kari's pov

it was lunch break and sammy was waiting for me to put some of my books back in my locker, before we headed to the school cafeteria.

"hey," he suddenly nudged me. "look who's coming".

sammy gestured down the hallway and i noticed johnson casually walking with a few books in his hand - i bit on the skin of my top lip, as i recited what sammy agreed to yesterday.

"sam, are you sure that you're-"

"yes, i said it's fine. now wrap your arms around my neck" he ordered and i quickly followed his demand. soon i felt his hands swoop around my waist, as we both pretended to laugh at one another's jokes and flirt excessively.

johnson stopped at his locker that was on the opposite side of the wall, and ignored our actions.

i sighed and removed my arms from sammy's neck, "forget it. he's seen this all before".

"yeah, but not this" he replied and without giving me a chance to question what he meant, sammy forcefully attached his lips onto mine.

at first, i froze at his sudden action and widened my eyes, but i eventually caught up with my fast past and began to move my lips in sync with his.

sammy's hands softly caressed my cheeks until they migrated down to my hands and held them carefully above my head, and against the locker.

the further we continued, my eyes fluttered shut and the last thing on my mind was whether johnson was watching or not. instead, i was focused on how sammy's tongue gently glided across my bottom lip and begged for entrance.

eventually, we heard a locker being slammed aggressively and sammy gradually pulled away.

my eyes embarrassingly took their time to open again but when they did, i helplessly stared at sammy as i struggled to regain my natural breathing.

i gazed into his brown eyes - my heart continuing to race and my body heating up from how flustered i was right now.

but something was different. this time, i was looking him in the eyes and butterflies circled inside my stomach, every time i struggled to look away.

"i think i deserve an oscar for that performance" sammy chuckled.

i tried my best to do the same as i turned to shut my locker, "yeah, me too".

once we entered the cafeteria, sammy and i went to sit at the table with just nate and chantelle, since everyone's lunchtime seating arrangements were still separated into two.

i sat down beside chantelle, as nate sat opposite and sammy came to gently pat my back, letting my heart slightly race at his touch.

"hey kari, i'll go and get your lunch for you," he told me and i sweetly smiled at his gesture, before he left to queue up.

from beneath the table, i pulled out my phone and tapped the messages icon - i silently texted chantelle: code blue and her phone vibrated before she read the text and glimpsed at me.

"uh, nate can you go and get me an apple please?" chantelle politely asked him as he sat with his mouth stuffed with mac and cheese.

"but i'm eating" he announced with some food bites falling from his mouth.

"please" she pouted and batted my eyelashes, until he sighed and stood to do as his girlfriend asked.

once nate left, chantelle quickly turned to me. "okay, what's the emergency?"

"so in the hallway, sammy and i were trying to make johnson jealous and then out of nowhere, sammy kisses me. chantelle, he kissed me" i emphasised.

"wait, i don't get it. you've kissed before".

"i know, but this time it was different" i began, looking over at sammy who was paying for our lunch. "like i had these butterflies, i was all flustered after and i didn't want it to end".

chantelle suddenly gasped after my words, "you like him!" she assumed.

"what? are you crazy? no way" i shook my head and awkwardly played with my hair.

"come on, it's so obvious" she said, as she lightly nudged my shoulder then placed a fry in her mouth. "but you should go for it. i mean, he's hot as fuck".

"i know, but what about johnson?".

"you can't spend your entire life making him jealousy and waiting for him to beg for you back. move on, girl". my best friend advised and i thought about her words, as i glanced at johnson on the other table and sammy coming back to ours.

***

johnson's pov

after school, i was chasing carrington around the hallway because for some reason, she's been ignoring for the past day or two.

"carrington, why can't you just tell me what's wrong?" i lightly pulled onto her arm, so that she would turn around to face me.

"why don't you go and ask kari?" she spat, tugging away from my hold.

"what?".

"you really think i don't see you staring at her all the time?" she said. "and i don't even remember the last time we spent time together".

"carrington, you've got it all wro-".

"no" she quickly interrupted. "i'm spot on actually, maybe we should just end this".

i shook my head, "what? why?".

"because i'm not sure if i'm first or second choice, when it comes to you" carrington shrugged and didn't hesitate to turn on her heels, and walk away.

i pulled my hands through my hair, frustrated at what just happened and leant my head against the locker beside me. my hands crunched up into a fist, but i tried to hold myself back from punching the locker.

i heard small footsteps coming my way, so i lifted my head and saw the exact person that i've been waiting to see.

"kari," i called out and came to stand in front of her. "hi".

"hey," she said and folded her arms across her chest. "how are you?".

"i'm good...well actually, that's a lie" i admitted. "i mean, i just can't stop thinking about you".

"really?".

"yeah, i want you back kari and i know that you want me back too" i spoke, reaching out to take hold of her hands. but she eventually let go and shook her head.

"jack, i'm with sam now. okay, you're too late".

i chuckled at her words, "come on, i'm not stupid. i know that your relationship isn't real, i see how you're all over each other only when i enter the room".

"well, maybe that's all in your head" kari shrugged and gave me a sympathetic smile, just as she turned to  continue walking.

my mouth open and closed slightly as i wanted to tell her to wait, but i knew that there was no use. i was too late, i wasted so much time trying to make her jealous or be with a girl that i rarely payed attention to, when i could have forgave her and been with her a long time ago.

i sat down on one of the hallway steps - my hands clasped together and my elbows resting on my knees.

"johnson, have you seen kari?" meredith appeared and asked.

"uh yeah, she rejected me and then took a right down there".

i gave her fake thumbs up and she tilted her head to the side a little, confused by my sarcasm.

"what's wrong?" she asked, coming to sit down beside me.

"it's nothing important. i just need to learn to stop making my whole high school life revolve around girlfriends and just focus on the good things".

"like what?" she wondered, running her hands through her dark hair.

"family, friends".

"oh good," meredith sighed with a smile. "because this would have been really awkward".

i chuckled at her joke as the conversation drifted, until i turned a little to face her, "how do you do it?".

she furrowed her brows, "do what?".

"just stay so happy," i said. "you're like the only one out of our whole group who isn't being dragged down by all the drama".

she shrugged her shoulders, "it's just a matter of not thinking about it too much. like i know that chantelle still isn't talking to me but if i just let it go, it'll happen without me even realising".

i helplessly smiled at her answer, "she'll come around, meredith. i mean, who could stay mad at you?".

"and you say that in what way exactly?".

"well you're smart, you're incredibly kind and not to mention, one of the hottest girls in this school".

"okay, now you're just stating lies" she disagreed, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"i may be lot of things, but i'm definitely not a liar" i assured with my finger pointing at her.

"oh really? so when you first started dating carrington, it wasn't just a way to make kari jealous?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

"fine, okay except for that one time" i corrected and she giggled lightly at my surrender.

"well mr honest, i need to get going and find kari" meredith said, getting up from the step and stood before me. "but i'll see you tomorrow right?".

"definitely" i smiled up at her, quickly licking my lips.

meredith began to step away backwards then awkwardly gave me a wave, that i returned, before she went to continue on her way.

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