Anna

    I didn't usually like going on field trips with my classmates. But I'd come up with a plan for today that she didn't know about. Always the rebellious one in the family.

   << Perhaps that's why my uncle's family considers me a bad influence on my cousin.>>

    While everyone was distracted, I would sneak away to explore the rest of the castle and search for the hidden room of the legend.     My mother was happy that this time I had given her the permission slip for the field trip, saying that she had prayed a lot that I would one day appreciate ''the company of people my own age''. In other words, that I would put the crimes aside and focus on being a teenager like everyone else. The problem was that the school I went to was a private one, so the vast majority of the students came from wealthy families, which meant I didn't like any of them.     I see everyone on the bus, in small groups and laughing together, while I listen to music on my phone.     Well, I could admit that I feel a little sorry for her being alone all the time, but since I already had an online friend and we texted quite a bit, I felt less alone.     I was waiting to find that hidden room so I could tell everyone about it on the forum, reveal its existence, and find out what's inside.     Of course, if no one has found it, who's to say I ever will? But it's a good excuse to get away from these rich people.

   << If people like me didn't call me a poser, maybe I wouldn't be so alone.>>

(㇏(•̀ᵥᵥ•́)ノ)

    As I got off the bus, I saw that there were others from different schools. Perfect, the more people there are, the easier it will be for me to blend in and disappear.     The teachers called our names and we approached. I lagged behind, while I heard them telling me to hurry up. Some classmates turned to look at me and laughed, whispering, 'Look at the walking corpse, always trying to get attention'.     Of course, I made a face and pointed to the small voodoo doll in my backpack with a mischievous grin. They both turned away again, startled by my threat, calling me Satan's girlfriend.     Oh, right, I forgot to mention that it's a school for wealthy Christians. So, another reason why I don't like it—nothing against religions, I respect them, but if some people are going to pick on me, why not defend myself then?

    A guide called all the students from all the schools forward, using a microphone to introduce themselves.     I glance at the other schools and slowly blend in, even though my blue uniform is a bit conspicuous. But who's going to notice right now?     I bump into a student from another school, and he stares at me with brown eyes, almost like a puppy's. I signal him to be quiet and slowly walk away again, noticing that he's been staring at me like an idiot.

    When I finally managed to break free from the crowd and head in the direction I wanted, I pulled out my phone, looking at the old map they'd given me on the forum. Apparently, there was a section no one had ever been to because it was supposedly dangerous, but I was always willing to take risks in abandoned places, so this was my chance.

    "I think the museum visit is on the other side," I jumped at the sound of a male voice and turned around.

    I saw the guy from before, pointing behind him. I grimaced, annoyed.

    "Are you my teacher now?" I asked, putting my phone in my bag.

    "No, but I was just letting you know."

    I saw that he wasn't moving to go and warn the teachers, which was rather odd.

    "And you're not going to tell on me?" I asked again, crossing my arms.

    "Why would I?" I saw him mimic me, smiling. When he tilts his head, his brown curls move too, looking rather comical, "I think we both had the same plan."

    I look him up and down, scrutinizing him. He seems harmless, or he would have done something to me by now.

    Of course, I don't know if I can completely trust him; maybe he's lying to get something from me.

    "Tell me," I take a step toward him, intimidating even though he's a head taller than me, "What am I planning?"

    "You're going to look for the castle's secret room, aren't you?" He points to the old building behind me, and I look at him again, surprised. "I'm hunting for strange, ghostly noises."

    I roll my eyes. Oh no, someone who believes in ghosts. He's no good if he can't think logically.     I turn around and start walking, then I hear him following me.

    "What's your name? " he asks, standing beside me. "I'm Char—"

    "I don't care," I reply quickly, not wanting to get involved with him, "you'll slow me down, so I'd rather go alone."

    "Are you really going to a castle that might crumble in places?" I glance at him and see a sly smile, "I don't know, I think you need a partner. "

    "You're just a kid, you're no good to me."

    "And you're not? You're probably sixteen too, right? Or am I wrong? Unless you're... I don't know... one hundred and twenty? " I let out a weak laugh, realizing he's mocking me. "Because maybe I'm talking to a vampire who is tricking me into taking my blood later."

