We were in class, and I already had two spitballs stuck to my face – not my actual face, thank God – as well as Paige ignoring me. She didn’t even turn to look at me, like she usually did whenever someone bullied me in class.

She was like my guardian angel, but right now, it felt like she was on break. She kept placing her hand on her forehead, making me think that she probably still had a headache. Well, she did drink a lot last night, which then gave her the strength to kiss these paper lips of mine, and even make me confess about my crush on her.

Face-palming myself in real life, I groaned when another dude had the bright idea to spitball me. He smirked when it hit me directly on the forehead – as in, my fake forehead.

I didn’t even want to touch those disgusting balls of spit and paper. First of all, germs, second of all, ew.

The teacher looked bored, well so was I. Mr. Frank, our history teacher, was absent and we were given a replacement teacher, who was useless and stupid since he told us to read the book we were studying in English. It wasn’t English period.

I sighed when Paige raised up her hand. “Yes, Ms. Stone?”

“Can I go to the bathroom?” She was going to the bathroom, this was my chance to talk to her. I shot up from my seat, getting the attention of practically everyone in the class and also the attention of the person I wanted the most.

Paige looked annoyed but I tried to ignore her annoyed look since it made me afraid of her. “Uh, can I go to the bathroom too, I need to um, get these off of me.” I pointed to the three spitballs stuck to my artificial face.

From the corner of my eye, I watched Paige’s face softened. “Sure, it’s not like you two were doing anything in the first place.”

I thanked the teacher before rushing to the bathroom which was down the hall, while Paige followed closely behind. Entering the girls’ bathroom, the first thing that I did was check under the stalls if there was anyone else in here.

When I found no one, Paige entered the bathroom. She glanced at me before groaning and entering the first stall with a look of annoyance on her face.

Was she annoyed at me?

“Uh, are you okay?” I called out even though I was afraid of what she might say. I heard groaning from inside and then her reply. “Just peachy.” I could sense the sarcasm but didn’t get the hint. “Do you want me to do anything?”

“Can you stop my period?” She groaned from inside and I could almost feel the heat rushing to my cheeks, which were already warm. “Uh, no.”

“Then please, stop talking.”

So, this was why she wasn’t talking to me, because she had her period, and judging by the way she keeps groaning made me believe that her cramps were a bitch, and not to forget the hangover she might have after last night. “So, you’re not mad at me?” My voice was low and scared, but still loud enough for her to hear me over her own groans of pain.

“Ugh, no. I’m just really, really not in the mood to talk, right now.”

I didn’t know, Paige’s period made her this mean and short-tempered. But even when she was practically telling me to shut up, I still kept sighing dreamily in my mind, as if her groans were fueling my love for her more than anything.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when the toilet flushed and a distorted Paige stepped out of the stall. “Do you have any pads?” I shook my head frantically and watched the way she frowned and then gave me a glare.

Gulping audibly, I spoke in a squeaky voice, “Do you want me to go get you some?” Her glare spoke volumes and I was out of the bathroom door faster than you could say Mississippi. Well, I tripped before opening the door, so I was not out of the door fast enough, and I had managed to embarrass myself in front of Paige once more.

***

“Okay, so I didn’t know which size you used or which brand, so I just got you the ones that I usually use.” Handing the pack of pads to Paige, I smiled proud at myself for being of some use in such a horrible time. Paige must’ve been so bored and in pain while I was away.

“What are you doing?” I stopped my hand movements, Paige turned to stare at me from over her shoulder. “Uh, massaging your shoulders.”

“And why are you doing that?” She gave me a frown and I wanted to coo at the adorableness that seeped through her serious frown. God, I sound like a puppy, admiring his master.

“Well, when I get my period, my shoulders hurt, so…” Trailing off, I began again at massaging her stiff shoulders. She visibly relaxed and a sigh escaped her lips. How much I would want to hear her sigh again.

The bathroom was silent and it smelt like pads and the soap that was placed neatly next to the sinks. I had Paige’s back to me, but I could still see her face in the huge ass wall mirror which was placed above the sinks.

She looked tired but her glow was still there. That inhuman glow which I had never seen on someone else. Maybe, it was because I was in love with her, or just because she was liked by almost everyone in the school.

She was nothing like anyone that I had met. I mean, if someone had seen me wet my pants in front of a whole classroom, they’d probably not want to talk to me, much less than want to associate with me. But, Paige was there for me throughout it all.

“Thank you.” Paige’s closed eyes opened and she glanced at the mirror before bowing her head down. My hands worked on the knots of her shoulders with determination as I smiled to myself.

“For what?”

“You know, for being there for me. You probably were disgusted of me peeing myself in front of the whole class, but you still stuck by me, even though we weren’t friends.”

I heard a sniff and before I knew it, Paige had already turned in my arms. “Hey, why are you crying?” To say that I was panicking would be an understatement, because I was totally and extremely panicking. Why was she even crying in the first place? I just thanked her.

“Because, you don’t get it.”

“I don’t get what?” She tipped her head upwards and stared at me with her eyes filled with tears that fell occasionally. I wanted to scoop her in my arms and tell her that I was here and I’d always be, but the more pessimist part of me gave my softer side a middle finger and asked the million-dollar question.

“Is this because of what happened last night?” Her face turned to one of confusion and she tilted her head to the side adorably, making me swoon on the inside, and smile on the out. Well, it’ll still be the inside since I have a paper bag over my head.

“Why? What happened last night?” Oh no, she didn’t remember last night.

“Uh, nothing. Nothing happened last night.”

“That’s the problem. Nothing happened last night.”

“Why, what did you wish for to happen?” I gave her my confused eyes, since I couldn’t give her my confused look, because of the bag covering my face. Sometimes I wished that I could grow a beard, it would’ve been easier to lay low than to wear a paper bag over my head. And not to mention that this bag didn’t help me lay low at all.

“This.” Her hands came up and she took the paper bag off of my head, leaving me with my face bare and visible to the blonde girl in front of me. I was about to protest but was stopped when she grabbed my neck with one hand and my left cheek with the other. Pulling me into herself, I stared at her approaching face with wide eyes, and a fast beating heart.

It was only a second later did I feel the softest lips join with my own. Her palms flattened against my neck and cheek, and she moved her lips against my own.

I had my hands to my side, wondering where to put them or to even put them somewhere or not. I didn’t want to give Paige the wrong signal though. If I placed my hands on her waist, she’d think that I was a bit fast-moving. Her arms – and she’d probably think that I wanted to touch her breasts. I could always place them on her hair, I’ve always wanted to touch her hair.

My hands raised and touched her hair carefully, scared as if she wouldn’t like my touch or anything.

Turns out, she didn’t like my touch.

Breaking away from my lips, she breathed the same way that I did. Her cheeks were red and she looked flushed. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“What?” Hoping that I had heard her wrong, I tried to smile at her, but it just turned out as a creepy stalker-ish kind of grin. Flinching, I just silently stared at Paige, who looked like she wanted to leave.

“Um, am I bad kisser, I mean, I haven’t kissed anyone yet and- “

“It isn’t you.” She cut me off with her hand over my own, which was pretty sweaty at the moment. “T-then what?”

“I-I am just sorry.” And she was rushing out of the bathroom, leaving me and my paper bag behind with a horrible thought running through my mind.

Did I have bad breath?

***