Cora had put a halt to her spill time with Mark, telling him that they needed to get her instruments and bring them home, before MinHee got back and tore her a new one. Mark agreed and the two raced around, finding the rest of her instruments.

When the two had finally finished, Cora grabbed Mark and pulled him against her, wrapping her arms around his torso. “Thank you for helping me.” She muttered into his chest, and he laughed.

“I wouldn’t have just left you hanging.” He said, and she pulled back, smiling up at him. Cora wasn’t sure if it was directly related to their talk that had just taken place, or if she had lost her mind, but she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. She thought about what he’d said earlier and giggled. “What?” He asked, smiling at her.

She shrugged. “I just got it. You aren’t interested in Ginger’s behavior.”

Mark shook his head. “It took you long enough.” Cora giggled again, and one of her hands found his chin. She pulled his face to hers, and gently pressed her lips to his. It wasn’t anything special, at first. Cora pressed herself against him, hoping she wasn’t attacking his face when he didn’t feel the same about her.

But it was clear the feelings were reciprocated when Mark lifted her off her feet and sat her on the table that stood beside one of the cupboards for the flutes. Their lips left for a moment, long enough for Cora to look up at Mark and realize how stupid she felt for not realizing how she’d felt, how he’d felt, before. She smiled and shook her head, looking down. “Classic teen romance novel.”

“What?”

Cora looked up and shook her head again. “Nothing.” When he looked at her, her stomach twisted, turned and leapt inside of her. Without a second thought, she pulled him back to her.

There was a click, like the closing of a door, but Cora ignored it. Until it was followed by a shout. “Cora? Are you still here?” Came the voice of a far too familiar classmate. Cora cursed and pushed Mark away from her. She leapt off the table and, taking his hand, threw Mark into the flute cabinet, which stood a little taller than Mark and wide enough to fit both of them.

She closed the door as much as she could and told him to be quiet. “In here!” Cora called.

Not a moment later the violin section’s first chair holder walked through the threshold. She was a tall, blonde girl whose dark roots gave away that it wasn’t at all natural. She wore a frilly dress and heels, as always, and posed with a hand on her hip. “There you are! I knew you hadn’t left yet.”

“Hello Yoon Ri. Can I help you with something?” She asked, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the cabinet Mark was hiding in.

She smiled and looked at her questioningly. “Uh, are you busy or…?” Cora shook her head viciously. “Okay.” She dragged the syllables and smiled. “I just wanted to make sure you and MinHee were still coming to my costume party Friday night.”

Cora gasped. “Oh god, I almost forgot. Yes, of course we’re going. Uh, thanks, Yoon Ri, for reminding me.”

Yoon Ri winked. “If you want you can even bring your, uh, friend with you.”

“Thanks.” Mark muttered, and Cora could feel her face heating with a blush.

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