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As we strolled down the neighborhood, going from one street to another, I realized that somehow, we all managed to stick together instead of going in different directions. We hadn't lost anybody yet. It was like we were part of our own tour guide group that was being led by two people, Remy and Aspen, who didn't know where we were going themselves.

We haven't reached lunchtime yet, it's barely been forty-five minutes since we got here, and we're nearing the shopping streets now. At least that's what Remy's squeals told us all.

I trailed at the very back, behind everyone else with Emma and Emilia walking right in front of me, their arms still linked.

Emma's always been fond of Emilia since she's her older cousin, they get along from the very start. Ava and Emilia aren't as close, Ava definitely has more fun with Remy and they're kind of alike as well, just how Emma and Emilia are.

So far, Emma makes Emilia stop and take a picture in front of every bright and pretty building and Emilia either listens or ignores her and keeps walking, which is when Emma turns to me. "Em!" Emma groaned, stopping in front of a bright, pastel pink building.

Emilia waved without looking at her and jogged forward, stopping beside my grandmother and walking with her.

Emma ran over, blocking my way, tossing her phone to me.

I caught it, lifting a brow at her. "What can I do for you now? Haven't you gotten enough pictures in front of blue and pink buildings?" I asked as she went and stood against the pink wall, holding up a peace sign and grinning. I snapped a few pictures and tossed her phone back to her.

She gasped, barely catching it. "You almost broke my phone!"

"But I didn't," I replied and continued walking. She fell into step beside me and as we walked, I could feel her eyes on me. "What is it?" I asked, glancing at her.

"Why are you and Em so... what's the word? Yeah, hostile. Why are you so hostile with each other now? The last time I met you, it wasn't like this."

"Last time you met me, you were ten years old," I scoffed.

"Yeah, but I still remember. You guys were practically inseparable. Now you're... not so inseparable. Who messed it up?"

"We both did," I replied.

She mumbled a small, "Whoa," and then asked, "you're not blaming her?"

I frowned in confusion. "No. We both made a mistake, why would I simply blame her?"

She stared at me and I watched her in amusement. "You're like... out of a book," she said under her breath. "Well anyway, aren't you both going to make up?"

"I don't think she wants that," I shook my head.

"Do you?"

I paused. "I don't know yet." We passed by a small outdoor café and I warned Emma when we passed by a group of friends she was about to run into. "Careful." I pulled her back, letting them pass. I felt Emma staring at me again as we caught up to the others. "What?" I chuckled.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"I'm sure you will even if I say no."

"Has anything like that ever happened between you and Em?"

"Anything like what?"

"You know," she shrugged.

"No... I don't know."

"Yeah, you know. Has it?" She raised her brows at me, waiting impatiently for an answer.

I fell into thought even though I didn't have to think about it at all. I knew the answer.

Yes. So much.

But I shook my head. "No."

"No? Not even one kiss?"

"Nope."

"Bullshit," she scoffed loudly.

"Emma!" her mom scolded, glancing at her.

She looked at her mom sheepishly while I laughed. "I don't believe that," she added. "With the way you guys are? Nah, no way."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

She glanced at me. "I think you know," she smirked and then skipped ahead, falling into step with Emilia and Nana.

I glanced at the ground, continuing to walk forward, and then looked back up, tucking my hands into my pockets and keeping up with the others.

"What time are your parents coming home again?" I asked, turning to Emmy who was still sitting at her desk, typing away on her laptop.

Her parents were out tonight for dinner with some of his co-workers, Remy and Aspen were at my house. So were my parents but they never say anything to Remy and Aspen. It's kind of gross, they both always stay in Aspen's room, whenever I'm home all I hear is Remy giggling.

It's really gross, actually. I don't even want to know what they're doing. But they're adults, Remy's nineteen, Aspen's twenty, I doubt they would listen. It's still gross.

"They said they'll be out late, I don't really know," she replied, groaning softly and holding down the 'delete' button before closing her laptop.

I looked away from the TV screen and at her. "Why are you in such a pissy mood?"

She ignored me and spun around in her chair.

I huffed, rolling my eyes and turning the TV off, scooting to the edge of the bed behind her chair and grabbing the armrests, stopping the chair. "Emmy."

She crossed her legs under her and stared at me. "Yes?"

"Why are you so annoyed today?"

