For the next few days, I successfully managed to avoid the doctors, Christian and any unwanted thoughts about dead bodies in school hallways. However, it was on the fourth day of ignorance that was our next drama class - and also our first full run-through of Romeo and Juliet. 

I whined to Em, "Please! Just let me do costume and makeup and you can be Juliet."

"No!" she said for the billionth time, "Besides, the costumes are already made and I can't act like you can."

"Stuff you," I muttered.

"Where is our Juliet?" a shrill voice demanded and quickly I rushed out so I'd be ready for my first part of the day. 

When we'd actually be performing I'd be wearing a poofy dress - so not my style. But at least today I'd just be in drama blacks. 

***

I gulped as soon as Christian stepped on stage. Just acting... I'll be fine. I will not let my feelings continue any longer. None of this makes sense as is...

"If I profane with my unworthiest hand," he began, around the pillar from me. He continued and my heart beat rapidly. I can't let my feelings get in the way of anything. 

"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much," I chuckled and glanced into his eyes - a big mistake. I was instantly caught by the red hues, "For saints have hands that pilgrims hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers kiss..."

He pleaded - god, this boy was a good actor, "Have saints not lips, and holy palmers too?"

"Aye, good pilgrim," I managed to pull my eyes away and laugh, "Lips that they must use in prayer."

"O, then, dear saint," he began and I tensed. He'd kiss me soon... 

I mean, sure, we'd kissed in dreams, and apparently, I'd kissed him once when I was drunk, but not sober and conscious...

I managed to squeeze out my last line of the sonnet before he finished his own. He tensed quickly too, but the teacher called out, "You must be comfortable enough with each other, surely. Come on!"

Christian didn't waste any time but quickly bent down to kiss me. My eyes widened as his lips moved across mine. I could feel my everything tingling - my first conscious, sober kiss and it was with Christian Park. And it was good...

My eyes fluttered closed as he didn't pull away. 

Suddenly, I jumped, remembering where I was. Christian pulled away quickly.

God, it was going to be harder to not like him, now. 

I whispered out my line, in nervousness, "Then have my lips the sin that they have took..."

Christian smirked slightly, seeing my nervousness and I winced. He continued, "Sin from my lips? O, trespass sweetly urg'd! Give me my sin again."

He came back in for another heated kiss and I slowly moved to wrap my arms around his neck. Yeah, I definitely wouldn't be able to forget him now... I began kissing him back and his hands moved to touch my waist. 

It wasn't like those sappy romance novels where 'sparks fly everywhere'... but I could definitely feel my legs going numb from something. 

There was a tap on my shoulder and again, I quickly pulled back - shocked at my reaction to Christian. Olivia - who was playing 'Nurse' - said in a choked voice, "Madam, your mother craves a word with you."

I glanced around to see each and every person was giggling slightly. I blushed beet red and nodded, walking towards Vivian as Lady Capulet. 

The bell rang and I mentally cursed it. It couldn't have rung five minutes ago?! 

I marched offstage and changed in the girls dressing room into the school uniform. Emily smirked at me, "That was a pretty passionate kiss, Nattie."

I growled at her, "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't mention... that from now on."

An arm wrapped around my shoulders and I glanced up at Olivia. She giggled, "I agree with Emily. You and Christian Park are just meant to be."

"No!" I shouted, grabbing my bag and heading down for lunch, "I need food."

***

I stirred my spoon in the bowl of soup, remaining silent. Emily groaned, "Not the silent treatment again."

I glared at her. You know why? Because as soon as we got to the dining hall she was gushing to Whitney all about it. And according to Bree, Beth, Rose and Kayla, everyone and I mean, everyone knows. 

Emily rolled her eyes, "It was cute, come on, Nattie...You can't expect something like that to go unnoticed."

"Especially when I'm pretty sure you responded to that kiss," a deep voice said in my ear. 

I let out a small shriek of surprise and fell off my chair onto the ground. Christian looked down at me amusedly as I rubbed my back, sitting up. 

Christian smirked, "Did you have a nice trip?"

I glared at him.

Christian raised an eyebrow, "Take a picture, it'll-"

"Finish that sentence, I dare you," Emily suddenly growled at him.

"What did I do to you?" he asked, staring at her.

Em frowned, "You're a walking cliche - that's what."

"A walking cliche?" his eyebrows popped up, "I'm gonna take that as a compliment, Miss Wednesday."

Christian held a hand out to me and I took it, standing up. 

I dropped his hand quickly, "What do you want?"

Christian held a hand over his heart, "And here I thought that the kiss meant so much, Dove."

"Shut it, Park," I threatened, "I don't want to have anything to do with you, okay?"

