PROLOGUE
(THREE YEARS AGO)
LUKE'S P.O.V
The sexiest girl in the entire school agreed to go on a date with me...Me, Lucas Ford!
I couldn't contain the excitement I felt.
My phone trembled in my hands as I re-read the text she had just sent me.
๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐กโ๐๐.
Nia fucking Saint, the sexiest girl I had ever seen. The person behind every single boner I had ever had. And on top of it all, she was a fucking senior!
Nia was unreal.
I had no idea why she agreed to go out with me, a freshman, but boy, I didn't care.
In less than two days, I would take Nia out on a date.
It would be fucking perfect, she'd have the time of her life. I had to tell someone, I just had to, but who?
I had a few friends, mostly from basketball, but I couldn't tell them.
They all wanted Nia, too. I couldn't trust them not to ruin my chances with her.
I did not want to mess things up, it had to be perfect.
I had to tell someone I could trust, someone who would always have my back, and most importantly, someone who had no plans to sabotage my date.
Only one person came to my mind, my one and only childhood friend, Andrea Waters.
I trusted Dre with my life; she always had my best interest at heart, and right now, she was the only person I could tell about Nia.
I had to go right now, but it was late, past ten at night.
Dre lived just two blocks away from me. I could tell her about it, then return home.
Her mum had a night shift, so Dre would be up to lock the door when she was leaving.
My mind was made up.
I dashed out of the house, running all the way to Dre's, not stopping once.
I knocked loudly on the door; the lights were still on inside.
"It's Luke," I announced.
The door opened in no time.
"Hi, Ma'am," I greeted, completely out of breath.
Dre's Mum, Halle stood in front of me, already dressed for her night shift.
"Luke, it's late. Is everything okay?"
"I need to talk to Dre, it's really important," I panted, completely out of breath.
"Just ten minutes and I'll leave," I added quickly. " Can I go?"
Before she could even voice a response, I was up the stairs, running to Dre's room.
"Dre!" I yelled, bubbling with excitement. "Fuck, Dre, open the door."
The door opened. Dre was already in her pyjamas.
"Luke, what the hell are you doing here?" She asked, her face lighting up the moment she saw me.
I walked in, closing the door behind me.
Dre watched me anxiously while I paced up and down her bedroom.
"Well?" She finally asked, impatiently.
"Guess what", I said, grinning so hard my cheeks hurt
"What?" she asked, equally excited.
"Nia..." I began to say.
Dre's eyes widened as she gradually realised.
"No fucking way!" Dre screamed excitedly.
"I'm serious," I said, searching for my phone to show her my texts with Nia.
"You're lying, I don't believe you," Dre teased, laughing so hard.
"See for yourself," I said, showing her my phone.
Dre went through the texts briefly.
"Fuck, you have a date with her," she screamed. "Oh my God!"
"I'm so fucking happy."
"What are you going to wear? Where are you taking her?" Dre asked, while I stood proudly.
I was so happy I could flip for joy.
"The movies, is that good?" I asked nervously.
"It's perfect," Dre answered.
Dre went on and on, while I stared down at my phone, reading the texts all over again.
I couldn't believe this was actually happening.
"Luke?" Dre snapped.
I looked up, dazed. I didn't know Dre had asked me something.
"What?" I asked.
"I said, are you going to kiss her?"
My stomach dropped.
๐พ๐๐ ๐ โ๐๐?
I looked at Dre, slightly puzzled, but tried to hide it.
I was fourteen. I have never had a girlfriend, let alone a first kiss.
"Would she want me to kiss her?" I asked.
"Oh my God, Luke, of course she would," Dre responded. "What she wouldn't want is for you to go second base, but kissing's okay on the first date."
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐?
I had never kissed anyone, let alone gone second base.
"Yeah, she wouldn't want that," I agreed.
"So are you going to kiss Nia?" Dre asked again.
"Sure, I'm gonna," I said, trying to sound confident.
"Wow, good for you," Dre smiled.
I turned to leave.
๐ธ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ๐กโ๐๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก.
What if the kiss wasn't perfect? What if it was the worst kiss Nia had ever had?
What if she told everyone what a horrible kisser I was? Fuck, I couldn't let that happen.
I turned round to Dre.
"I've never kissed anyone before," I admitted.
Dre's eyes widened, the news was a shock to her.
Unlike me, Dre has had a boyfriend and shared quite a few kisses. I knew because she told me about everyone, blushing sheepishly while she did.
"Are you serious? I always thought youโ"
"No, I haven't, I don't know what to do. Should I just call off the date?"
I was so scared. What if my date with Nia was awful because I didn't know how to kiss her?
"Are you dumb? You want to call off a date with the Nia Saint just because you don't know how to kiss her?" Dre asked. "Kissing is easy."
I stood, a little embarrassed.
"I'll show you."
๐โ๐๐ก? ๐ท๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ข๐๐๐'๐ก.
"I'll be you, and you'll be Nia," Dre said.
I nodded eagerly.
"So you guys will go out, watch a movie," she started. "After the movie, when you walk her homeโ"
"Can't it be before?" I asked, interrupting.
"No, it has to be after, so she'll remember the kiss, and think about it all night long," Dre explained.
I nodded.
"It would be dark, the streets will be quietโ"
"How do you know it'll be quiet?" I interrupted.
"Jesus, Luke, I'm trying to paint a fucking picture. Don't interrupt me again," Dre snapped.
"Okay, sorry," I said
"Ugh!"
Dre settled. "Like I was saying, everywhere would be quiet, and just before Nia is about to say goodnight, you take her hand," Dre said, as she reached out for mine.
"Your breath has to be fresh, so take a mint or something before then," Dre warned. "You spin her towards you, draw her closer."
Dre pulled me closer to her.
"Then you lean, don't rush it."
Dre stood on her toes.
"Cradle her face with one hand."
Her fingers brushed my face.
"The other hand goes round her waist... and then...and then you kiss her, softly on the lips."
Dre kissed my cheek.
"See, easy," she said.
Of course, it's easy. It's a kiss on the cheek.
I was going to kiss Nia on the lips.
But what did I expect from Dre? She couldn't actually kiss me, the way I would kiss Nia.
"Don't be nervous, you have to be confident," Dre added.
"Okay, I think I get it," I said.
"Alright then. Your turn," Dre said.
๐โ๐๐ก?
"I'll be Nia, you'll be you," Dre said.
I nodded.
Dre turned round.
I reached for her hand, spinning her towards me.
I pulled her closer, closing the space between us.
My hands dropped, feeling her waistline and the softness of her skin.
One hand moved up, running it through her thick hair. I cradled her face, brushing my fingers against her lips.
My face leaned to meet hers.
My breath hitched.
My lips part as I pressed them gently against Dre's, taking her mouth into mine.
My mouth opened up hers as I sucked tenderly on her bottom lip.
Our lips moved against each other. My tongue brushed hers as our kiss deepened.
My heart hammered loudly, Dre's body stilled.
I was kissing Dre, my best friend.
That evening, I went home.
I remembered our kiss.
I thought about it all night long and every night after that.
๐น๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก.
I wanted Dre