I'm fully booked out tomorrow morning, which is why you're getting this a day early.

Shout out to: jueka1 , brightyeolie , and amiva0402 for your lovely engagement last chapter. A pleasure as always.

Question for everyone: What is one place in the world you really want to visit and haven't yet? 

Mine would be South Korea. I stupidly skipped it when I moved back from London thinking I could go some other time in the not so distant future. Ha. Isn't past me funny?

____

Once Lexi finally disappeared from sight and my heart rate seemed to slow down just a fraction from all the heightened emotions that had coursed through my body—from kissing Flynn to getting caught by Lexi to potentially upsetting Flynn with the discussion of the list again—I took a deep breath and turned to face him.

Towering a head above me, with his deep brown curly locks almost blending in with the night sky, he slowly turned to meet my gaze once he seemed to feel me staring at him.

And for a moment, just a moment, I almost thought I saw a gleam of something I didn't like in his eyes... Hurt? Sorrow? Betrayal?

But as quickly as I noticed it, it disappeared. A familiar Flynn grin spread across his face, reaching all the way to his eyes before he said, "Ready to go tick boy one off the list, Callie?"

Without even waiting for my response, he started walking to the house.

So I reached out and grabbed his wrist.

Flynn stopped, head turning to look at my hold on him until I dropped it, before he raised his gaze to me.

His face was soft, eyes swirling with an indistinguishable emotion, as he met my stare. "What's wrong, Callie?" he asked me, voice hesitant and... dare I say it... hopeful? But I wasn't sure. Because apparently I had no skills at reading people.

"Can we... talk?" I asked.

The corner of his mouth turned up slightly as he said, "That's what we're doing right now, isn't it?" But then he fully turned his body, taking a few steps closer until he was standing right in front of me. Close enough for me to feel his warmth. Close enough that I had to crane my neck to look up into his obsidian eyes. Close enough that I could smell his orange and sandalwood scent again. But not touching me.

"Um... yeah... it is," I mumbled, turning my gaze down to his chest, unable to take the intensity of his stare anymore. My heart was racing as the words raced through my head.

What do I say after something like that? I wondered.

It was a great kiss... was it like that for him too?

If I ask that... am I not making myself seem like more of an idiot?

And what if it felt like more to me than it did him? Would he just laugh me off because we're supposed to be friends?

Am I thinking it meant more just because it was my first?

"What did you want to talk about?" he then asked softly, hand warmly pressing against my arm, calling me back from my spiraling thoughts.

Ever so slowly, I glanced back up to his gaze, and all words disappeared from my mind. So I breathed all I could remember that I wanted to say, "That kiss..."

He was quiet for some time. Eyes flickering between mine before searching my face. The silence drifted on long enough for me to grow a little scared of what he would say. To wonder if I had to say more. For my heart to drum rapidly in my chest once again.

But then Flynn said, "Was just a kiss."

And my stomach sank.

A grin grew on his face as he removed his hand, running it through his hair before saying, "A freaking good one. You'll wow Fraser with that mouth of yours, Callie, sheesh. And Noah one day when you get to him. But I suppose it helps when you have a great teacher."

And while I could hear the laughter in his tone, and his movements suggested he was being the usual jokester Flynn, a part of me wondered... As Noah's name exited his mouth, did I see what I wanted to see there, or...

But then a new thought occurred to me.

Flynn would never like you like that, Callie. Even if he thinks you're attractive. Even if he said you're a good kisser.

Because... as he said... you were the 'fuck' option in marry, fuck, kill.

So I shared his smile, gave him a small nod and thanked him for kissing me, which he obviously teased me about while we walked back into the house and into the party.

Glancing over the masses, Flynn took it upon himself to search for Fraser for me, stating he'd  introduce us. Finding him standing by my sister, he weaved through the drunk swaying bodies, pulling him away from gawking at Lexi while she slowly retreated as Fraser's back was turned.

Eyes meeting mine across the room, Lexi held up two thumbs and mouthed 'good luck'. Then she pulled out her phone, glanced at it, and slipped it back in her pocket before holding up both hands, miming 'ten minutes'.

I gave her a nod to let her know I understood and then began walking through the crowd towards Flynn.

"Callie!" Flynn exclaimed when I joined them. I glanced between the pair, wondering what on earth they may have discussed or how Flynn was supposedly 'working his magic'. Then Flynn turned back to Fraser and said, "You've met Callie before, right Frase?"

