The Kissing Game

Chapter 4

I walked through the hallways, hearing others murmur about me. Eyes were glued to me and I huffed, holding my head up high as I marched to the cafeteria. It was the second day of having the kiss, and so far, things were alright.

Boys did try to hit on me. They tried to feed me sweet words and make me want to kiss them, but I had shot them down. Annoyed, I now hoped my peers would realize that the kiss wasn't going to be passed. The game was over.

Reaching the double doors that led to the cafeteria, I threw them open. I entered the packed cafeteria and immediately headed to the table Hannah and I shared. I tried not to look disappointed when I saw that Hannah wasn't there yet.

When I reached the table I sat down and pulled my lunch out of my backpack. Ignoring the murmurs of the game around me, I grabbed my sandwich out of my container and chomped down on it. Chewing, I hoped Hannah would come soon.

"I love a girl who can eat," I heard someone say.

Recognizing the husky voice that had a touch of arrogance in it, I looked to my side and saw Axel walking up to me. He was wearing his usual leather jacket and he had his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. When our eyes met, he grinned. I simply rolled my eyes.

"Hey there," he said, plopping down beside me. "I missed you."

He left little space between us, which left me forced to look at his face. The freckles on his nose stood out and I stared at them, finding it intriguing that those were the only marks on his perfect face.

  "Do you speak?" he asked, zoning me back in.

"I do," I shot back, annoyed. "Just not to you."

"Because you're speechless around me?"

I took a deep breath in and told myself to relax. He wanted a reaction and I couldn't give him one.

"Yeah, I can't believe someone like you could exist," I said, smiling sweetly.

Axel smiled back. "Aw, that's sweet."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"How about this," he suddenly said, growing serious. "You kiss me now and you'll be rid of the kiss. I know you don't want it and you want me, so it'll be like killing two birds with one stone."

"No." I scoffed. "I'll never kiss you."

To my surprise, Axel's confident aura seemed to falter for a moment. It happened so quick that I wasn't sure if I saw it, but I was left caught off guard. I wondered what I said wrong.

"You will," Axel said, returning to his usual self as he grinned. "One day you'll be begging for a kiss from me."

I rolled my eyes and Axel got up. He ran his fingers through his hair and when he noticed I was staring, he winked. I scowled at him.

"Later Zoey," he said, turning around.

This time I didn't watch him, feeling annoyed. I couldn't stand guys like him. It annoyed me when they expected everything to come to them easily. Shaking my head, I told myself to put extra effort in when it came to ignoring Axel's advances.

*****

"So, you have the kiss?" Aaron, a boy in my Math class asked, approaching Hannah and I as we waited outside for her mom.

"Yes, I do," I answered flatly, knowing what would come next.

In the two days that had passed, Aaron had been the sixth boy to approach me about the kiss. It was already growing tiresome and I wondered when they would all collectively take a hint.

"Would you do me a favour and give it to me?" he then asked, smiling shyly. "It would mean a lot."

"No," I said bluntly, surprising the guy. "I won't be kissing anyone. Do me a favour and tell your friends and everyone else that."

"You will be kissing someone." Aaron shook his head tiredly. "Hopefully me."

He walked off then and I rolled my eyes. No one in this school seemed to know me. If they thought I wasn't capable of ending this stupid game, they were in for a surprise.

   "I don't think he knows you're serious," Hannah said once he was gone, using her hand to block off the suns rays.

    "Me neither." I sighed. "Why are boys so stupid?"

   Hannah shrugged, smiling. "They'd be boring otherwise."

   "Maybe I'd find one to crush on, otherwise."

   So far in my high school experience, I had never liked anyone. No one had given me sweaty palms or butterflies, and at one point, I began to question my sexuality. But then I realized the boys in my school just weren't desirable, so I decided to wait until university to find someone.

    "Zoey, you could find someone using the kiss," Hannah said. "Guys are chasing you and you could use it to your advantage to find the one."

    "That's cruel," I said. "And besides, I don't want any of these guys. They're all stupid."

   "Not Axel."

   "Especially Axel. He won't leave me alone."

   Hannah smiled and I stared at her, confused. She seemed deep in thought as she stared out at the parking lot in front of us.

    "Do you ever wonder why Axel wants to win this game so badly?" she asked.

   "No," I answered. "I don't really think of Axel at all."

   "Well, I wonder." Hannah's smile grew. "And I think it's his competitive side getting the better of him. It's kind of hot."

    I scowled in disgust and Hannah laughed lightly. She had put Axel up on a pedestal and sometimes I felt like knocking him off of it. But knowing that my opinions bothered her enough, I refrained from doing it.

    "Too bad for him that he won't be the winner," I said. "The kiss will be staying with me forever."

   "Aren't you scared of annoying our entire grade?" Hannah asked.

   "No." I shrugged. "I could care less about what they think and I'm more than happy to end this pointless game."

   "Wait." She suddenly grinned. "If you're the last one with the kiss, wouldn't that make you The Holy Kisser?"

   My eyes went wide at that and I stared at her in horror. Hannah simply laughed and I gaped at her, realizing I hadn't thought about that.

    "Now you're going to kiss the next boy you see," she joked. "Better than becoming The Holy Kisser."

    "Tempting," I groaned. "But no. Whatever. I'll just take the stupid title."

    "Wow, you're really set on keeping the kiss."

   "Yes, I am."

   I truly was and no one would get it from me. Now that I had some power in this game, I would use it to bring everyone back to reality. Maybe then my peers would be more likeable.