   << Oh my god, is he really that stupid or is he just trying to bring it up because I look interested?>>

    I stop and look around. I don't like giving my real name to people I don't know; I want to keep my identity a secret. It's not that I'm trying to be cool or anything, but my dad's name is famous, and I don't want him to be interested only in that.     I guess I'll have to use the one I always wear.

    "Sally," I reply, adjusting my bag and giving him a serious look.

    "That's not your name."

    "Why not?"

    "Because you thought about it too much," well, maybe he's not as dumb as he seems, "and you have the bag from 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'," he points at it, and I look at it, biting my lip, annoyed, "so it can't be a simple coincidence that you share a name with the character."

    "Okay, Casper, you caught me, but I'm not going to tell you my real name," I turn around again and continue walking toward the castle.

    "Casper?" Wait, did you just call me a ghost?

    I smile mischievously as he follows me around like a puppy again.

(㇏(•̀ᵥᵥ•́)ノ)

    We arrived at the castle, and I stood there staring at it. It was enormous compared to how it looked from afar. I couldn't help but smile at its size, its stones, the small plants sprouting from the crevices.

    "It's wonderful," I commented, gently touching it. It was warm from the sun.

    "Did you know that the king's advisor was beheaded for sleeping with his wife?" I looked at him, making a face. It wasn't the anecdote I was expecting. "Then she died of grief, blaming herself for his death."

    "Is that how you impress girls? By talking about severed heads?" I asked as I walked into the castle, hearing him stammer nervously.

    "No, of course not," he said, hurrying inside with me, almost as if I'd abandoned him, "I just wanted to mention it as an anecdote for the trip... You know."

    I raised an eyebrow and then sighed, rummaging in my bag.     I take out my phone and a flashlight. Although I'd already checked them before leaving the house, I do it again in case I need to use the phone's flashlight.

    "Look," I approach him, showing him the phone screen, where the map is zoomed in, "we have to go here," I point to the bottom of the castle and hear him nod, "from there, we should look for something that seems out of the ordinary."

    "If they haven't found something out of the ordinary, why do you think you will?" he asks curiously.

    I point the flashlight at him as if I were about to tell a scary story and give him a proud smile.

    "Precisely because they aren't me."

    I walk carefully across the stony ground, making sure my shoes don't get caught on anything.

    "So if you're going to prove you can find it, I'll prove the ghost exists."

    I stumble, and he catches my arm, preventing me from falling.     He stares at me, in a strange way. Just like before.

    "Sorry, Casper, but you're not going to meet your family." I wriggle out of his grasp, slightly uncomfortable.

    I walk toward the bottom of the stairs, looking at the old steps.

    "Want to bet?" That question catches my attention, and I turn to face him, careful not to look directly into his eyes. "If I can't prove there are ghosts," he says, pulling a ghost box from his backpack pocket and proudly waving it, "I'll give you all the money I have left in my wallet. No questions asked. But you have to tell me your name if I can prove it."

    I chuckle. It's actually adorable that he thinks he can beat me at something impossible to prove.

    "I'm starting to like you a lot," I say, approaching him slowly. I see him getting nervous. I see him even swallow hard, "What can I bet...?"

    I tap my cheek, looking at him closely. I see him nervously running his tongue over his lips. I feel sorry for him.

    "If I can't prove the secret room exists," I tilt my head, smiling mischievously, "then I'll kiss you," He blinks, completely confused by my proposal, "If we find it, you'll serve as my lackey for the rest of the trip."

    Of course, I have too much pride for him to win, so he won't manage to beat me because I'll find it.

    "I offer you money and you..." His voice trembles as he speaks, and I try to hold back the urge to laugh at him, "A kiss? Isn't that a little strange? We barely know each other."

    "Like I said, I'm starting to like you, and not many guys my age manage that."

    "The one hundred and twenty-year-olds?" He jokes, and I laugh, nodding.

    "Yes, Casper, the one hundred and twenty-year-olds," I say, shaking my head and heading back to the stairs, "It's not unusual because I know it exists, and I'm going to find it. That means you're not getting any kisses, and I'm going to take all the money you're carrying. And every time I order you around, you won't be able to complain."

