Can't Do It

Alyssa sat in the school canteen the next day, alone. She was thinking about the events of the previous day. Who had known that one single day could completely twist a person's life story? But it had happened months ago, and it kept happening. Even yesterday, it did!

Forget about the boys, trouble itself seemed to be in love with her.

At that moment, the others came and joined her.

Karson dropped down right beside her, the seat that was usually occupied by Jaden. Somehow along the way, the guys had permanently migrated to their table, but Alyssa wasn't complaining.

However, seeing Karson beaming down at her with affection stark in his eyes, Alyssa felt her very core jolt.

From the corner of her eyes, she could see Jason. But his face was unreadable.

Alyssa gritted her teeth. Somehow, his expressionless fact annoyed her. But no matter how much she was conflicted by Jason's mannerisms, she did not want to hurt him. If indeed, he did have feelings for her.

She shook her head, trying to dismiss that thought. Jason was a grown-up boy. He could take care of himself. She, for now, needed to take care of herself. For her happiness. And now was her chance. In any case, Jason himself had wanted her to do it, she tried to convince herself.

Just kiss him already, Jason's voice sneered in her head, as she swooped in to press her lips to Karson's.

Warmth spread throughout her body, and their whole table became dead silent, as if time had been stopped and all that remained was her and him.

But her mind suddenly faltered. Karson wasn't responding to her kiss. He was still. She tried to push the uncertainty to the back of her mind, but for some reason, she couldn't.

It all went downhill from there, and her body became cold. It felt wrong. Her lips on his felt wrong. In fact, that was when she realized what she'd been subconsciously trying to deny - her lips were yearning for someone else...

It was as if she had been swimming in lukewarm water, that so hugged her body with lovely warmth, but all of a sudden, someone had pulled her out and forced her under an ice-cold ocean. And she couldn't breathe.

She was just about to let go of the kiss when Karson himself pushed her away. His eyes were wide with shock, confusion and horror.

"What the..." he muttered, his hands stilling on his lips, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. "Why'd you do that?"

Slowly, the rest of the table slid back into Alyssa's focus and she could see them all staring back at her. Jason wasn't there. He must've left.

Fight or flight - this time, he seemed to have chosen 'flight'.

Alyssa turned to Karson, her cheeks burning. She had misinterpreted it all - her own feelings and his. Their relationship was not romantic, whatever else it could be...

"I-" she opened her mouth to form the words but she could not. She was too embarrassed.

"You can't just kiss me like that, Alyssa," Karson whispered, his voice soft. "I think you just might have mistaken me for Jason."

That brought Alyssa's speech back. "No! I didn't, I swear. I'm sorry I kissed you. I thought I liked you, but then I realized I didn't."

Karson looked at her, raising his eyebrows. "We need to talk. Alone."

"Why?" She honestly didn't think she could be alone with Karson without being embarrassed to dumbness.

Karson hesitated. His eyes fleeted from their friends' direction to Alyssa's and back. He looked rather ... nervous. "It's about ... you know what. I think it's high time I came clean."

Her friends looked highly confused, but Alyssa knew exactly what he was talking about. And for now, Alyssa wasn't sure if she really wanted to know whatever he would say.