"Your partner still hasn't arrived?" The teacher asked with the list in hand. His pen hovering over the paper. His brows creased as he peered at Adrian, clearly waiting for an explanation.
Adrian only smiled, though a faint muscle in his jaw ticked. The three-legged race was about to start, and he was standing there without a partner like some kind of clown.
Across the field, Ethan was already tying his ankle to his partner's. He heard the teacher's words and grinned like the devil himself. Loud enough for half the line to hear, he called out, "Then just eliminate yourself if you don't have one. Save us the trouble." His voice was honeyed mockery, smug to the bone.
Adrian's jaw twitched further, though his smile stayed perfectly in place. He'd been dealing with Ethan's pettiness all day. First in the relay, then in dodgeball. Ethan might've won the last round, but Adrian still walked off with the spotlight. Even now, he could still see Ethan's sour face in his mind, and it made him want to laugh.
He really can't stand not being the center, huh?
But Ethan wasn't wrong. His partner was missing, and this three-legged race was supposed to be the tie-breaker. They were fifty-fifty in medals so far. Whoever won this round would take the crown.
Of all times to bail on me… Adrian thought bitterly, flexing his fist before relaxing it again. He plastered on his signature grin, turning back to the teacher. "I'll just find a replacement." He shrugged like it was nothing.
"I can do that, right, sir?" Adrian asked, tipping his head, voice syrupy smooth.
The teacher sighed but eventually nodded. "Fine. Don't take too much time."
Adrian's lips curled into a triumphant smirk as he glanced at Ethan. "You heard him. Approved. Which means you can't say a damn thing about it."
Ethan scowled, his partner standing awkwardly beside him like he'd rather disappear into the ground. The poor guy's expression screamed please get me out of this rivalry before it kills me.
Adrian, on the other hand, already had someone in mind. His gaze drifted across the field until it landed on a familiar figure beneath a patch of shade. Bingo.
He didn't hesitate. Striding forward, Adrian grabbed Ivan by the wrist.
"Hm?" Ivan blinked, brows knitting as Adrian tugged him away from the water station where he'd just finished drinking. His black eyes narrowed, voice low. "What are you—"
"I need urgent help. Life or death. You're the only one who can save me." Adrian's tone was dramatic and playful, almost theatrical as he pulled Ivan onto the field.
Ivan resisted, pulling his wrist free once they reached the starting area. "What do you mean?" His answer came quicker than expected. Then, the teacher approached, dropping a strip of red fabric into Adrian's hand. "Here. Tie up. Quickly."
Adrian beamed. "Of course. I wouldn't want to miss first place."
Ivan looked like he was about to walk off, but Adrian caught his wrist again, gentler this time, pleading creeping into his eyes. "Hey, don't leave me hanging here."
"I don't want to," Ivan said flatly, gaze steady but unamused.
"Pleaseee… Ivan, just this once, okay? My partner ditched me, and I'm left to rot. Friends are supposed to help each other…" Adrian even widened his eyes, shamelessly pulling out the puppy-dog look.
Ivan exhaled a long breath, brushing Adrian's hand away but the fight in his expression faltered. "…Fine."
Adrian's grin split wide. Top-tier acting skills. Someone should give me an award. He shot Ethan a mocking glance across the field. Ethan's glare darkened instantly, burning with unspoken threats.
"Good choice," Adrian murmured, turning back to Ivan. "I'll make sure we win before you even break a sweat."
Ivan gave him nothing but a glacial glare as Adrian crouched down to tie the fabric around their ankles. His fingers brushed against Ivan's calf, the warmth of skin seeping through thin uniform fabric and for a second Adrian's chest jolted. He quickly masked it with a grin. "Y'know how this works, right?"
"Mn," Ivan replied.
"Good. Because I don't plan on face-planting in front of the whole school." Adrian chuckled, tugging the knot secure. Ivan's expression didn't shift, deadpan as ever, though Adrian could almost feel the annoyance simmering off him.