    "Careful, Sally. Pride can be a bad thing."

    "And being naive can be too, don't forget that."

    We carefully descended, and I held on with my hand to avoid falling.     I heard stones tumbling as we went down, noticing that time was taking its toll on the structure.     When we finally reached the bottom, we looked at the map again, and he pointed out the route.

    "Okay, now we have to go..." He took my hand, holding the flashlight, and pointed it at one of the castle's underground caves. "That way."

    He let go of my hand, and I walked in silence, still using the map. Of course, he was carrying the ghost box, asking questions, but so far, I hadn't heard any answers coming out of it, making me look completely ridiculous and, very soon, penniless.

    "Don't you like legends?" he asked, stopping his questioning of that contraption.

    "Yes, I do like them," I reply, concentrating on the map and trying not to get lost, "It's just that I don't believe in spirits or monsters, but legends are fine; they make places like this fun to visit."

    "Okay, ten-point test," I roll my eyes, listening to his talk nonsense, "Favorite legend?"

    "Slenderman," I answer quickly, even though I know it's not a real legend but something born on the internet. I just want to continue searching for the secret room.

    "That doesn't count; it's not from a specific place," he complains, stopping me. I turn around and shine the flashlight on him. I see him squint, so I dim the light, careful not to blind him, "come on, surely someone so interested in places like these doesn't have a favorite."

    "You're not going to stop until I tell you, are you?"

    "No, I'm not going to stop," he smiles mischievously, "the truth is, I can keep talking about it until you finally tell me, because if there's one thing I can't do, it's keep quiet, and besides— "

    "Okay, stop!" I raise my hand to cover his mouth, then remove it when he finally calms down.

    I start thinking of a legend that catches my attention. Something that makes me think of something beautiful and sad at the same time.

    "The Lady in White," I answer after a serious response. This time he looks at me without making a joke.

    "Why her specifically?" He tilts his head, looking at me curiously.

    I take a deep breath, shrugging my shoulders.

    "I suppose it's because it speaks of forbidden love," I reply with a half-smile, since my favorite stories tend to be tragic love stories. That doesn't mean I don't love watching my vampire series and suffering until the end.

    "You know the countess killed her children and that's why she was condemned to death, right?" He raises his eyebrows, looking at me as if I were a little crazy.

    "But after her death, her purpose served to warn of bad news in her lineage."

    "Didn't you say you didn't believe in ghosts?" He whispers, as if he's keeping from me the secret that I've let my guard down by believing in apparitions.

    "You told me to tell a legend, and that's for me," I whisper back, finally resuming my walk, "I told you, I don't believe in ghosts, but legends are interesting."

    He walks back to my side and then tells me my score.

    "Six out of ten, that's average, but at least you gave your reasons."

    "Wow, I didn't know I was talking to a legend critic."

    "I'm the best you'll find," his voice is proud, which makes me smile. It seems we both have our own, "I'd like to dedicate myself to telling the best legends."

    "How sweet," I blink adoringly, to which he rolls his eyes. "So, you must have something good to tell me, Casper? A legend that'll make my knees weak?"

    "Okay, let's see," I hear him make a sound in his throat, as if he's thinking. He snaps his fingers and begins to narrate. "What do you know about the village of Puckley?"

    I shake my head; the place doesn't ring a bell.

    "Nothing. Enlighten me, Lord of the Crypt," I say, giving him a look with a smile.

    "Puckley Village is a town in England," I nod, listening intently, "it's said to be haunted, more than any other place."

    "What would you compare it to?"

    I hear him clear his throat again before he finally answers.

    "I'd say it's on par with the forest in my village," I nod, though he doesn't give me too many details, "but what's most intriguing about the place is Dering Forest," I hear him lower his voice, and he's even leaned forward slightly, as if he wants to scare me, "The Screaming Forest."

    I feel a shiver run down my neck and step back a little, noticing my cheeks getting warm.

    "With a name like that, I'd say it's haunted too."

