1 The Kiss

"Ow, my head." I wince in pain, slowly sitting up. Starting to look around, 'Where in actual heck am I!?' I thought, looking around to see unfamiliar surroundings. "Good job Arabella, you drank too much, and now I don't know where I am,

" I whispered to myself while moving my feet over the edge of the bed. I need to remember something to help me figure out how in the Mcjesus I got here, but the only thing I remember clearly is hanging out with Maxine at someone else's house.

I think it might've been a party. 'Well, that's just great!' I thought, stumbling to a window. "Ummm are you ok?" I look behind me to see Maxine looking at me questionably. "O-oh umm, actually no. What happened last night I don't remember anything."

I said turning away from the window to face her. "Oh y'know nothing important, but you did end up collapsing, so I took you to my house." Maxine said unhappily, stretching across me and fumbled with the bed sheets.

She leaned low, smoothening the spread. I look away profusely turning red. "O-okay then, thanks for taking me here." Maxine stepped closer after rising to her feet, standing less than an inch away from me and eyed my lips.

Someone knocked on the door, and Maxine turned her attention from me, focusing on the door. "Marc, is that you?" Maxine wondered. "Yeah, it's me." Marc blubbered, entering the room. When he saw me he started waving his bottle of beer in my direction.

For some reason, he looked enraged. "Who the hell is that, and what is she doing here!?" He roared, pointing in my direction.

"Baby, it's nothing. She's Arabella, our friend from school." Maxine said sweetly, rushing over to Marc. I unknowingly backed up and hit the wall behind me, almost falling over.

Maxine looked back at me before quickly turning to Marc who looked like he was going to lose it. Before he could though, another person came in.

This time it was Peirce, my old crush. 'Oh you've gotta be kidding me!' I thought to myself, briefly cupping my face in my hands. "Today couldn't get any better." I mumbled to myself sarcastically, letting my hands fall.

"Woah, I think you've had too much to drink." Peirce laughed to lighten the mood while attempting to grab the bottle from Marc's hand. "Don't act like my Dad, asshole!" Marc said, slapping his hand away.

"Baby, don't you think he's right?" Maxine pleaded, trying to hold his shoulders.

"What did I say you can call me, huh?" Marc asked, pushing her back and she stumbled to the ground next to me near the back of the room. For the past few years I noticed that these two are

close, but I didn't know they're dating. As their friend they've never told me and to be honest, I notice that Maxine hasn't ever really talked about him.

Seeing this right now though I can't say I blame her. His loose appearance probably catches the eye of all the single girls he's probably ever seen whether this guy has said he's single or not, he probably acts like he isn't.

"I was trying to help you!" Maxine yelled angrily, rising to her feet and walking over to him while doing so.

*Slap!* Maxine fell to the floor with her hand covering her right cheek which was painfully red. Tears welled up in her eyes and her lower lip started to bleed.

Peirce quickly grabbed a hold of Marc who was getting ready to strike her again. I rushed over to her, cupping her chin to have her face me and I grit my teeth. "You don't deserve this shit." I whispered, wiping her tears with my fingers.

"That's what you get for telling me what to do Maxine! You dumb bi-" Marc started to scream before I started moving in his direction. "People like you don't deserve her!" I yelled before I hit his lower jaw with a right hook.

Marc collapsed at the impact, his bottle breaking on his face and he landed on the hallway floor soon after. I moved toward him, not knowing what I was going to do, until I was stopped by Peirce.

"That's enough..." Peirce said, looking at Marc who passed out on the hallway floor. Maxine cried, pushing past both of us, shaking Marc. "Wake up..Marc, wake up..." Maxine put his head on her lap, caressing his face.

"We need rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, a rag, and tweezers right now." Peirce sighs, turning to me. "Ok, I'll try to find them.." I said, trudging past Maxine who was still caresing Marc's face.

"Th-they should be in the cabinet by the front door in the first-aid kit." Maxine stuttered, sniffling. "Alright then." I heaved, inhaling sharply, walking in the direction. Peirce followed close behind me. I looked around pretending not to notice, and came across pictures of Marc and Maxine. I stopped walking, staring across the pictures.

The oldest one dated back to 2016 and appeared to be taken when they were on a hike, there were others from years after the earliest of which was of 2019.

'Oh, crud!' I thought to myself. 'Were they in a relationship for that long?' The oldest picture had to be from 8th grade then likely during their summer break.

I pick up one of the photos looking at it closely. "Hey, are these all from when they've been together?" I asked. Peirce continued to the front door across the room, opening the cabinet, and answered my question. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Although I don't know much of it."

Peirce pushed me back against the wall pinning me in place and stays there eyeing me and my reaction as he did. "What are you-" I started before being cut off. Peirce looked behind me to my side and grabbed the first-aid kit. Then slid closer to me with the first aid kit in his left hand still keeping me pinned with his right.

He lunged closer to my face and started to kiss me, parting his lips as he did. Seeing I didn't have a reaction, he pulled me closer to him with his open arm still expecting me to kiss him back.