Fraser, wobbling slightly, eyes half closed, turned to look at me, eyes going over my body. Once they reached my leg, he grinned before he looked back to my eyes. "How can I not know pirate?"

My stomach churned at the thought of what was to come.

Have I just walked into a trap?

Was this some joke?

Perhaps Flynn was buttering me up, and Fraser was about to serve the final blow to me. Two rejections in one night, like some huge practical joke.

And then what's next?

Noah will have some girl in his car with him on the way home?

But then Fraser said, "Or as we always liked to say... Sexy pirate." He snorted at his joke, like he was funny. "Sorry Callie. I know girls hate the objectumafacation stuff these days," he stumbled over his words. "But you really are like some hot robot or something."

My heart fluttered in my chest, but it wasn't for this man in front of me, reeking of alcohol. It was for the person who had told me all this. Who had eased my unfavourable assumptions. For the person I was trying to hard to not look at right now while he set me up with another guy to kiss.

"Well... Considering you always listed Callie as your 'fuck' option," Flynn then said, causing Fraser's eyes to go wide as he glanced at me. "Oh... I told her. Sorry. Slipped. But anyway... Callie and I were playing a drinking game before and she lost so she had to do my dare. I was wondering if you'd help her complete it, considering you do find her attractive?"

"What's the dare?" Fraser asked Flynn, though his eyes were looking over my body, making me feel a little squirmy.

What did I ever see in him to put him on my list? I wondered.

"Well, I said she had to kiss someone in this room. She's too shy to ask anyone so I figured... well you're always up for it right?"

Fraser's jaw dropped, mouth literally opening as he looked back to Flynn.

He isn't up for it, I immediately concluded, wondering if Lexi was seeing this.

But then Fraser said, "You mean I can make out with both twins in one night?"

"Don't be too handsy on her, Frase. Callie's my friend so I'll beat you up if you're inappropriate."

Fraser responded by taking a couple steps backwards from us, falling onto the couch. Then he patted the spot next to him. "I can't stand anymore, especially if I'm going to close my eyes for some smooching. So come, sit, Callie."

As my heart began to drum in my chest as I realised this might actually be happening, I casted a wary glance to Flynn.

Eyes meeting, Flynn's brows turned down as he gave me a reassuring smile before nodding.

Taking a deep breath, I took the spot next to Fraser. Though not before Flynn sat on the other side of me.

As Fraser leaned over to the coffee table to set his drink down, Flynn whispered in my ear, "I'm here in case something goes wrong." Then he pulled out his phone and pretended to be interested in something on it, just in time for Fraser to turn his attention back to me.

"Okay, come here Callie. Let's do your dare," he slurred, one arm winding around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him, the other coming down on my knee.

Just like with Flynn, as Fraser's eyes closed and he began to lean in, and I started to think 'is this seriously happening', my heart started pounding in my chest. But instead of with Flynn, where that drumming beat was immediately followed by a tingly sensation coursing through my body and a flutter of butterflies in my stomach, seeing Fraser's puckered lips approaching, the waft of alcohol permeating my nose, caused my stomach to churn with nausea.

Nonetheless, I clamped my eyes shut and leaned the rest of the way, forcing my lips against his and trying to not think about the rancid smell of beer that surrounding me.

His lips were sloppy and wet on mine. Unlike Flynn, who took it slowly, who only gave and took what I could handle, Fraser almost immediately tried to plunge his tongue in my mouth.

I parted my lips, trying to oblige to what he wanted. But as the taste of the beer that lingered in his mouth overwhelmed my senses, I felt that gagging sensation return. 

To make it worse, his hand, that was on my leg, started to drift up my thigh. And as it kept inching upwards, my body froze. 

I wanted to push him away.

I wanted to run from this situation.

And I honestly felt so uncomfortable that a part of me was hating my sister again for putting me in this predicament.

But then suddenly Fraser's hand disappeared.

And he leaned back.

Opening my eyes, at his sudden absense, I looked down to see a dark-skinned arm, clutching Fraser's wrist, pulling it away from my leg. 

And Fraser, with anger in his eyes, was glaring at someone behind me. "Hey, don't cock block, mate," he slurred.

Turning around, my face came within a breath of Flynn's as he leaned over me, glaring at Fraser. "She just wanted a kiss, not a grope, Frase," Flynn growled before he all but threw the hand he had been clutching back at Fraser. 