    "They say that if you try to cross the forest, you'll start being chased by dark figures," he says, adopting that mysterious tone again, leaning closer to me, "You'll hear voices, or as the name suggests, screams."

    "Can you give me something more terrifying?" I ask, pretending to yawn. "Shadows and whispers? That's what your mind creates when you're scared; it's psychological."

    Casper looks at me, nodding as if he's taken on a challenge.

    "Fine, you asked for it," I stop to listen to him, and he points to the flashlight. I hand it to him, and he holds it up to his face. The shadows make his expression truly terrifying, "it was in 1948, a Halloween massacre," I make a sound of interest, listening intently, "they found twenty people dead, among them children, and the strangest thing is, they had no wounds," I look at him more intently, intrigued by the mystery of those deaths, "witnesses said they saw lights in the woods the night it happened, and the autopsies couldn't determine the cause. In the end, the case was closed."

    My interest grows; I could even say I'm more engrossed in the story, imagining with terror what could have happened. Deaths like that aren't normal.

    "And was anything else ever learned?" I ask, curious.

    "No, not even about the one that happened fifty years later," I shift slightly, feeling an uncomfortable chill run down my spine, "in 1998, again on Halloween night, four students went into the woods and were never seen again."

    "Just like that?"

    "Just like that," he says, handing me the flashlight. I take it, but he pulls me closer, a little bit to scare me. "They saw the same lights again, and then, goodbye to the students, lost forever in the woods, where their screams and wails can surely still be heard, along with those of the twenty other people, waiting for more innocent souls to get lost in Dering."

    The darkness settles, and I can see his brown eyes gleam with excitement as he tells me the story, surely pleased to see me frightened by the thought of a disappearance and inexplicable deaths. When I can't find the logic in something, I get nervous.

    I moisten my lips as my heart races, terrified.     Finally, slowly, he hands me back the flashlight, and it takes me a while to react.

    "I admit it, you did it, you scared me," I admit, conceding defeat with a gesture of surrender.

    Casper makes a victory gesture, and I roll my eyes, starting to walk again.

    "See?" Sometimes there is no logical explanation; there is always something supernatural involved.

   << Great, now I'll have him bragging about being right throughout the entire expedition.>>

(㇏(•̀ᵥᵥ•́)ノ)

    We arrived at the area marked on the map, and I saw Casper hitting the ghost box. I focused the camera on him and stifled a laugh, seeing his frustration.

    "I don't think this thing works," he commented, turning it over and over, "I've been ripped off."

    "Or maybe ghosts don't exist," I said with a victorious smile, and he gave me a look, "don't worry, I'll spend your money on something worthwhile."

   Now he was making a face at me, and I let out a laugh, resuming my gaze around the room, illuminating every corner.

    "What are you going to do if you find that secret room?" I heard him ask, somewhat distantly, while I didn't take my eyes off the walls. "Are you going to tell the museum people?"

    "Nothing."

    "Nothing?" His surprised tone surprised me too. "You want to find a secret room, and when you discover it, you're not going to do nothing?"

    "Look, I admit you're right," I say, shining the flashlight on his body, careful not to shine it in his eyes, "actually, I just want to take pictures."

    "Okay, I think I know why you don't want to say," he says, moving closer and putting the camera back in his backpack.

    "Tell me, why don't I want to say?" I resume my search, carefully feeling the walls.

    Some stones fall off at the slightest touch; I have to be careful.

    "You don't want anyone to ruin the way it'll look," I pause for a moment, listening intently, "something like preserving its memory, keeping it intact as if time hasn't touched it. Am I right?"

    I decide not to turn around, smiling at the realization that he's right. I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me smile about it.

    "If I visit abandoned places, it's not for fun, but because there's always a story behind them," I say, sounding nostalgic, but it's true. No matter how old I am, there's always something that tells you what kind of people lived in those places and their stories, "it has its romantic, sad, and nostalgic side, because they were once important to someone else."

    "Careful, your soft side is showing," I chuckle, but he continues, "but... I like your answer; it shows me your true self, Sally."

    "Well, take advantage of it. Not everyone gets to see it," a hint of sweetness escapes me, but I suppose there's nothing wrong with someone I like seeing it. I don't always get the chance to find someone who likes the same things I do off-screen, "now I need some silence. I want to try something."

