• CHAERIN'S POV •

 

"So," I tested the waters with Dara in the morning, "How's the break-up going?"

 

"Refreshing," she smiled. "Couldn't be better."

 

"Think you've moved on yet?" I asked, thinking, naturally, of myself.

 

"I moved on weeks ago."

 

"That's good to hear, because my car broke down and I need someone to take me home tonight," I boldly suggested.

 

"How do you mean that?" she questioned, winking quickly before biting her bottom lip. In that two seconds, she was the iest I'd ever seen her.

 

"However you want me to," I flirted in a low, lascivious voice.

 

She giggled, wrapping her arms around my waist as she kissed my lips, parted in a smile. "Maybe," she cooed between kisses, "I just want you."

 

"Well you know what they say," I replied. "If you want it, take it."

 

She smiled. "Do they say that?"

 

"If they don't, I do."

 

"Is that permission?"

 

"That's an invitation," I corrected.

 

"Hm," she said deviously. "Even better."

 

Throughout the day, I only hoped that Dara had gotten my less than subtle insinuations. I'd been as direct as possible without coming on too strong. And for her, just coming out of a break-up, I was just lucky she'd responded as well as she had. I knew I'd played the circumstancial cards I'd been dealt as well as I could have possibly played them; now, I had to let the chips fall where they would.

 

While non-verbally, I still did my best to express my undying interest. I shot her looks during my study hall. I gave her coy smiles during English. At cheer, I made sure she knew I was checking her out the entire time, and her periodic smiles assured me that she did. But still, I wasn't sure she understood how much I wanted her. Practice had ended and I'd purposely taken my time changing, lingering in the gym, inconspicuously occupying myself until the last girl had gone on her way. At last, we were alone, and I thought that maybe I'd made a mistake in trying to make myself so available