Peeling the drunken idiot's other arm from me, Flynn then helped me to my feet, pulling me away from the guy. 

"But thanks for your service," Flynn added before he started guiding me away from him.

We kept walking through the people towards the hallway where my sister was last seen. But then Flynn kept guiding me out of the house. "Where are we—" I started.

"Your sister said your ride is here. She signalled to me before which is why I didn't notice that he wasn't keeping his hands to himself. Sorry, Callie."

Flynn opened the door for me and stepped aside for me to walk through. A small part of me wanted to berate him for the action—because I could open doors myself—but the romantic in me saw my heart fluttering that he had done such an act, in addition to 'saving me' from Fraser, like I was some damsel in distress.

But as I walked through the doorway, I realised he was no longer beside me. Having taken a couple of steps and noticing his absence, I paused. 

Turning around, I saw Flynn still standing inside.

"Oh... you're not going?" I asked.

His brows furrowed as he processed what I asked before the familiar grin returned. "Party's still on."

I pressed my lips together in response, not sure what to add to that. What, of all the things I had bubbling up inside me,  I wanted to express to him in that moment. So I started with, "I want to say—"

"Noah's waiting, Callie," he cut me off, smile dropping from his face. "As is your sister. You should go."

I pursed my lips, feeling a stabbing sensation occur in my chest and my eyes begin to sting. But rather than turning away, I walked back up to him and threw my arms around him. 

Flynn froze in my hold, and my face burned. 

But I quickly blurted out, "Thank you for being such an amazing first kiss and way better than what that experience just before would have been. And thank you for helping me tick the first guy off as much as I hated it. And thank you for being such a great friend."

Almost instantly as I finished my spiel, Flynn's body relaxed in my hold, his arms winding around me. Then he gave me a gentle squeeze before letting me go. 

And because he let me go, I dropped my hold on him too, taking a slight step back before meeting his gaze. 

"You can make it up to me by making me a maths whizz," Flynn grinned in response.

There were so many more things I wanted to say. So many more emotions bubbling up in me at that moment. But as he had said... Noah and Lexi were waiting for me.

As if on cue, the horn in the car idling in the driveway beeped, and Flynn shot a slight glare in their direction, before his eyes flickered back to mine with warmth. "I'll see you at school," he said.

And I nodded, unsure what to say.

"And stalk you on insta later," he grinned.

"Don't look at my photos!" I whined, eyes going wide.

"Too bad, Callie."

We shared a smile and then he started to turn away, but I called out to him once more. "Flynn?"

He cocked an eyebrow.

"You can call me Cal, if you want. Everyone else does."

Flashing his pearly whites at me one last time for the night, he said, "But why would I want to miss a single letter of your name? Enjoy your evening, Callie." 

Then he shut the door in front of me, and I, begrudgingly, walked over to Noah's awaiting car.

UPLOAD NOTE

So uploads will most likely be weekly from hereon as I'm entering the full swing of meetings and planning in the lead up to school start. 

HOWEVER... now is your chance to convince me. This coming Wednesday is a public holiday in Australia (technically called Australia day, but I side with Flynn and the many other Indigenous Australians who call it Invasion day and argue it should not be celebrated), which means I won't have meetings (though will have work). Nevertheless... if you can convince me in the comments, I may upload an extra chapter on Wednesday. 

Make your case here ~~~~>

ALSO: CAST

As promised, my 'cast', with some disclaimers to note:

- Both the Sara and Noah actors are Japanese. I unfortunately don't know any young Japanese-Australian actors.

- The Noah actor (Daiki Shigeoka) is technically 29 now, but they casted him to play a teen when he would have been 26 and he honestly fooled me. So eh. Daren Barnet who plays Paxton Hall-Yoshida in Never Have I Ever is 30 so...

- The Flynn actor (Clarence Ryan) is also the same age as the Noah actor and definitely looks much older now than the pic I chose. But his younger self when he played teens is definitely who I think of when I write Flynn

- Finally, the person I casted for Lexi (Angourie Rice) totally fits the face I'd imagine for Lexi, but evidently I'm never going to find an actress with a wolf haircut and purple ends... Plz use your imagination there.

- As for the other two, for Sara I think of Kaya Kiyohara and for Callie I think of Tiarnie Coupland (I don't know any Aussie amputee actors unfortunately)

FINALLY: MEME

Is this how you meme?: