“Yeah, right. We’d never be that lucky.” Eighth graders rarely had lunch with the high schoolers, but on the rare occasion when a schedule couldn’t be worked out otherwise, it had been known to happen. I was just as skeptical as he was, but I wanted to cheer him up. As the end of school approached, we took turns slipping into bouts of frustration over our circumstances. Today, it would seem, was my turn to cheer on the team.

“Things could be worse. I could be going to boarding school, or your parents could move you to public school.” I gave him an encouraging look. When he simply scowled in response, I lifted my long wooden brush and dabbed white paint on the end of his nose. For a heartbeat, we both gaped at each other, stunned at what I’d done. Breaking the trance, I burst out laughing, doubling over in a fit of giggles.

Nico finally gave in, a wide grin spreading across his face. “You think you’re pretty funny, don’t you?”

“Oh, I know I’m funny.”

“If you’re so tickled at yourself, you can do the honors of cleaning up your little mess.” Shaking his head, he took my wrist and pulled me toward the back of the room. The other students continued painting, ignoring our antics, and our teacher was absorbed in grading exams at the front of the room.

I walked to the large utility sink, but the paper towel dispenser was empty. “Let me grab a new pack of towels.”

Nico followed me into the large walk-in supply closet full of a vast array of art supplies. We both scanned the shelves that lined the small room, searching for the paper goods.

“There,” I said, pointing at a cardboard box on one of the top shelves.

Nico stepped closer, his eyes falling from the shelf down to where I stood below. The softness I’d brought to his features with my attempt at levity fell away, a determined intensity darkening his cobalt eyes. His body closed in on mine until I could feel his body heat touching me, tempting me. Our gazes stayed locked, and my head swam with nervous anticipation.

He was going to kiss me right there in the art supply closet.

But it didn’t matter where we were. I wanted that kiss so badly, we could have been in a bathroom for all I cared. My heart tapped out an erratic rhythm in my throat. My hands suddenly became hot and sweaty, unsure what to do. While his gaze never wavered from my wide eyes, mine kept straying down to his full lips.

It felt like an eternity, when, in reality, his slow descent to bring our lips together only lasted a handful of seconds. Then, the moment I’d envisioned a million times over was finally happening. His warm lips pressed softly against mine. It was our only point of contact, but that one single touch electrified my entire body. My eyes drifted shut as neither of us moved, both lost in the sensation of our first kiss. There was no tongue or movement, just a simple touch, but it made my heart swell with love.