    "Sure, I'll keep quiet. I can do that."

    "I'm sure of it."

    He lets out a laugh and I tell him to shut up, avoiding letting out a laugh myself.

    I run my hands along the walls again, tapping lightly, hoping to find a sound different from the rest. Or to see something that at first glance seems normal, but serves as a deception.     As I walk, I can feel the ground creaking beneath my feet and I try to be careful; it feels as if at any moment it might—

    "Ah!" I scream as I feel the ground open up beneath my feet and I grip the stones tightly, seeing that the flashlight has fallen to the bottom.

    I feel like my heart is going to stop before I fall into the void. At least I'll die without pain.

    "I've got you!" My companion comes running and grabs my arm.

    I grab it with my other hand and he helps me up, holding onto the ground so he doesn't fall too.     When he manages to get me to solid ground, away from the hole, I lie down on the ground, breathing heavily. Then I start laughing nervously at the fear I'd been through, thinking I was going to die.

    "I don't... I don't see the humor..." Casper says, breathing heavily. "If I hadn't come with you, you would have definitely died."

    "I know," I say, laughing, still nervous, "wow... Thank goodness you were quick..." I take a deep breath and look at him with a smile. "I knew you'd save me, thanks Casper."

    I try to adjust to the darkness and see the smile on his face. He nods as he puts a hand to his chest, still shaken.     He lies down next to me, trying to calm down. I can hear him take a few deep breaths, while I slowly calm down, noticing how I'm trembling with fear at the thought that I could have really died if I'd been alone.     This wasn't like climbing a couple of buildings and fences; I really could have died. I turn my head and see him with his eyes closed, still scared.

    "I think I've found the secret room," I say, trying to bring some humor back into the room. I see him quickly turn his face away, giving me a slightly dirty look, "and you haven't found your ghosts, so you owe me money and to be my servant."

    "What? No way!" He jumps up, and I do the same, but slowly, my body still trembling with fear. "That's not a secret room, it was a trap, at the very least."

    "Sure, a trap to keep anyone from getting to it, I say, hugging my legs, hoping it will calm my trembling, "so I was right, the room is down there."

    "No, there isn't any room," he says, shaking his head and looking me straight in the eye, "You would have only found death, pain, and suffering if you had fallen, not a room full of gold or who knows what, the corpses of the castle's victims."

    I let out a laugh at his vivid imagination, this time losing my fear of it being something more pleasant.

    "Yeah, right, keep laughing," he sighs, looking straight ahead, "you would have traumatized me for life, you know that?"

    "But my ghost would have haunted you for eternity," I tap his face with my finger, smiling mischievously.

    He grabs my hand, stopping me. His eyes reflect fear. Real fear. Was he really that worried about losing me? He doesn't even know me.

    "Well, you didn't win your bet either," he replies, slowly letting go of my hand. I can see him start to get nervous, looking around nervously, "Does that mean..."

    Oh, right, what I promised him.

   <<I wasn't expecting this, now I'm nervous too. Why did I let my pride get the better of me?>>

    I look away, embarrassed too. I can't do it, I said it almost as a joke, but... A bet's a bet, right?     I keep my eyes on my hands, fidgeting with my fingers, nervous.

    "Y-you don't have to," I hear him say, his voice trembling slightly, "I'm not going to force you to k-kiss me... I'm not like that."

    I glance at him and see that he's doing the same. I smile at how kind he is, not wanting to put me in a difficult position like this.     But a bet's a bet... I got myself into this and... Honestly, it seems more bearable than I thought. I really like him, and it's not like we have to go out after this.     I try to move a little closer, somewhat shyly. I've never kissed anyone, and from the way he's looking at me, it seems like he hasn't either, so we're both nervous.     But then I feel a sharp pain in my knee and pull my phone out of my bag, noticing a large cut and blood.

    "Oh, no..." I look away, bringing my hand to my mouth at the sight of the blood.

    "Wait, let me help you," I say, trying to distract myself by watching what he's doing.

