—Satan
I glanced down the hallway toward Landon’s locker. He was standing with Monica, who was trying to be all over him. He wasn’t paying her any mind, though, seeing as how his eyes were locked on me.
I pulled out the flowers and breathed them in. They were perfect. So, so perfect.
I placed them back into the locker, pulled out a Laffy Taffy, and began nibbling at it as I looked back over to Landon.
His eyes?
Still on me.
I smiled.
He almost smiled back. The right side of his lips kind of curved up, and to me, that was a win.
When lunchtime came, I sat across from him. “How did you get all the banana-flavored Laffy Taffy?” I asked, curious.
He shrugged. “They sold a pack of them that way at the store. It wasn’t a big deal.”
It felt like a big deal to me. “That was really sweet.”
“It’s whatever.” He was being the moody, dark Landon he normally was, but again, that right side of his lips curved up. “You in love with me yet?” he asked.
“No. Not yet. You love me yet?”
His stare fell to my lips. “Not a chance.”
“You still hate me?” I whispered, my eyes moving to his mouth... that same mouth I’d tasted... that same mouth that had tasted me.
“Yes.”
“Good, because I hate you, too.”
“Good,” he echoed.
Chills raced up and down my spine as we ate our meals in silence while all our friends joined the table and had conversations around us.
We went our separate ways after lunch, and for some reason I found the need to break into Landon’s locker during sixth period to leave him a thank-you note for the candy and peonies. Of course Raine was able to get me his locker combination from Hank. That woman had too much dirt on both Landon and me.
As I opened Landon’s locker, I saw grocery bags filled with Laffy Taffy—all the flavors but banana. He’d bought jumbo packs of candy and sifted through them to pick out my favorite flavor.
Oh...
Who knew that could happen?
Who knew my heart could beat for the devil himself?
16Shay
Everything changed after Landon and I kissed. At least for me it did. It was as if the wall we’d spent years building was falling down, brick by brick. After the night I showed him my scars and he showed me his, I was hooked. The candy and flowers were what pushed me overboard.
I craved being close to him because I liked how he sped up my heartbeats. I’d text him to rehearse our lines, and we’d end each night kissing. Sometimes his hands would try to wander, but I’d always slap them away. Once I let him grab my ass, though. I liked that... a littletoomuch, which was why I went back to guiding his hands to my waistline.
He never pushed for more than I gave him. It was as if any kind of touch was enough for him. Me, on the other hand? I wanted more. Quietly, I thought about what it would be like to kiss him, to touch him, to have him lead me to his bed. But in the back corner of my mind, I kept thinking about the bet. If I slept with him, I knew I’d catch even more feelings for him. The number of emotions I’d developed toward Landon was already concerning. I couldn’t add more.
Still... I wanted more.
Maybe I was letting my guard down a little too prematurely, but I couldn’t help it. My heart craved him even if my brain told me not to. I tried my best to listen to Aunt Paige’s advice, but hearts were stubborn. They beat faster for certain people without the brain’s permission.