He smirked and next thing I know he's whispering into my ear, "Dove... you see me in your dreams every night... I'm pretty sure you can't help falling for me."

I reeled back, "First of all, we don't even know why that happens. Secondly... I'm not falling for you."

"Liar," he grinned innocently and turned around, heading to his own table. 

I gritted my teeth and sat in my seat. 

Whitney murmured, "He so has the hots for you..."

"No, he doesn't," I snapped.

"He was just whispering sweet nothings in your ear," she narrowed her eyes.

"They weren't sweet nothings."

"Apparently, you kissed. Thrice."

"Once, I was drunk. Twice and thrice, we were forced to."

Whitney growled at me, "Sure. But you like him, don't you?"

"No."

"Seems like it."

"I don't, Whitney."

"Sure as fuck, you don't," she rolled her eyes, "You two just have this weird chemistry."

"Chemistry?" I repeated. 

"Yeah," she shrugged.

I looked to Em, who was already frozen in her seat. We repeated together, "Chemistry."

I stood up quickly, Em on my tail. Marching to Dr Weston I ordered, "What is it about my chemistry? Huh?"

He narrowed his eyes at me, "Excuse me?"

"What is it about my anatomy that makes me have this... thing with Christian? Spill it," I told him. 

His eyes widened momentarily before he smiled slightly, "So you've figured it has something to do with science?"

"What else," I shrugged, "It has to be how our... bodies react to one another or something like that."

Dr Weston smirked the tiniest bit and then said, "I'm afraid I can't tell you that just yet. We still have a few more tests we need to run. That includes the pheromone indicator."

"Pheromone indicator?" Em asked for clarification. 

Dr Weston mimed zipping his lips shut and turned away, purposefully towards Dr Demonico. 

I rolled my eyes and walked away.

"That's it?" Em gasped, "No answer? Now I see why you hate the doctors..."

"Yuh-huh," I muttered under my breath. 

My eyes caught on Christian's across the room and he raised an eyebrow, mouthing, 'What was that?'

I mouthed back, 'I'll tell you later'. 

Em looked between the two of us and crossed her arms, "So you've just forgiven and forgotten? You two are multipolar. Ugh..." She strutted away from me and sat down with a few boys in our English class, where I walked back to my dinner. 

***

"Hello, students," Dr Demonico's voice carried out across the room, "How are you all? I trust you slept well." She left no room for an answer. She continued, "Today, you have the Pheromone Indicator stage of the testing. Unlike the last one, it isn't painful, it isn't scary and it isn't difficult either. Actually, it's quite entertaining. Girls and boys will be together in the same room for this one. You all go one at a time, in whichever order you choose to, and go outside of the room. Your microchip is then enabled by either myself or Dr Weston and your pheromone levels increase. You enter the room again and we monitor who's heart rate increases, decreases or any other factors that suddenly change. If the heart rate gets too high or skips a beat, then your microchip will let out a loud beep. There should only be one person beeping per person entering... but a lot of you prefer lust over love. Most of you won't have any beeps at all."

Whitney giggled, "This is so cool! Can you imagine how embarrassing it would be though to just beep? But it still sounds so cool!"

I rolled my eyes but smiled. Whitney needs a higher vocabulary. I took another bite of my toast and Em nudged me lightly, "Think about how many girls are gonna beep for Shawn and Christian."

I shuddered, "Shawn? Gross..."

She smirked and I rolled my eyes, "You like him, don't you?"

Em sighed loudly, "Obviously. Don't you remember when I asked you... oh, forget it - you were drunk," she giggled lightly.

I shook my head slowly at her and turned my attention back to Dr Demonico. 

She continued, "The pheromone indicator simply works out if your pheromones have a connection with someone else's. A few samples may have already been collected from this stage due to the party, your dreamscape or just average data from your microchip, but all the certain data comes from the pheromones."

I shivered quickly and murmured, "So they've been tracking us?"

"Seems like it," Rose muttered, "I don't really like this..."

Em grinned, like Whitney. Together they said, "It'll be exciting, guys."

I sighed with Rose and Beth. I admit, it could be cool... but it is still scary - despite what Dr Demonico said. Em grasped my hand, "You've got to keep me calm so I don't beep when your brother walks in, kay?"

"I can't control that," I smirked, but suddenly I scowled, "Don't beep for my brother."

Whitney winked, "No promises."

I gaped at her and Rose interrupted, "Yeah... I can't promise either."

I rolled my eyes at them all, "Girls... what am I gonna do with y'all?"

***

Song: Lifestyle of the Rich and the Famous - Good Charlotte

xx Sharky.