    He takes off his jacket and then his sweatshirt, and I see him struggling to remove the sleeve. I rummage in my bag for my house keys and hand him my multi-tool keychain, pulling out a small knife. Casper stares at it, surprised.

    "Overprotective parents," I reply as I place the keychain in his hand, "they like me to be prepared."

    "I see," he says, holding up the keychain and starting to cut the sleeve, then tying it around my knee.

    I feel a slight touch and notice that his skin is warm, unlike mine, which is cold from the shock. My temperature has completely dropped.

    "Okay, though you should go get it checked out," he says, resting his arm on his knee, his gaze fixed on me.

  I smile sweetly, and he smiles back.

   We both then heard a loud noise from the entrance, and I grabbed his arm, startled.     He stepped in front of me, protective.

    "Here you are!" A man appeared with a flashlight, followed by two teachers. "Don't you know how dangerous this place is?! It's forbidden to enter here unless you're a professional!"

    We both sighed with relief, and Casper helped me up as the adults approached us.     My teacher came up to me, pulling me away from him while grabbing my arm.

    "Just wait until I tell your parents everything, Connors!" She scolds me furiously and I roll my eyes. "You should be ashamed of yourself for always getting into trouble! One of these days you're going to kill your parents with your crazy antics."

    "It was my fault," my friend replied quickly, his teacher also holding his arm, "I insisted she come with me because I knew coming here was dangerous."

    I stare at him, surprised that he's trying to defend me. I open my mouth to say something, to correct him, but now it's his teacher who's speaking to him.

    "Of course, it should be you," his voice sounds just as harsh as my teacher's, but much angrier, "you're going to get a long punishment. You'll be in the museum director's office, grounded."

    "We're leaving now," the teacher pulls me along, wanting me to walk. When I complain, I see her look at my knee and roll her eyes. "Of course, you had to get hurt. Now we'll have to deal with your parents, you ungrateful girl. God saved you this time; you should thank him."

    Now I roll my eyes, and she pushes me forward, where someone else is waiting for us.

    "Hey!" I stop when I hear Casper, avoiding being pushed this time, to listen to him. "What about the money I owe you?"

    I grimace, shrugging my shoulders.

    "You'll give it to me if we meet again," I smile at him, trying to linger a little longer, feeling the teacher try to move me. "I owe you a kiss! Maybe if we see each other in the future I'll give it to you!"

    "Oh Lord! Haven't you heard those words from an innocent girl wanting to sin before marriage!" The teacher crosses herself, and my friend and I laugh at her exaggerated expression.

    I wave goodbye to him, disappearing from sight.

(㇏(•̀ᵥᵥ•́)ノ)

    They made me go back home, accompanied by another teacher.     My parents were, of course, furious and worried when they saw the wound they had treated before I left. With a bit of luck, it might not leave a scar if I take good care of it.

    I limp as I approach my bed, and as I lie down, I examine the bandage on my knee, gently running my fingers over it. Despite everything, it's been a good day; I haven't been bored with that boy I know I'll never see again. And it's not like I have any desire to desperately search for him. I prefer to leave it as an anecdote I don't intend to tell anyone. They can't know that Macie Connors had a moment of stupidity.     I sit up and reach for my laptop on the nightstand, placing it on the bed. I need to update the forum that my investigation has been a complete failure and maybe add that I nearly died trying; I'm sure they'll love that.     There's a knock at my door, and I let them in.     When I see my father's serious expression, I know something has happened, and it's not about today's outing, as Mom implied while scolding me after I got home from work.

    "We need to talk," he says as he comes over to my bed and sits down, "it's about my latest case. Something's happened."

    "What's wrong?" I close my laptop and set it aside, worried, "Because in this case, you sidelined me without saying a word, you didn't even give me a chance to help."

    "That's it," he takes a deep breath, holding my hand, "I'm sorry, Mac, but you're not going to help me anymore."

    "What? Why?" I shift in bed, careful not to hurt my knee.

    "Rumors are spreading outside my team, and we don't want them getting to the press," I nod slowly, though sadly, "I'm so sorry, honey," he strokes my face gently.