"I'm not, it's nothing."

"You can't lie to me. I know you," I said pointedly.

"I'm just nervous. I mean, that's what I think it is," she mumbled.

"About what?"

"Nothing," she sang, throwing my hands off the chair and pulling her chair away.

I grabbed her legs, straightening them out from under her. I had my own legs crossed so I pulled her legs over mine. She rolled her eyes and stared at me. "Oh," I sang in realization. "This is about your date that went wrong," I scoffed.

She kicked me in my side. I winced through a laugh, pushing her legs off. She crossed them again, glaring at me. "Don't be a dick, Adam," she whined.

"Sorry. But I seriously don't get what the hell happened. You said it was fun."

"It was fun. We went to the movies, we went ice skating, we got ice cream. But then I just... Oh God," she groaned, covering her face.

"You couldn't kiss him," I laughed, "you chickened out." I snorted, bursting out into laughter.

"Adam, my next kick will come to your face," she said through gritted teeth.

I forced myself to stop laughing and looked at her.

"I'm fourteen! I feel like first kisses shouldn't be so scary now," she groaned.

"They're not. You just wussed out."

Her eyes narrowed. "You said your first kiss was horrible."

"That's because of Lizzie. She's a bad kisser."

"Maybe you're the problem," she snickered.

"As if," I scoffed.

"I think you're the bad kisser, honestly," she teased, resting her elbows on the armrests and leaning forward.

I stared at her for a minute and then rested my own elbows on my knees and leaned in. Her eyes widened but she froze and couldn't move back as she gawked at me. "I can kiss you if you want. Then you can be the judge of that," I smirked.

She put her palm on my forehead and pushed me back. "Are you crazy?"

I pulled her hand down and jerked her forward. "I'm not kidding," I said, lifting a brow at her.

"Why would I kiss you out of all people?"

I stared at her in disbelief. "You were going to kiss Cole Jackson. He's a dick, ask any other girl he went out with."

"You've been out with one girl, Adam Blackwell."

"And she was the problem, not me, Emilia Feye. I'm a fantastic kisser."

"I don't believe that." She pulled her chair back.

I grabbed it, pulling her forward again. "Let me prove you wrong," I shrugged.

She eyed me hesitantly and then shook her head. "Nope."

"Why? It'll be practice. The next guy you go on a date with won't be able to make fun of you for dodging a kiss. I can guarantee that."

"Can you really?"

I nodded.

"It's... weird. You're you, I can't kiss you."

"Then just picture someone else."

"Is that what you do?"

"I did with Lizzie," I shrugged, scratching my ear.

"Who'd you picture?" Her eyes narrowed.

My gaze met hers and I bit my tongue. "Nobody you need to know. Close your eyes."

"Adam, this is weird."

"Just close your eyes," I hissed. She moved forward an inch and closed her eyes. I pulled the chair even closer and tilted her chin up a bit. She closed her eyes even tighter, squirming. I tried not to think too much and leaned forward just an inch but then stopped.

It felt weird but it didn't feel wrong. That was strange, I didn't expect it to feel so right.

Her eyes snapped open. "Adam, I can't—"

I cut her off, leaning forward and pulling her in. She let out a loud squeal, freezing. Her hand came up, smacking my arm but I caught it, pinning it down. She stiffened but I felt her hand relax under mine a second before she kissed me back, leaning into it a bit more.

Our lips barely moved, it just felt like a long peck before I grew the balls to really kiss her. She kissed me back, her lips moving with mine until reality struck us both and we pulled away at the same time.

She reared the chair back quickly and I scooted back on the bed, both of us touching our lips briefly.

I cleared my throat, pulling my hand down and lying back down, turning the TV on. "See," I mumbled, "I'm not the bad kisser."

She didn't reply for a long minute. "Uh, am- am I?"

I glanced at her, tucking one arm under my head. "No. You're pretty good, Rubes."

"Thanks, I- I guess. I'm um, I'm going to get some popcorn. You want?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay." She left the room and came back with one big bowl. She seemed calmer in the three minutes she was gone and sat beside me. We both stared at the screen, not talking. "Let's never talk about that," she mumbled.

"Yeah, let's not."

Emma asked if 'anything like that' has happened between Emilia and me. It has. A lot more than 'anything' has.

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