The whistle was raised. Around them, classmates cheered, voices swelling in excitement. Adrian's fangirls were there too, banners shaking wildly, the glitter on their letters catching the sun. Ivan purposefully looked away, pretending not to see the one with cartoon lips again drawn around Adrian's name.
"On your marks!"
The racers lined up. Ethan leaned forward at the far end, his eyes locked on Adrian like this was war.
"Get set!"
Adrian leaned closer to Ivan, whispering, "Don't trip me, okay?"
Ivan's jaw tightened. "Shut up."
The whistle blew and they were off.
Despite Ivan's reluctance, their strides synced almost naturally, the rhythm falling into place faster than Adrian expected. Their bound legs moved as one, their balance fluid as the crowd roared. Adrian stole a glance, Ivan's expression was razor-sharp, focused and the faintest crease of determination on his brow.
He's so serious… Adrian thought, grinning despite himself. Kinda hot, actually—wait, no. Stop.
They surged forward. Ethan and his partner weren't far behind, the gap shrinking. Adrian's heart picked up speed, part from the race also from the proximity to Ivan. He could feel every brush of Ivan's shoulder, every heat-laced breath between them.
They were pulling ahead. Behind them, Ethan's teeth ground together. His eyes flicked toward Adrian, determination burning into frustration. No way. No way he's beating me again.
"Faster," Ethan snapped at his partner, forcing the pace. Their strides grew reckless, speed overtaking rhythm. Within seconds, they were too close to Adrian and Ivan's lane. Adrian didn't see it coming. The sharp shoulder slammed against his side, deliberately hard.
The shove sent Adrian and Ivan stumbling, their tangled legs betraying them. The world tilted and the gravity yanked them down before Adrian could even curse. They crashed onto the dirt with a hard thud. The crowd gasped in unison.
Adrian blinked, dazed, only to realize his face was inches from Ivan's. Their lips—
No, not inches.
Touching.
It wasn't soft nor romantic. It was teeth knocking, the painful clash of an accident. But it was contact. Mouth on mouth.
The entire field went silent for a split second.
Click.
Marcus, assigned to photography duty, had been snapping pictures all morning. His finger spasmed at the exact wrong (or right) time, capturing the moment of their lips colliding. His eyes went wide as he stared at his camera screen.
Meanwhile, Ethan barreled through the finish line with his partner, arms raised in hollow victory. The whistle shrilled after, declaring the race over.
Adrian pulled back instantly, eyes wide, his carefully-crafted grin faltering for the first time all day. His brain scrambled, static roaring in his ears. What. The. Fuck.
He pushed himself up, the neutral mask he always wore faltering hard. His pulse hammered in his throat, his face burning as the reality hit. He'd never kissed any of his exes, not once, on the mouth. He'd always believed that his first kiss was sacred, only meant for the one.
And now? It had been yanked away in the most humiliating way possible. From Ivan. A guy. A guy he was only close to because of a bet. Besides, Ivan is not even close to his ideal type.
That doesn't count. That can't count.
Ivan, still beneath him, had gone deadly still. His black eyes burned like storm clouds. A faint flush stained his neck, but his expression carried only sharp edges, the kind that silenced gossip with sheer threat. Slowly, deliberately, he brushed dirt off his clothes and stood.
The crowd hushed, tension rippling in the air.
Thank God Eliana isn't here. And it was true, if she had been, Adrian would've been six feet under by now.
Adrian swallowed hard, forcing a crooked smile when the teacher approached. "I'm fine," he said quickly, even as his throat felt dry. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Ivan's lip. A thin red line at the corner where their teeth had collided. Guilt jabbed through him.
"You okay?" Adrian asked before he could stop himself.
"Mn." Ivan murmured flatly. Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away. His spine straight and composure remained unshaken.
Adrian stood frozen, throat working. His heart was still thundering, his mind screaming at him. That doesn't count as a kiss, right? It's not supposed to mean anything!