    "It's better this way," I look up at the door and see my mother looking at me seriously, arms crossed, "you're a teenager, Macie. That world is for adults. You still have to grow up," she glares at Dad, "you should never have dragged her into all this, and you know it perfectly well."

    She leaves, and my father sighs, kissing me on the forehead.

    "I'll take care of her, you rest."

    "Yes..."

    He gets out of bed, and I stare at the computer, not wanting to go on the forum right now. The feeling of amusement I'd had this morning had completely vanished.

    << Thanks at least for making me laugh on a field trip for the first time in my life, Casper.>>

-----

Every time he seemed to have the courage, she seemed to get distracted. Whether it was because her phone was ringing, a cat crossed their path and she had to say hello, there was a poster and she had to take a picture, or a recent trailer for a movie she wanted to see… There was always something that happened when he tried to take that step, making him more nervous as he saw her turn her attention to something more interesting.

After a night with the group, Charlie decided to take her home, hoping that this would give him the opportunity to tell her that all he wanted was to kiss her.

So when he finally parked the car, he opened his mouth to speak. Unfortunately, the words wouldn't come out. Again, nerves got the better of him, even though this time there was nothing interrupting them.

"Well, see you tomorrow Charlie," the young woman said goodbye, kissing him on the cheek, before getting out of the car.

It wasn't enough, and he understood that he was dragging out something that was just as easy as in the movies.

He turned off the car engine and ran towards her, stopping her before she could open her front door. She stared at him, surprised.

Charlie lowered his hand, seeing that he looked like a bully behaving that way, which perhaps made the situation worse, ruining what he had been looking forward to for so long.

"I…" Seeing how her eyes blinked, waiting for his words, he took a breath and, without thinking, decided to blurt it out, "Look, we've been dating for a few days, everything is wonderful, but all this time I've been trying to kiss you, and it seems like you're trying to avoid it," he moved his hands, nervous and stuttering as he said those words, "I don't know if it's because you don't really like me, but I like you, a lot. I mean, do you know how amazing you are? Because when I realized it, it was like, 'Wow! This girl is incredible!'," he exclaimed dramatically, making her laugh, "well, actually, it was more than just saying you're amazing, it was more like saying you're the funniest and smartest person I've ever met And you are truly beautiful when you think or when you laugh, but all this time I've tried all sorts of things so that I can finally kiss you, Even when I was going to give you those nachos, which, by the way, weren't good, the point is that I kept getting closer to you because I longed for us to finally kiss, I like you so much it's driving me crazy that—"

The young woman tugged at his sweatshirt, pulling him closer and kissing him. Charlie was surprised that she was the one who took the initiative, timidly placing his hands on her hips.

He felt the young woman smile through the kiss, and he did the same.

The young woman slowly pulled away, seeing Charlie's expression, wanting more.

When he opened his eyes, he felt like hr wanted to die of embarrassment, believing he had made the most ridiculous face for wanting just one more kiss.

"Do you know why I didn't want you to kiss me until now?" She smiled sweetly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I don't think it has anything to do with nachos, right?" Charlie joked, placing one hand on her back and the other below her waist, feeling his body tremble with excitement.

"Because I wanted to hear you express how you really feel about me," the young woman stroked his hair, tilting her head as her eyes sparkled in the streetlights, "I didn't want to kiss you until you were really ready and were honest with me."

Charlie opened his mouth to answer, but he understood what she meant. He knew that Julie had also been another woman in his life while he was getting to know her, something that was difficult to clarify at first, but when he did, he had never told her.

He nodded slowly and, as he slid his hand up her back, smiled tenderly at her, as she was the only thing that mattered to him at that moment.

"And did I manage to pass the test?" he asked jokingly, before mentally slapping himself as he remembered that he had finally kissed her.

"Mmm… "she bit her lip, shaking her head, "I think I need another one to check."

"All right, I understand," Charlie laughed, brushing his hair away from his face. "How much test do you need, Holmes?"

A malicious smile appeared on her lips, which made him feel a strong wave of heat throughout his body.

The young woman decided to draw him closer, but instead of kissing him, she went straight to his ear and, with a whisper that sent a shiver down his spine, answered him seductively: