Aiyana eventually decides it time to pack it up, and from the way she's been behaving I can tell she's still a little flustered from our encounter. Her eyes are quick to shoot away whenever our eyes meet, or she's quick to jerk her hand away whenever our arms brush. I almost want to grab her by the shoulders and tell her to get her shit together.

But when she grabs my hand to lace our fingers together, as we step out of Waterloo Station, I know she's lost all resolve. I don't know how I ended up here, but from the moment I mentioned Waterloo Bridge in passing, she was adamant on taking me with her. According to her, it was the best spot to watch the sunset and enjoy the London skyline. There wasn't much room for disagreement, and soon enough we were making our way to the bridge.

Palm brushing her back, Aiyana draws closer to my side, curling against me when a gust of wind hits us. Her loose hair blows with the wind, tickling my neck. My throat runs dry, watching her admire the setting sun, the candy floss sky, and the muted sound of the buskers causing her lips to lift into a soft smile. She tips her head back, a melodic giggle falling from her lips before sighing heavily.

I've missed this place, she murmurs to herself, looking over at me. Valentino, Cobie and I would always end up here after sixth form. Kazuo and Kimmie would eventually find their way here, and we'd watch the sunset together.

Sixteen and without a worry in the world, hm?

She nods, and I can't help but admire the way the sun casts a golden glow over her; her brown eyes shine brightly, despite the growing darkness, and her skin is glowing. Her eyelashes flutter close as she basks in the warmth of the setting sun, leaning a little closer to me when the occasional gust of wind hits.

I make no effort to move, keeping my hand against her lower back as I stare ahead, across the river and into the distance. Aiyana inches closer to me, hands moving against the railing as she does so. I clear my throat when she stops in front of me, trapped between my arms-now either side of her-and the railing.

She shifts through her side bag, fishing out her phone to snap a couple of pictures before using her front-facing camera to capture the both of us. It won't hurt you to smile, Judah, she teases, turning around to stare up at me.

My hands move from the railing to her waist, feeling her nose brush against my chest. Shut up,I grumble, squeezing her waist gently. Take the picture again.

Right,she trails off, lifting her phone, careful not to drop it into the river beneath us. She tugs at the strings of my hoodie, raising her hand to grip my chin to ensure I'm facing the camera. And if it's even possible, I bring her closer, her body flush against mine.

There's no doubt about it, Aiyana is as red as a tomato. The thought makes me sport a little smile, and when Aiyana spots the smile, she gasps dramatically, taking a step back. Is that Judah Savestano... smiling?

I flick her forehead, refraining from dropping a fucking full-blown smile. Seriously, Aiyana... shut up,I grumble under my breath, pulling her towards me by the waist as she turns around. Peace and quiet-do you know what that is?

'Course I do,she drops the back of her head against my chest, her hands now positioned on the railing in front of us. Should we make our way back now?She says, shortly after. Her voice is hushed amongst the chatter around us, and I can tell she's deep in thought when she casts her gaze to the pavement, playing with the rings on her fingers.

...Just one-one more minute,I breathe out, relaxing my shoulders as I fix my gaze on her small form. But I don't know if I'm stalling because I wanted to spend a little longer with Aiyana-despite it already having been almost six hours together-or if it was because as soon as she was out of sight, out of mind, I'd be left with wondering if I made a mistake.

Aiyana eventually lifts her head, our eyes colliding, but I'm stuck in a trance, stuck on her, when her lips slowly begin to move. I don't know what she's saying, my eyes dropping from her sparkling eyes to her lips, tempting and inviting. Judah, are you even paying-

Before she has the chance to finish her sentence, to question my actions, my hands are cupping cheeks, her face small in my hands as my thumbs brush her high cheekbones. I can feel her cheeks practically grow warmer, her words caught in her throat when I tilt her head up, and not a second later, I'm lowering my head and pressing my lips against hers.

Aiyana tenses beneath me, her small hands reaching for my jacket. With the setting sun warming the side of my face, I begin to move my lips against her soft ones. She eventually relaxes into my welcoming touch, and I can feel her long lashes brushing against my cheeks as I tilt my head to the side, groaning when my tongue swipes across her lower lip.

The action elicits a soft moan from Aiyana, and if it isn't the hottest fucking sound I've heard, I didn't know what was. She grips my jacket tighter, standing on the tips of her toes, her fists curling when our tongues meet. There's an eagerness behind the kiss, our lips moulding together haphazardly, beautifully, and in the heat of the moment. And when she parts her lips, allowing my tongue to slip through, I can only taste and feel her. She tastes of hot cocoa and sweet berries, the taste of her minty gum lingering on her tongue, and I couldn't ask for anything more.

Perhaps this wasn't the most appropriate place to kiss her, but who gives a shit?

I ignore the hoots, the low whistles, the angry parents berating us, eventually pulling away, breathing heavy. The tip of my tongue swipes across my lips, relishing the taste of the woman before me. Aiyana's hold on me doesn't slacken; her features are relaxed, eyes still shut, until they finally flutter open. She's blushing, but this time, I don't tease her.

We can make our way back now,is all I say, lacing our fingers together and pulling her to my side.

Because one minute is all it takes to make a difference.

...so it finally happened 👀👀 what do we think?