I was still half-buried in the fog of sleep when Maxie burst into my room like a hurricane, her presence loud enough to make it feel like a war had broken out outside. I wasn't even surprised, it wasn't unusual for her to storm in with that kind of energy. Still cocooned under my blankets, I tried to ignore her. Sleep was precious, especially after the stress from the street last night, but Maxie wasn't about to let me luxuriate in it.
"Sharon!" she shouted, her voice bouncing off the walls like a high-voltage wire.
I groaned softly and buried my face deeper into the pillow.
"Bitchhh! Get your ass up!" she barked. "Do you know our one-month break starts today? And why in the hell did you hit my brother so hard yesterday? He just wanted a kiss, and you went all savage on him. You're such a bitch!"
I blinked slowly, trying to collect my thoughts. And then it hit me the memory of last night. I had slapped her brother, yes, but for a damn good reason. He had tried to take advantage of me, doesn't matter even if I have an attraction to him. And Maxie? She'd been right there, egging me on.
"Maxie," I called weakly, "don't be a snitch! You know I've never kissed anyone before… and I don't want my first kiss to be some half-drunk disaster. I want it to be magical, glorious, cinematic...like in the movies…"
Maxie groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Oh God, here we go with the movies again. Sharon, just get your ass up!"
I pouted. "I'm serious! It has to be perfect. My first kiss can't be anything less than epic."
Maxie rolled her eyes so hard I swear I could hear them. "Epic, huh? Did you practice epic kissing in your sleep last night? Maybe you were dreaming about it while I was cleaning up the mess you made with my brother!"
I shot her a mock glare. "I did not make a mess! And besides… fine, maybe I've kissed someone before."
Her head whipped up so fast I almost thought it would snap off. "Wait—WHAT?"
I threw my hands up defensively. "Okay, okay! I may have kissed a couple of guys before, but those were… like… experiments. Totally irrelevant. What I'm saying is… the first REAL kiss...the kind that matters, it has to be magical."
Maxie burst out laughing so loud she nearly fell over. "Experiments? Sharon, what are you, a scientist of love now? Do I need to get a lab coat for you?"
I buried my face in my pillow, laughing too. "Shut up! It's serious. A kiss is sacred, Maxie. Sacred!"
She pulled the pillow off my face, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Sacred, huh? And here I thought you were lying to make yourself look like a mysterious virgin heroine. Oh my God, Sharon, you're ridiculous!"
"I am NOT ridiculous!" I shot back, sitting up straight and puffing my chest like a true heroine. "I am… selective. Strategic even. I want it to be..."
Maxie leaned against my doorframe, arms crossed, smirking. "Strategic? Babe, you planning a kissing campaign now? Like step one, flirt; step two, epic chemistry; step three, BOOM...perfect cinematic kiss?"
I groaned, face flushing, but couldn't stop myself from laughing. "Exactly! You get it! It's all about timing, the mood, the… ambiance, Maxie. It's an art!"
Her laugh rang through the room again. "Girl, you're insane. And also, stop pretending. You didn't just wake up thinking about kissing someone. You're dramatic as hell!"
I shot her a playful glare. "Dramatic? Please. I'm artistic! And if anyone doesn't understand the emotional magnitude of a first kiss, it's THEIR loss!"
Maxie shook her head, still laughing. "Artistic, huh? Okay, Ms. Shakespeare of Smooches, get your ass up and let's make this 'artistic' day start before you fall back into dreamland!"
I sighed, finally swinging my legs off the bed, still giggling. "Fine, fine… but one day, Maxie, one day, when it happens, you're going to see. You're going to see the most glorious first kiss in the history of mankind."
She snorted. "Glorious, huh... Get your flipping shit together! Can't wait. Now move, my dramatic little artist. Breakfast waits, and I've cooked something just for you. Don't you dare ruin it with your theatrics!"
I pushed my hair back, grinning. "Fine… but you're witnessing history today, Maxie. The world's about to see a masterpiece in action."
"Just get your ass up and get ready we have a long day ahead."
And with that, she pivoted on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door so hard it shook the frame. She wasn't angry, not really but her energy was always a bit… aggressive. Yet behind it all was that heart of hers, warm, loyal, and impossibly sweet. I admired her so much; she was the family I never had. And damn, today was going to be beautiful. I refused to spoil it with unnecessary thoughts about last night or any other mess.
With a sigh, I threw off the covers and trudged to the bathroom. The warm water helped wake me fully, washing away the last bits of sleep and grogginess. After my shower, I dressed quickly, picking something casual yet cute... today called for comfort and a little flair, because somehow I knew Maxie would have planned for the fun to start as soon as we left the house.
I wandered into the living room, and true enough, the smell of breakfast hit me like a warm hug. Maxie had already whipped something up, fast and precise like she always did. My stomach growled at the sight of the plate she set in front of me. I knew she had made mine too, she always did. She knew me too well; my love for food was an unspoken fact in our friendship.
She turned to me, eyes narrowing as she caught me staring.
"Hey, girl. Stop smiling at me like that," she said with a teasing smirk. "I ain't a lesbian, bitch. 😏"
I laughed, shaking my head. Maxie never failed to make me feel at home, like nothing else in the world mattered as long as we were together.
She placed a plate in front of me. "Eat up, drama queen. You'll need energy for the madness I've planned for today."
I raised a brow mid-bite. "Madness? What madness?"
Maxie smirked, sipping her coffee like she'd just revealed a government secret. "You'll see."
That smirk always meant trouble. And knowing Maxie, it could be any kind of trouble.
I sighed dramatically, waving my fork. "If it involves your brother again, count me out."
"Oh, don't worry," she said sweetly, a little too sweetly. "It's not him this time."
That should have calmed me but something about her tone made my stomach drop.
"Then who?" I asked, suspicion rising.
She leaned closer, her grin wicked and teasing. "Let's just say… someone's been asking about you."
I froze. "Who?"
Maxie's smirk widened. "You'll find out soon enough. And when you do, remember you asked for magic."
She winked and turned away, leaving me staring after her with my toast halfway to my mouth, my pulse suddenly quickening for reasons I couldn't explain.
Magic? Someone asking about me?
Oh, hell no.
Whatever Maxie was up to… I had a very bad feeling it was about to change my entire vacation.
By the time we finished eating, I felt fully awake. I felt ready...